Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow to Stop SnoringCausesWhen to Consider CPAPSomeone Else’s Snoring
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How to Stop Snoring
Causes
When to Consider CPAP
Someone Else’s Snoring
Many people snore, and in some cases, it causes no issue. However, it can disrupt your sleep or the sleep of those closest to you. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine can be used to reduce snoring. Still, there are several other therapies that you can try to help improve solo or partnered sleeping, including other smaller devices, lifestyle changes, and treating the underlying cause.
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There are many ways to reduce snoring throughout the night, ranging from lifestyle changes to over-the-counter (OTC) devices. The best ways for you to tackle snoring include:
1. Sleep Position
The way you sleep can significantly impact whether or not you snore. Back sleeping, also known as thesupine position, is the most notable way of sleeping that correlates with snoring.
Instead, you can switch to sleeping on yoursideor in the lateral position, as turning your head to the side can reduce snoring throughout the night.
Snoring and Self-EsteemSnoring can lead to feelings of isolation and embarrassment, affecting a person’s view of themselves and their relationship with their sleep partner. Learning ways to manage snoring can mitigate these effects.
Snoring and Self-Esteem
Snoring can lead to feelings of isolation and embarrassment, affecting a person’s view of themselves and their relationship with their sleep partner. Learning ways to manage snoring can mitigate these effects.
2. Weight Management
The research also found that people withhealthy BMIsare unlikely to benefit from further weight loss as a snore reduction tactic.
Weight and SnoringBeing overweight orobeseisn’t a direct cause of snoring, but it can increase a person’s likelihood of snoring and havingobstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a disorder that results in snoring.
Weight and Snoring
Being overweight orobeseisn’t a direct cause of snoring, but it can increase a person’s likelihood of snoring and havingobstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a disorder that results in snoring.
Snoring Causes That Shouldn’t Be Ignored
3. Limiting Alcohol
Drinking alcohol before bedtime can affect a person’s sleep cycles, specifically how much time they spend inrapid eye movement (REM) sleep. When people don’t get adequate quality sleep, they are more likely to snore. Because of that, limiting or eliminating alcohol prior to sleeping can reduce the risk of heavy snoring.
4. Quitting Smoking
Smoking is a risk factor for many chronic diseases and conditions that affect the airways. Due to its damaging effect, people who smoke are more likely to snore than those who do not.
To help lessen snoring, you can quit smoking to prevent damage to the airways and the onset of snore-related conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnea.
Quitting Smoking 101There are many smoking cessation devices and medications available to help people kick the habit. Speak to your healthcare provider about which is right for you.
Quitting Smoking 101
There are many smoking cessation devices and medications available to help people kick the habit. Speak to your healthcare provider about which is right for you.
How to Realistically Quit Smoking: 24+ Steps to Take Right Now
5. Limit Sedatives
Sedatives are designed to help the body relax. However, taking them before bed will also relax the muscles in the airways that drive snoring.
Because of this, avoiding taking these types of medications before sleep can limit the relaxation of those muscles, which can lead to snoring.
6. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep deprivation can also relax the muscles in the throat and airways, leading to snoring.Therefore, it’s essential to get seven to nine hours of quality sleep per night to prevent snoring.
The Cycle of Sleep Deprivation and SnoringSleep deprivation can bring on more snoring, and snoring can disrupt sleep, causing sleep deprivation. This turns sleep deprivation into a vicious cycle.
The Cycle of Sleep Deprivation and Snoring
Sleep deprivation can bring on more snoring, and snoring can disrupt sleep, causing sleep deprivation. This turns sleep deprivation into a vicious cycle.
7. Elevate Your Head During Sleep
Snoring occurs because the airways are not as open as they could be or get too relaxed.
If you can elevate your head while you sleep, you can keep the airways more open, reducing snoring. Elevating the head decreases pressure on the throat, allows for easier nose breathing, and opens the airways.
