It’s the single most common cause of early morning arguments, disturbed sleep and in some cases the very breakdown of relationships. Those not affected by snoring may be under the impression that it is little more than a mild inconvenience and nothing to worry about, but it can in fact have extremely grave implications in both social and physical senses.
The simple fact of the matter is that snoring in extreme instances has the potential to put enormous additional pressure and strain on the lungs and the heart throughout the night. And even where severe health implications are not part of the equation, persistent snoring can lead to intolerable sleep loss for those in the immediate vicinity.
Of course in this day and age there are endless ways and means by which snoring can be addressed professionally – anything from medication to minor surgery can be recommended. Nevertheless, experts always advise that a few simple DIY quick-fix tips be followed prior to ‘going nuclear’ as it’s surprising just how many cases of snoring can be remedied without extreme measures.
Sleeping Position
For example, there are so many people for whom snoring only presents as a problem when and where they sleep on their backs. Now, it may be difficult at first to break what could very well be a lifelong sleeping habit, but it is a change that has the potential to make an enormous difference. And what’s more, there are also plenty of full length body pillows on the market that can encourage the person to sleep on the side in total comfort.
Clean Up
Something that tends to exacerbate snoring more than anything else is any other kind of underlying sensitivity or allergy. If for example you favour upholstered beds but cannot remember the last time you gave your own bed a genuinely thorough clean, this may be where some of the problem lies. The reason being that it really doesn’t take long for bed frames and mattresses to gather dust, mites and all manner of other nasties that can flare up allergic reactions. From blocked noses to dry throats and so on and so forth, these are the kinds of things that can make snoring worse.
Lose Weight
OK, so it’s not exactly a quick fix as such, but in so many instances the elusive secret to stopping snoring altogether lies in losing weight. Now, this isn’t to say that every case of snoring is caused by obesity or that slim people can’t snore just as ferociously, but it is nonetheless a scientific fact that excessive weight around the neck puts further pressure on the airways and leads to snoring.
Avoid Alcohol
Without any shadow of doubt, alcohol is one of the worse things in the world when it comes to making that snoring problems even more severe. The long and short of it is that anything you take or ingest that has a relaxing or sedating effect is guaranteed to exacerbate snoring. In fact, it is entirely common for those who have never snored in their lives to begin snoring as soon as they begin drinking.
Drink Water
So it’s pretty clear that drinking alcohol before going to sleep is a bad idea, but in terms of staying well hydrated, this really is of the utmost importance. When you are dehydrated or simply on the thirsty side, the way in which your mouth, nose and throat become drier naturally exacerbates any existing problem with snoring. Of course the only problem with drinking plenty of water before going to bed is the fact that you’ll probably disrupt your sleep anyway by having to use the bathroom, but keep it sensible and have a glass of water on hand by the bed at all times and chances are you’ll notice real improvements.
New Pillows
Last but not least, the position of your head and neck when you sleep unsurprisingly plays the most pivotal role of all when it comes to determining whether you will snore and to what extent. As such, it should also come as absolutely no surprise to learn that one of the easiest and most effective changes anyone with a snoring problem can make is that of investing in new pillows. There are literally hundreds of different types of pillows on the market these days in all shapes and sizes of which the perfect example could work wonders in an instant. If in any doubt, speak to a quality retailer and ask which pillow types they recommend for those who snore.
