8 Natural Cures For Snoring

[This is a guest post by Linda, who runs NaturalHealthEzine.com, a natural health blog dedicated to helping people live the best life possible.]

Do you feel tired when you wake up in the morning? Do you feel like you’ve gotten no rest at all during the night? Do you ever wake yourself up from snoring?

Snoring is a very common sleep issue that keeps a lot of people from getting the proper rest they need. A lack of sleep can be problematic, leaving you feel tired and sluggish all day. It may have you running for coffee more often than you normally do.

But snoring can be a sign of a more serious issue. Sleep apnea can be a dangerous disorder, and it can be quite scary for people who have it. Sleep apnea means that a person stops breathing while they’re sleeping. The period in which the person stops breathing is called apnea, and it can last for several breaths. These lapses in breathing can occur several times a night. When a person does start to breathe again, they tend to jerk awake and are often panicked by what happened. It can be scary for that person’s partner as well. They’ll notice the person suddenly stop breathing and begin to worry.

There are other reasons for snoring. Snoring doesn’t always indicate sleep apnea. It you’ve got a head cold or you suffer from allergies, your nose can get clogged, and this can cause you to snore. Snoring can happen depending on what position you’re sleeping in. If you’re sleeping on your back, there’s a good chance that your throat will become very relaxed and you’ll start to snore. When your throat is relaxed, the tissues in your throat vibrate every time you breath in and out. This causes a harsh or hoarse sound.

If you’re concerned about how often you snore, or you experience an abrupt waking several times a night because of snoring, it’s a good idea to get it checked out by a doctor. Sleep apnea can be treated, and it’s best to be treated by a doctor. However, there are some natural ways to stop snoring. We’ll take a look at 8 natural snoring remedies in this article. Also, there are special mattresses that support your body during sleep, so you’re much more likely to get rid of snoring.

8 Natural Cures For Snoring:

1. Lessen Your Alcohol And Sedative Intake

Alcohol is a relaxant that can increase the chances of the throat completely relaxing during sleep. The same is true for sedatives. It’s always good to be relaxed while you sleep, however alcohol or sedatives can actually have you getting a worse night’s sleep rather than a better one. Sedatives and alcohol have a person entering a deep sleep pattern for a longer period than people who don’t use sedatives or alcohol. The longer a person spends in a deep state of sleep, the greater chance they have of snoring.

2. Lose Weight

Excess weight can increase your snoring chances. If you’ve got extra weight, chances are you don’t exercise regularly. A lack of exercise can cause muscle loss. The muscles in your throat and jaws can cause your tongue to fall back more than it should while you sleep. Excess weight causes layers of fat to accumulate all over the body, including your neck. The fat accumulation around your neck puts extra pressure on the area and can close the throat more, making it more difficult to breath. If you lose weight and strengthen the muscles around your neck and jaw, chances are good that you’ll decrease your snoring. You may stop snoring altogether.

3. Elevate Your Head When Sleeping

When the throat is relaxed and the tissues begin to vibrate, it’s because the tongue falls back a bit into the throat. This can block the airway a little bit. To avoid the tongue slipping back, try adding an extra pillow under your head. This elevation will have your tongue staying in a more natural position. It may take a while to get used to an extra pillow, but it will be worth it when you get a better night’s rest with no snoring.

4. Essential Oils To Open Airways

There are certain scents that can increase your breathing ability. If you’ve ever had a cold or bad nasal congestion, you’ve probably taken medication that has menthol in it. Menthol can naturally open the airways in the nose and throat. Menthol comes in essential oil form, and can be used every night. Make a 50/50 mixture of the essential oil and water and spritz it around the head of the bed every night before going to sleep. Other essential oils you can use to open your airways are eucalyptus and mint.

5. Change The Position You Sleep In

Every person is different when they sleep. Some people prefer to sleep on one side. Other people prefer to sleep on their stomachs or backs. If you find yourself snoring every time you’re on your back, try changing positions. It’s more common that people snore when they’re on their back. Being on the back makes it easier for the tongue to slide back in the throat. It might take a while to get used to a new position, but again, it could solve your snoring problem.

6. Avoid Dairy Products In The Evening

For some people, consuming dairy products can increase the mucus buildup in the throat. If you tend to get a buildup of mucus when you eat dairy, try to avoid these foods in the evening. The excess mucus in your throat can cause you to snore more easily.

7. Quit Smoking

Smoking is downright bad for you. I think most people know this already. Smoking can cause you to snore because it aggravates the throat tissues and causes them to vibrate more. If you have the mindset to quit smoking, it’s all about execution now. You can use a vaporizer pen to start on the path of kicking out the habit. A lot of people have observed that it is a very good way to take baby steps on quitting. Give it a shot.

8. Use A Nasal Irrigation Method Before Bed

A nasal irrigation method involves flushing out your nasal passages. You do this by using a nasal syringe, or NetiPot, and warm salt water. By flushing out your nasal passages with a warm salt water solution, you get rid of dust and debris that block the sinuses. This is a great method to use if you have a bad head cold or if you suffer from sinus problems. When you have no clogs in your nasal passages, you have an easier time breathing at night.

Most of these 8 natural cures for snoring are fairly easy to do. Snoring is no fun to deal with, and can leave you feeling cranky in the morning. Give some of these methods a try and see if you get a better night’s sleep.