8. Use Nasal Strips or Dilators
Nasal stripsare small, over-the-counter devices that open nasal passages to improve breathing throughout the night and, in turn, reduce snoring.
Types of DilatorsYou can choose between two types of dilators: internal and external. Internal dilators are used within the nose and push the airways open from the inside, whereas an external strip pulls the nose open from the outside.
Types of Dilators
You can choose between two types of dilators: internal and external. Internal dilators are used within the nose and push the airways open from the inside, whereas an external strip pulls the nose open from the outside.
9. Using a Humidifier
Dry air can lead to insufficiently lubricated airways. When the airways aren’t moist enough, snoring can worsen.A humidifieris designed to introduce more moisture into the airway, which can improve dryness and lessen snoring.
10. Engage in Regular Exercise
Physical exercise can help reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. It can also reduce the severity of already-developed chronic conditions, including OSA. Since OSA often causes snoring, exercising can help reduce disease severity and the risk of disruptive snoring at night.
11. Mouth Exercises
Mouth exercises, also known asmyofunctional therapyor oropharyngeal exercises, can tone the muscles in the airways and tongue to help a person breathe better through the nose and reduce snoring. A 2009 study found that doing these exercises throughout the day can reduce snoring and have a beneficial impact on mild OSA.
How Often Should You Do Mouth Exercises?To benefit from mouth exercises for snoring, you should perform them for 10 minutes daily for three months.
How Often Should You Do Mouth Exercises?
To benefit from mouth exercises for snoring, you should perform them for 10 minutes daily for three months.
12. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene
Good sleep hygiene involves creating an environment conducive to getting good quality sleep at roughly the same time every day.
12 Sleep Hygiene Tips for a Better Night’s Rest
Treatment Options for Snoring
How to Stop Snoring Based on Underlying Causes
If a medical intervention is needed, there are several available:
1. Treat Allergies
Allergies can cause congestion and reduced airflow in the nose. This can cause a person to breathe through their mouth while sleeping and increase snoring.
2. Surgery for Structural Issues
Specific structural issues, such asnasal polyps, can drive snoring because they affect breathing. Surgeries to correct these issues can help reduce or eliminate snoring. There are various surgeries available, including:
3. Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator
Ahypoglossal nerve stimulatoris an implantable device similar to a pacemaker that is inserted near the lungs to monitor breathing patterns.
It also stimulates the nerve that controls tongue movement, known as the hypoglossal nerve, to move the tongue forward when a person inhales to prevent obstruction. This treatment is typically only used in cases of obstructive sleep apnea.
To do that, you will have to do a sleep study. A sleep study involves staying overnight in a sleep lab or clinic where you are monitored for signs of the condition. If your only symptom is snoring, it’s unlikely that you have OSA and require a CPAP machine.
However, if you do haveother symptoms, such as gasping or choking in the night, tossing and turning, or you stop breathing at various points throughout the night, your healthcare provider will use that to determine your OSA severity and whether a CPAP is necessary.
How to Get a Referral for a Sleep StudyYou will need to see a primary healthcare provider to get a referral for a sleep study. They will determine if the symptoms you’re experiencing warrant the study and send you to a sleep lab for monitoring. You may also need authorization from your insurance company.
How to Get a Referral for a Sleep Study
You will need to see a primary healthcare provider to get a referral for a sleep study. They will determine if the symptoms you’re experiencing warrant the study and send you to a sleep lab for monitoring. You may also need authorization from your insurance company.
Do You Have to Use a CPAP Machine Forever?
How to Make Someone Else’s Snoring Less Disruptive
It can be challenging to sleep when someone is snoring next to you, but there are ways to work around it so you can both get a good night’s sleep. They include:
Summary
Snoring can be disruptive for both you and your sleep partner, making it nearly impossible to get a good night’s sleep. While some people have underlying health conditions that drive snoring, others do not. It’s essential to see a healthcare provider to determine the cause of your snoring to get the proper treatment.
