Lifestyle Changes That Can Curb Your Snoring

Snoring is the sound produced when air is obstructed while breathing. While it may occur to anyone, snoring is more common in men than women. Lifestyle changes can curb your snoring, which can help you sleep better at night.

Lose Weight

If you are overweight, it can result in extra tissue in the throat that can constrict airflow when you lie down. This not only makes you snore but can also make sleep apnea worse. Losing weight to improve your health and reduce your snoring is a lifestyle change worth making! It will improve not only your sleep but also your overall health.

Treat Allergies

Allergies are a common cause of snoring. You may not realize that you have an allergy because it can be seasonal, or you may not realize you have a chronic allergy because the symptoms come and go throughout the year. If you think your allergies may be causing you to snore, talk to your dentist about what you can do to treat it. Some examples include scheduling an appointment with an allergist and getting an allergy shot to reduce your symptoms.

Also, you may want to change some of your lifestyle habits to better manage allergies in general. For example, you can try to dust your home and wash your sheets once a week to get rid of allergens that might make you sneeze in the middle of the night. You might also want to try to keep pets out of the bedroom so you won’t breathe in their dander throughout the night.

Avoid Alcohol

Alcohol relaxes the throat muscles, causing you to snore and making it harder to breathe at night. If drinking alcohol is making it difficult for you to sleep well, try limiting your intake to one or two drinks per night. Drinking water can help wash the alcohol out of your system and make it easier to breathe, too.

30 minutes before bedtime, avoid drinking or eating dairy products, as these can stimulate the production of mucus. Consider herbal tea instead, as it can help clear nasal congestion and help you sleep more comfortably.

Sleep On Your Side

If you sleep on your back, your tongue and soft palate may fall back and obstruct your airway. This causes snoring. Try sleeping on your side instead to keep your airways open and reduce snoring.

When you sleep on your side, gravity keeps the tissues at the back of your throat from falling into your airway. This improves airflow and reduces your chances of getting sleep apnea.

Sleeping on your side is also good for your neck. It helps keep your neck in a neutral position or in line with the spine. This prevents neck pain in the morning that may be caused by sleeping in an awkward position.

Some people may find it more difficult to sleep on their sides. If this is a problem for you, try placing a pillow between your legs. This should help keep your spine straight and prevent you from rolling onto your stomach while you sleep.

Quit Smoking

Smoking damages tissue in the mouth, which can lead to several oral health problems, including dry mouth and gum disease. It’s also a major cause of snoring because it dries out the nasal passages. However, once you quit smoking, the tissues can heal, and your risk of future health problems goes down.

If you snore and smoke cigarettes, there’s a good chance that quitting will lower the overall volume of the snoring you do. It can also help your breath smell better too! 

Visit Brighter Day Dental, 1950 Market Street, Suite D, Concord, CA 94520, to learn more about taking care of your oral health. Contact us at (925) 356-2828 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.