There's no miracle cure for snoring, but lifestyle changes may help. As snoring can be related to lifestyle, there are some simple changes you can make to minimize it.
Snoring self-help tips:
· Maintain a
healthy diet and weight. Being overweight by just a few kilograms can lead to
snoring. Fatty tissue around your neck squeezes the airway and prevents air
from flowing in and out freely.
· Try to
sleep on your side rather than your back. While sleeping on your back, your
tongue, chin and any excess fatty tissue under your chin will probably relax
and squash your airway. Sleeping on your side prevents this.
· Avoid
alcohol before going to bed. Alcohol causes the muscles to relax more than
usual during a normal night's sleep. This added relaxation of the muscles
makes the back of the throat collapse more readily, which then causes snoring.
· Quit or
cut down on smoking. Cigarette smoke irritates the lining of the nasal cavity
and throat, causing swelling and catarrh. If the nasal passages become
congested, it's difficult to breathe through your nose because the airflow is
decreased.
· Keep your
nasal passages clear so that you breathe in through your nose rather than your
mouth. Try rubbing a few drops of eucalyptus or olbas oil onto your pillowcase.
If an allergy is blocking your nose, try antihistamine tablets or a
nasal spray. Ask your pharmacist for advice, and see your GP if you're affected
by an allergy or condition that affects your nose or breathing.
Commercial stop-snoring devices
There are a range of stop-snoring treatments and devices on
sale. These include nasal strips, which encourage you to breathe
through your nose, throat sprays to ease air flow, and devices that reposition
the jaw or your pharmacist can tell you what's available.
Snoring surgery
For serious cases of snoring, surgery to correct snoring
can include fixing structural problems in the nose and removing excess tissue
in the mouth and throat.
