How to Stop Snoring:

Snoring is a common cause of sleep interruption. It can be a nuisance for the person who snores and any of their sleeping partners. Different medical conditions increase the risk of snoring, but treatment is available.

Snoring is common. It affects about 40% of adults. It is caused by the vibration of soft tissues obstructing the throat during sleep.

Here are the most common causes of snoring:

1- Obstructive sleep apnea: This is a sleep-related breathing disorder where the airway is blocked and breathing stops during sleep.

2- Obesity: The pressure of the extra body weight on the airway can cause narrowing that can lead to snoring.

3- Nasal septum deviation.

4- Nasal congestion.

5- Back sleeping position: Sleeping on your back narrows your airway and can worsen snoring.

Ways to stop snoring:

1- Lose excess weight: Weight loss can help with snoring. Getting your weight closer to a target body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m2 can improve snoring.

2- Limit alcohol and hypnotics at night. Alcohol and sleeping pills relax the throat muscles around your airway, making it more likely to collapse during sleep. While alcohol and sleep medications may help you feel sleepier, ironically, both can worsen the quality of your sleep.

3- Try a steroid nasal spray. This will relieve nasal congestion and improve nasal breathing during sleep. Your snoring will likely get better when you rely less on mouth breathing.

4- Avoid sleeping on your back: Sleeping on your back (the “supine” position) shrinks your airway, sometimes by as much as 30%. And when you lie down, the weight of your neck, chest, and abdominal tissues increase pressure on the throat and can cause turbulent airflow, or snoring. For that, turning on your side when you sleep is a quick fix. Sleeping on your side can decrease your sleep interruptions by up to 50%.

Anti-snoring devices to stop snoring:

Nasal dilators and strips
Oral appliances: They focus on your mouth, rather than your nose. They work by changing the position of your jaw, soft palate, and tongue to maximize the space in your mouth. You’ll need to find a dental specialist who can measure your mouth and find the right device for you.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. If your snoring is caused by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is your best bet for improving your sleep and snoring. CPAP machines work by pushing a constant flow of air into your airway, nose, or mouth to keep them from collapsing with sleep.

Call us at the Harlandale clinic. We can help.