Therapies may vary for underlying causes, but if no serious condition is causing the snoring, specific lifestyle changes can be just as effective at reducing snoring and improving your sleep quality. Sleep is vital for overall health, so it’s crucial to address snoring as soon as it becomes a problem.
18 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sleep Foundation.How to stop snoring: 10 ways to end noisy nights.Shukla AD, Jain S, Mishra R, Singh AK.Does ‘weight reduction’ help all adult snorers?Lung India.2013;30(1):16-9. doi:10.4103/0970-2113.106123National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Sleep apnea causes and risk factors.Britton A, Fat LN, Neligan A.The association between alcohol consumption and sleep disorders among older people in the general population.Sci Rep.2020;10(1):5275. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-62227-0Krishnan V, Dixon-Williams S, Thornton JD.Where there is smoke…there is sleep apnea: exploring the relationship between smoking and sleep apnea.Chest.2014;146(6):1673-1680. doi:10.1378/chest.14-0772Sleep Foundation.Why do people snore?MedlinePlus.Obstructive sleep apnea - adults.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Do you get enough sleep?Danoff-Burg S, Rus HM, Weaver MA, Raymann RJEM.Sleeping in an inclined position to reduce snoring and improve sleep: in-home product intervention study.JMIR Form Res.2022;6(4):e30102. doi:10.2196/30102MedlinePlus.Humidifiers and health.Andrade FM, Pedrosa RP.The role of physical exercise in obstructive sleep apnea.J Bras Pneumol.2016;42(6):457-464. doi:10.1590/S1806-37562016000000156Guimarães KC, Drager LF, Genta PR, Marcondes BF, Lorenzi-Filho G.Effects of oropharyngeal exercises on patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.Am J Respir Crit Care Med.2009;179(10):962-6. doi:10.1164/rccm.200806-981OCSleep Foundation.Mouth and throat exercises to help stop snoring and improve OSA.Texas Sinus and Snoring.Sleep hygiene impact on snoring: tips & best practices for quiet sleep.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Snoring.Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Do allergies make snoring worse?Duke Health.Sleep apnea surgery, snoring surgery: types.MyHealth Alberta.Sleep apnea: should I have a sleep study?
18 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sleep Foundation.How to stop snoring: 10 ways to end noisy nights.Shukla AD, Jain S, Mishra R, Singh AK.Does ‘weight reduction’ help all adult snorers?Lung India.2013;30(1):16-9. doi:10.4103/0970-2113.106123National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Sleep apnea causes and risk factors.Britton A, Fat LN, Neligan A.The association between alcohol consumption and sleep disorders among older people in the general population.Sci Rep.2020;10(1):5275. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-62227-0Krishnan V, Dixon-Williams S, Thornton JD.Where there is smoke…there is sleep apnea: exploring the relationship between smoking and sleep apnea.Chest.2014;146(6):1673-1680. doi:10.1378/chest.14-0772Sleep Foundation.Why do people snore?MedlinePlus.Obstructive sleep apnea - adults.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Do you get enough sleep?Danoff-Burg S, Rus HM, Weaver MA, Raymann RJEM.Sleeping in an inclined position to reduce snoring and improve sleep: in-home product intervention study.JMIR Form Res.2022;6(4):e30102. doi:10.2196/30102MedlinePlus.Humidifiers and health.Andrade FM, Pedrosa RP.The role of physical exercise in obstructive sleep apnea.J Bras Pneumol.2016;42(6):457-464. doi:10.1590/S1806-37562016000000156Guimarães KC, Drager LF, Genta PR, Marcondes BF, Lorenzi-Filho G.Effects of oropharyngeal exercises on patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.Am J Respir Crit Care Med.2009;179(10):962-6. doi:10.1164/rccm.200806-981OCSleep Foundation.Mouth and throat exercises to help stop snoring and improve OSA.Texas Sinus and Snoring.Sleep hygiene impact on snoring: tips & best practices for quiet sleep.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Snoring.Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Do allergies make snoring worse?Duke Health.Sleep apnea surgery, snoring surgery: types.MyHealth Alberta.Sleep apnea: should I have a sleep study?
