"Home Remedies for Snoring - 10 Ways You Can Stop It"

If your snoring isn't serious, there are home remedies for snoring that can help. More than 90 million adults snore on a regular basis, but the problem is twice as prevalent in men than women.

Snoring can be a problem for the snorer and for his or her spouse, who is frequently awakened by the sounds from the snoring partner.

Subsequently, the tissues in your throat relax enough that they will vibrate, partially obstructing your airway.

As the airway becomes narrowed, your breathing becomes more forceful.

This causes increased vibration of the tissues in your throat and your snoring becomes louder.

1. Lose Weight - One of the causes of snoring is excess weight. Excessive weight in your neck and chest areas can cause undue pressure on your throat muscles. By losing weight, you can tremendously decrease or even stop snoring and possible sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a condition where an individual temporarily stops breathing at different times during the night. If this condition is bad enough, individuals may stop breathing hundreds of times nightly.

It is usually caused by a collapse of the soft tissue at the back of the throat.

If you think that your snoring is caused by sleep apnea, you are advised to see a physician for treatment of this potentially serious condition.

2. Stop Smoking - If you smoke, you should stop, as smoking tends to aggravate the tissues in the throat, thus contributing to your snoring problem. It also creates increased congestion and mucus production in your lungs.

There have been studies indicating that smokers snore more often than non-smokers do, assuming there's no underlying medical condition present.

3. Sleep on Your Side - One of the best home remedies for snoring is to sleep on your side. When you are lying on your side, the tissues in the back of your throat are more likely to stay open, making it more difficult to snore.

One trick is to place a pillow behind your back, so that it prevents you from rolling backwards.

Another tip is to place a tennis ball behind your back, which, upon rolling over it, sends a message to your brain that you are uncomfortable and you will roll back onto your side.

4. Avoid Drinking Alcohol - You should avoid drinking alcohol, as, being a sedative; it causes the tissues in the back of your throat to relax, contributing to your snoring problem. Alcohol slows your brain's response mechanism as well as relaxing the body's muscles more than when sleeping normally.

Alcohol also causes irritation of the nasal cavity, in addition to causing increased congestion in the area.

Try to abstain from drinking alcohol 4-6 hours before bedtime.

5. Avoid Sedatives - Another home remedy for snoring is to avoid sedatives before bedtime. Sedatives depress your nervous system and can cause the muscles in your throat to relax.

If you have sleep apnea, you should not take any sedatives as they affect your brain's ability to awaken you from sleep, extending the period you are not breathing.