How to get rid of snoring while sleeping that can be done easily, such as changing sleeping positions, losing weight, avoiding alcohol consumption, to certain medical actions recommended by doctors.
Table of Content
1. How to get rid of snoring while sleeping naturally
2. How to treat snoring medically
The habit of snoring or snoring during sleep often makes other people feel uncomfortable and interferes with sleep quality. Fortunately, this condition can be eliminated. There are several ways to eliminate snoring during sleep that you can do to sleep more comfortably and soundly.
snoring is a noisy sound that comes out of the respiratory tract during sleep due to the narrowing of the airways around the throat.
The cause of snoring also needs to be watched out for. Because the habit of snoring sleep can be a symptom of certain medical conditions that should not be underestimated.
How to get rid of snoring while sleeping naturally
Snoring can interfere with the quality of your sleep as well as the people you sleep with. If it is disturbing, this snoring habit should not be ignored.
There are several ways to get rid of snoring that can be tried as follows.
1. Change sleeping position
One way to get rid of snoring while sleeping is to change your sleeping position.
Sleeping position is one of the causes of snoring during sleep can occur.
Generally, sleeping on your back can increase your risk of snoring, even louder, while you sleep.
The reason is, when on your back, your tongue tends to be pulled back or close to the airway.
As a result, the airways become narrower, blocking some of the incoming airflows.
If the cause of your snoring is your sleeping position, try changing it by tilting your body higher so that air can flow more easily.
You are also advised to elevate your head higher to help the breathing process and stimulate the tongue and jaw to move forward so that snoring sounds can be reduced.
A study in the journal Sleep proves that the frequency and intensity of snoring will decrease in some people when changing the sleeping position to be sideways, or stacking 2-3 pillows so that the head position is higher.
2. Get enough sleep
When you feel tired or sleep-deprived, you are at risk of snoring easily during sleep.
Because, this condition can make the respiratory tract muscles become more relaxed, causing a loud snoring sound.
Therefore, getting enough rest can be a way to get rid of snoring during sleep due to fatigue.
You are advised to sleep for 7-9 hours every day to avoid fatigue that is the cause of snoring.
3. Keeping the room and bed clean
Keeping the room and bed clean can also be a way to deal with snoring while sleeping.
This is because there are various types of allergens in the bedroom area that can cause breathing problems, such as allergic reactions.
Mites, dust, and pet dander that collect on the pillow can cause an allergic reaction that causes snoring because the flow of air through the airways is disrupted.
Allergies can reduce airflow through your nose, causing you to breathe through your mouth. This can increase your chances of snoring.
Therefore, try to stay away from exposure to allergens by keeping your room and bed clean, and or use allergy medications to treat and eliminate the possibility of snoring due to allergies.
Change sheets and pillowcases every 6 months. It’s best to keep your pet out of the bedroom. If necessary, you can maintain the quality of the bedroom using a humidifier.
However, if the habit of snoring due to allergies often appears or recurs, you should consult a doctor to get the right treatment.
4. Avoid alcohol and sedatives
How to deal with snoring also needs to be accompanied by avoiding alcohol consumption, especially at least 4-5 hours before bedtime.
The reason, alcohol can relax the muscles in the throat and interfere with the flow of air through the respiratory tract.
This also applies if you have a habit of consuming sedative substances, such as sleeping pills.
So, if your doctor advises you to take sleeping pills that contain sedatives, don’t forget to tell your doctor that you have a habit of snoring while sleeping.
5. Adequate intake of body fluids
Lack of body fluids can cause mucus in the nose and roof of the mouth to become more sticky. This condition can cause you to snore more often.
For that, try to meet your body’s fluid intake by drinking water as a way to deal with snoring.
Also, pay attention to what you consume before bed, you should avoid eating too much and consuming dairy products and soy milk that can worsen snoring.
6. Lose weight
Did you know that the cause of snoring is more often experienced by people who are overweight or obese?
This is because of the excess fat in the body, some of which accumulates in the respiratory tract and at the base of the tongue. This buildup can compress the passages in the throat during sleep
As a result, the ability of the muscles to keep the airway open is compromised and makes the airways narrow.