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Sleep Foundation.How to stop snoring: 10 ways to end noisy nights.Shukla AD, Jain S, Mishra R, Singh AK.Does ‘weight reduction’ help all adult snorers?Lung India.2013;30(1):16-9. doi:10.4103/0970-2113.106123National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Sleep apnea causes and risk factors.Britton A, Fat LN, Neligan A.The association between alcohol consumption and sleep disorders among older people in the general population.Sci Rep.2020;10(1):5275. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-62227-0Krishnan V, Dixon-Williams S, Thornton JD.Where there is smoke…there is sleep apnea: exploring the relationship between smoking and sleep apnea.Chest.2014;146(6):1673-1680. doi:10.1378/chest.14-0772Sleep Foundation.Why do people snore?MedlinePlus.Obstructive sleep apnea - adults.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Do you get enough sleep?Danoff-Burg S, Rus HM, Weaver MA, Raymann RJEM.Sleeping in an inclined position to reduce snoring and improve sleep: in-home product intervention study.JMIR Form Res.2022;6(4):e30102. doi:10.2196/30102MedlinePlus.Humidifiers and health.Andrade FM, Pedrosa RP.The role of physical exercise in obstructive sleep apnea.J Bras Pneumol.2016;42(6):457-464. doi:10.1590/S1806-37562016000000156Guimarães KC, Drager LF, Genta PR, Marcondes BF, Lorenzi-Filho G.Effects of oropharyngeal exercises on patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.Am J Respir Crit Care Med.2009;179(10):962-6. doi:10.1164/rccm.200806-981OCSleep Foundation.Mouth and throat exercises to help stop snoring and improve OSA.Texas Sinus and Snoring.Sleep hygiene impact on snoring: tips & best practices for quiet sleep.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Snoring.Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Do allergies make snoring worse?Duke Health.Sleep apnea surgery, snoring surgery: types.MyHealth Alberta.Sleep apnea: should I have a sleep study?
Sleep Foundation.How to stop snoring: 10 ways to end noisy nights.
Shukla AD, Jain S, Mishra R, Singh AK.Does ‘weight reduction’ help all adult snorers?Lung India.2013;30(1):16-9. doi:10.4103/0970-2113.106123
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Sleep apnea causes and risk factors.
Britton A, Fat LN, Neligan A.The association between alcohol consumption and sleep disorders among older people in the general population.Sci Rep.2020;10(1):5275. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-62227-0
Krishnan V, Dixon-Williams S, Thornton JD.Where there is smoke…there is sleep apnea: exploring the relationship between smoking and sleep apnea.Chest.2014;146(6):1673-1680. doi:10.1378/chest.14-0772
Sleep Foundation.Why do people snore?
MedlinePlus.Obstructive sleep apnea - adults.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Do you get enough sleep?
Danoff-Burg S, Rus HM, Weaver MA, Raymann RJEM.Sleeping in an inclined position to reduce snoring and improve sleep: in-home product intervention study.JMIR Form Res.2022;6(4):e30102. doi:10.2196/30102
MedlinePlus.Humidifiers and health.
Andrade FM, Pedrosa RP.The role of physical exercise in obstructive sleep apnea.J Bras Pneumol.2016;42(6):457-464. doi:10.1590/S1806-37562016000000156
Guimarães KC, Drager LF, Genta PR, Marcondes BF, Lorenzi-Filho G.Effects of oropharyngeal exercises on patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.Am J Respir Crit Care Med.2009;179(10):962-6. doi:10.1164/rccm.200806-981OC
Sleep Foundation.Mouth and throat exercises to help stop snoring and improve OSA.
Texas Sinus and Snoring.Sleep hygiene impact on snoring: tips & best practices for quiet sleep.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Snoring.
Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Do allergies make snoring worse?
Duke Health.Sleep apnea surgery, snoring surgery: types.
MyHealth Alberta.Sleep apnea: should I have a sleep study?
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