What makes you snore so much and how to stop it
Sleeping on your back boosts your odds of snoring through the night.
Does your snoring keep people awake while you’re in dreamland? Research proves that snoring happens when air cannot move freely through your nose and throat while you’re asleep. This makes the surrounding tissues vibrate, which produces the familiar snoring sound. People who snore often have too much throat and nasal tissue or “floppy” tissue that is more prone to vibrate, causing a sound.
Here are some tried and tested tips to put a stop to your snoring.
1. Lighten your load
A study in the journal Sleep and Biological Rhythms states that overweight people were nearly 50 per cent more likely to develop snoring problems during the four-year follow-up than participants whose weight was normal. That’s because fat deposits in your upper airway can obstruct your breathing, said Men’s Health sleep adviser Dr Christopher Winter.
“Even losing 2kg can make a huge difference,” said Dr Winter.
2. Ditch two vices
Smokers are twice as likely to snore than people who don’t puff, according to a study from Howard University. “Lighting up irritates your nasal passages, which decreases airflow and makes it hard to breathe through your nose,” said Dr Winter.
Alcohol isn’t a great sleep aid either. In a study from Germany, men who imbibed before bed snored more and louder than those who abstained. “Booze relaxes your muscles, blocking the air passage in your throat,” said Dr Winter. “Cut yourself off a couple hours before hitting the sack”.
3. Back off your back
Sleeping on your back boosts your odds of snoring through the night. The position makes your airway less stable and more likely to collapse, according to Dr Winter. The solution? Snooze on your side. In a study from the Netherlands, people who slept that way were less likely to snore than those on their backs.
If you struggle to maintain the position overnight, Dr Winter recommends something called the Night Shift Sleep Positioner. Strap the device around your neck before you go to sleep. It will vibrate when you roll on your back, increasing in intensity until you wake up and rearrange yourself.
4. Throw a concert in your car
Singers score significantly lower on a snoring scale than people who keep their mouths shut, according to research from the UK. Singing strengthens the muscles in your soft palate and upper throat, so they’re less likely to collapse and block your airway.
Fortunately, you don’t have to sound like Sinatra to experience the effects for yourself. The researchers suggest that any type of singing for a small amount of time each day could be beneficial. There’s your excuse to belt out your favourite song on your drive to work.
Source: https://www.health24.com
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