How to Stop Snoring at Night

Tired of sounding like a freight train?  You can learn how to stop snoring at night with a few quick steps that will help you find the best product or remedy for your snoring problem.

There is only one cause for snoring - a blockage in the airway causes airflow to increase in pressure in order to move around the blockage.  The increased force of air vibrates the surrounding tissues in your throat and comes out as snoring.

However, there can be many reasons for the blockage.  Some blockages are associated with the change in our bodies as we age.  The muscles in our mouth and throat are no longer able to hold their position when we lay down at night.

Other types of blockages are the result of a primary condition, such as allergies, upper respiratory congestion, or sleep apnea, and the snoring is simply a symptom of the underlying issue.

In order to learn how to stop snoring at night, you need to find the source of your blockage and adjust for it, whether that be through the use of a snoring device or a change in lifestyle.  Without identifying and correcting for the blockage, the snoring will continue.

In most cases, it is easy enough to determine the source of your snoring problem.  If you know you have allergies or if your snoring only happens when you are congested, then use a product that removes the congestion and you should see an improvement.

Other times, it's very difficult to tell where the source may be.  If your nasal passages are swollen and have narrowed the space through which your airflow must pass, you'll rarely be conscious of such a change.  If your tongue has begun to slip into your airway at night because it's no longer as strong as it once was, this might also escape your attention.

A doctor can help you decide best why you are snoring and there are many products on the market to help with any of these different problems.

For weakened muscles, there are snoring exercises which help those weakened muscles regain their strength and maintain position while you sleep.

If the blockage is in your nose, there are sprays that can address the swollen passages, nasal strips to help expand the nasal passages, and minor surgical procedures to eliminate any chronic narrowing of the passageway.

For those who snore because they sleep with their mouth open, there are snoring chin straps which hold the mouth closed during the night.

Pillows and other snoring devices are aimed at other causes for snoring.  To find out how to stop snoring at night through the products that best address each cause, see the chart at:  Which Anti Snoring Device Will Work for You?

Stop Snoring Exercise Program

A stop snoring exercise program has been shown to have positive results on those who want to get rid of their problem once and for all.

So many snoring solutions require that you strap something on your face and, unless you are over 90 and live alone, you might be a little self-conscious about having to go to bed looking a bit funny.  If that's your only solution, you'd do it and feel better, but what if you could get away from wearing anything like a chin strap or a full face CPAP mask to bed?  You'd consider it, wouldn't you?

But might you be falling for a scam?  According to at least one clinical trial conducted in 2009, no.

The tongue is one, very strong muscle.  Over time, like our other muscles, it becomes weaker - so weak that when we sleep it can slip back into our airway more than it did when we were young and all of our muscles were still youthfully in place.

Like any muscle, it can be exercised back into shape.  That's one task speech therapists tackle when they are helping students or patients who have difficulty with speech pronunciation.  They assign exercises that help strengthen the muscles involved in making certain sounds.

This diagram shows the various parts of your mouth the top of your throat that make up your airway.  Any of those muscles might be the culprit when you have developed a snoring problem.  Using the stop snoring exercise program, you spend several minutes a day making the shapes and sounds that zero in on those muscle groups and build up their strength.

You probably have worked out before - may even religiously follow a work routine today.  You know you can feel when you've had a good workout.  Your muscles are sore and you know that as they recover they'll become even stronger.

As proof that you can also exercise the muscles in your mouth and throat, try this experiment:

Stick your tongue as far out of your mouth as you can and then flex the tip down towards your chin, hold for a second, and then flex the tip of your tongue up towards your nose and hold for a second.  Without bringing your tongue back into your mouth, repeat the flexing up and down as long as you can.

When you've finished, concentrate on the feelings in your mouth.  Do your cheek muscles feel as if they've had a workout?  Does the back of your tongue feel a little tired?  Those are the after-effects of having worked out muscles engaged when you breath.

Fortunately, exercises to stop your snoring don't require heavy hand weights, a gym membership or even hours of sweaty exercises each day.  It's far easier to work those small muscles in short amounts of time each day.

One such stop snoring exercise program can be purchased and downloaded online so you could be working out your tongue and throat muscles before you go to bed tonight.

Visit this site for details:  Snoring Exercises

Finding the Best Product That Helps Stop Snoring

When you need to find the best product that helps stop snoring, you need help digging through the claims of the more than 300 snoring devices that are patented in the United States alone.  How do you choose one that will actually work and isn't supported by a load of marketing material meant to take your money?

First, you need to think logically.  If you've read some of our other posts, you already know that snoring is caused by a blockage in your nose, throat, or mouth.  As a result, you should weed out any products that do not address those areas.

There are a number of such products on the market including rings you can wear on your hands or wrists that claim to prevent snoring.  Anyone can see there is plainly no connection between the muscles in your airway passages and the tendons and muscles in your ring finger.

Instead, focus on products that concentrate on these areas:

• nose
• chin/jaw
• throat
• tongue
• neck
• support of your neck
• soft palate (the roof of your mouth)
• uvula (dangles down at the back of your mouth)

If a product doesn't apply directly to these areas, it's likely not going to be an effective product that helps stop snoring.

Using the reviews from other customers can be extremely challenging when trying to judge whether or not a product will work for you.  Since everyone snores for different reasons, someone's complaint that a product didn't work might be because they tried the wrong product for their issue - not that the product doesn't actually work.

Get your arms around the reason you snore and then only try products geared towards those reasons or areas. 


See Which Device Will Work for You? to find a list of products sorted by their purpose and ease of use.