The narrow respiratory tract makes the vibrations that occur in that area become louder.
In addition, the accumulation of fat in the respiratory tract can also cause disturbances in the oropharynx (part of the throat) during sleep, causing snoring sounds.
When obese people are in a lying position, the fatty tissue in the neck will also compress the respiratory tract. This makes the flow of air in the respiratory tract to be disturbed.
Therefore, the way to get rid of snoring due to excess weight can be to lose weight.
This can help reduce the amount of fat around the neck that presses on the throat.
7. Stop smoking
The dangers of smoking for health can also increase the risk of snoring during sleep.
Smoking can irritate the membranes in the nose and throat, blocking the airway. This condition can cause the sound of snoring to appear.
Although it seems difficult to do, quitting smoking is one of the fastest ways to get rid of snoring during sleep.
8. Use nasal strips
Nasal congestion can increase the risk of snoring while sleeping. You can use decongestants, nasal dilators (a device that can help with nasal breathing), and nasal strips as a way to get rid of snoring while sleeping.
Nasal strips are plasters that are used by attaching to the bridge of the nose to make it easier for you to breathe while sleeping. You can find them freely at drugstores or pharmacies.
9. Exercise regularly
Another way to deal with snoring is to exercise regularly. In general, exercise can reduce the habit of snoring at night.
In fact, even if you are not overweight, exercise can be a way to prevent snoring.
The reason is, exercise can help build muscles in the body, including the muscles in the throat. Thus, airflow can run more smoothly and snoring can be reduced.
You can also do specific exercises to strengthen the throat muscles to reduce snoring, such as the following.
- Several times a day repeat to say the vowel AIUEO aloud for 3 minutes.
- Position the tongue behind the upper teeth. Then, push your tongue back and let it rest for 3 minutes.
- Close your mouth and hold your lips together for 30 seconds.
- With your mouth open, move your jaw to the right and hold it for 30 seconds. Do the same to the left.
- You can also sing occasionally to increase control of the muscles in your throat and roof of your mouth, thereby reducing the habit of snoring from overly relaxed muscles.
10. Take a warm bath
A warm bath is known to be a way to get rid of snoring while sleeping. The way to sleep without snoring can open the respiratory tract thereby reducing the habit of snoring.
In addition to a warm bath, you can also inhale warm steam for a few minutes before going to bed to relieve the habit of snoring.
How to treat snoring medically
If the various ways to get rid of snoring naturally above do not work or still recur frequently, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Thus, the doctor can perform a series of examinations and determine the cause of your snoring habit.
There are various ways to treat snoring medically that are commonly recommended by doctors, namely:
1. CPAP therapy
One way to eliminate snoring medically that is commonly recommended by doctors is through therapy to prevent snoring, otherwise known as CPAP therapy or continuous positive airway pressure.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is a machine consisting of a hose and an oxygen mask to keep the airways open, so that people with sleep apnea, which causes snoring, can breathe while sleeping.
2. Laser procedure – assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP)
If a person has a too-long or soft uvula in the mouth, the airway between the nose and throat will narrow so that they will make a loud, vibrating sound, or snoring, as air passes through them.
To get rid of snoring caused by this condition, your doctor may suggest laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) to shorten the uvula and make small incisions in the soft palate on both sides.
When it heals, the surrounding tissue will stiffen to prevent the vibrations that trigger snoring.
3. Somnoplasty
Somnoplasty is a way of dealing with snoring by using low-frequency radio heat to remove the tissue of the uvula and the roof of the mouth that vibrates during snoring.
4. Installation of special tools
Depending on the cause of your snoring, your doctor may also recommend placing special devices on your lower teeth. This special tool aims to help open the airway during sleep.
5. Palatal implant placement
Palatal implants can also be recommended by doctors as a way to get rid of your snoring habit.
Your doctor will place a small plastic implant on the roof of your mouth to prevent it from sagging while you sleep, which is the cause of your habit of snoring.
6. Surgical action
In severe conditions, surgical procedures, such as Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty (TAP), tonsillectomy, and adenoidectomy can be performed as a medical treatment for snoring.
Surgery aims to widen the airway by repairing or removing tissue on the uvula or roof of the mouth.