5 Things to Help You Stop Snoring

Snoring can be really annoying for anyone who even dares sleeps in the room next to yours. But today we got a few steps that will help you stop from snoring and gift the world a peaceful sleep.

Before we get there, so why do you snore? Ever wondered that? If you have sleep apnea, you may briefly stop breathing repeatedly while you sleep, because your throat muscles relax and allow your airway to become narrowed or blocked. Over time, sleep apnea can put you at higher risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack.

Do you know that snoring can actually be a health risk for you (not people in your household) and you really need to consult a doctor if your snoring is audible throughout your house. That is just not good.

Below are some tips to help you sleep peacefully.

1. Lose weight
Getsy stresses the importance of shedding extra pounds if you’re overweight, since many people snore because of their weight. According to the National Institutes of Health, extra fat around your neck can cause your airway to become narrower and less likely to stay open. Specifically when men put on weight, an area that tends to get bigger is the neck, Getsy notes.

2. Avoid alcohol before bedtime
“Alcohol will suppress the activity of what we call the airway dilator muscles — these are muscles that are meant to keep your airway open,” Getsy says. “So if you drink anytime within four hours of going to bed, you’re more likely to snore or snore more loudly.”

3. Steer clear of certain medication
Sleeping pills, sedatives, and muscle relaxants are just some of the medications that cause the muscles that keep your airway open to become slack, she warns, which can lead to snoring.

Get plenty of sleep. “Sleep deprivation does the same thing to those airway muscles, so the more tired you are, the more you’ll snore,” Getsy says.

4. Sleep on your side
When you sleep on your back, gravity tugs downward on the tissue in your airway, which can make snoring worse. Lie on your side at bedtime to reduce snoring symptoms.

5. Elevate yourself
“Sometimes, sleeping at a slight incline will make snoring better,” Getsy says. Prop yourself up on a couple of pillows or a foam sleeping wedge or use an adjustable bed.

Snoring can be an annoyance or a sign of a larger problem. Either way, there are several tricks you can learn to manage the condition.

Article originally written by Eric Metacalf for Huffingtonpost.