No one can tell you which product that helps stop snoring for you because so much depends on your unique physiological reasons for snoring.

Stop Snoring Home Remedy - Is There Such a Thing?

Everyone wants a stop snoring home remedy - something they can find in their cabinets at home and apply right away to make them sleep quiet as a baby every night. Is there really such a thing?

When I think of a home remedy, I think of the old wives' tales of rubbing alcohol on a baby's gums to end teething pain, or applying duct tape to a wart to make it go away. Of course, according to the character of the father in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, a bottle of Windex cures everything.

But snoring is different. Snoring is what happens when your breathing is impacted because your breathing airway has become restricted. This could be the result of congestion from a cold or from excess weight your carrying around your neck. No amount of duct tape is going to fix that - well, perhaps, but it wouldn't be comfortable, nor would it be recommended.

Let's stick to this definition of a stop snoring home remedy:

Something I can do at home without having to go the store that will help me to stop snoring tonight.

If that's the case, here are a few home remedies you could try:

Stop snoring exercises - one man offers an exercise program that helps strengthen the muscles that tend to cause snoring as we age. You can find more about his program, which is available online, at: Stop Snoring Exercise Program. This is great for people who snore because of a blockage in their throat. Just a few minutes of easy oral exercises each day can make a difference.

Decongestants - If you think your snoring is the result of being congested and you have some decongestants on hand, you might use one about a half hour before going to bed.  Of course, follow the suggestions on any medicines before taking them.

Pillows - Use your pillows to provide more support to your body.  Sleep on your side with one pillow behind your back so you don't roll over in your sleep.  Roll a soft pillow in half lengthwise and use it under your neck to keep your chin up and your neck and spine better aligned.  Put another pillow between your knees.  (This may not stop your snoring but while you're blocking yourself with pillows you might as well line up the rest of your spine.  Plus, it's really comfortable!)

Water - Drink warm water or unsweetened tea before bed to clear your throat of any mucuus or residue.  A nice, moist, clear throat can help stop snoring.

These suggestions are not gauranteed to work.  Everyone snores for a different reason and each of these suggestions targets only one specific cause.  These might not be strong enough to end your snoring, especially if your snoring is the result of sleep apnea, although the exercises have been shown to have a positive impact on those with moderate sleep apnea, too.

Try a stop snoring home remedy if you have no other options available to you and want to aim for a nice, quiet, peaceful sleep without having to run to the store and comparison shop for products late at night.

How Do You Stop Snoring?

How do you stop snoring?  Why - by becoming your own snoring expert!  Use these tips to help stop your snoring problem today.

The first thing you need is to do a little quick homework on why you snore.  Without knowing the why, your attempts to stop will be in vain.

Why do people snore?

Our bodies take in oxygen and exhale the remnants when we breath.  If there is any type of blockage or restriction in your nose, throat or mouth while you sleep, that air rattles the tissues in your airway.  Those tissues vibrate and the end result is varying degrees of noise escaping through your mouth.

If snoring is caused by some sort of blockage, why is it I don't snore when I'm awake?

Our bodies are much more relaxed when we're asleep.  Some blockages are a direct result of the muscles in your airway becoming so relaxed that they intrude on your airway passage.  The intrusion may be a result of gravity when you lay down.  When you are awake and upright, gravity does not pull those muscles into your airway.

When you're awake, you are also more consciously in tune not only with your breathing but also with the things that make it difficult for you to breath.  You can blow your nose to ease congestion, sense when it's time to take more medicine for a cold, and clear your throat when it feels coated or tight.  When you sleep, your body is left to its own devices to compensate for these blockages.

How do you stop snoring?

Figure out why you are snoring and then apply the right solution.  First, take a few notes.  Do you know when you started snoring?  Was it:

• after you gained weight
• started using a new bed/pillow/mattress
• started smoking
• got a cold
• suffered a bout of congestion from allergies
• incurred any damage to your nose
• started a new medication
• began drinking before bedtime

Is the blockage in your nose, throat or mouth?

•  Are you sniffling through your nose or aware of any nasal congestion?
• Do you have any difficulty swallowing when you lay down?
• Can you tell if your tonsils are enlarged?
• Is your tongue of above average length?
• When you lay down on your back can you feel any extra pressure on your throat from your chin or neck?

When you snore:

• are you sleeping on your back
• sleeping with your mouth open
• gasping for air

Snoring severity:

• How often do you snore?
• On a scale from 1-10, how loud is your snoring?

The more often and the more loudly you snore, the greater the chance you have a condition known as sleep apnea which can cause snoring but is more serious than just normal adult snoring.  If you feel sleepy during the daytime and have a serious snoring problem, seek the assistance of your doctor and explain that you need to know if you have sleep apnea.

Otherwise, determine the change in your life that contributed to the snoring, the location of your blockage (nose, throat or mouth) and find the right product that matches that type of blockage.

Location of blockages and products to stop snoring:

Nose - snoring strips, nasal sprays
Throat - snoring spray, stop snoring exercises, chin strap, snore reduction pillow
Mouth - mouthpiece

So, how do you stop snoring?  By getting to know why you snore and applying the best solution you can find that works quickly and easily for that type of blockage.

Stop Snoring Solution - Change Your Lifestyle

Did you know your lifestyle can play a role in whether you snore?  One stop snoring solution tip to help you stop is to find those choices you make that contribute to your problem and try to change them.

Snoring is a problem for over 40% of all adults.  While men tend to snore more often than women, women can and do snore, too.  While being overweight is often pinned as being the main cause of snoring, there are lots of reasons people snore that have nothing to do with their weight.

The choices we make and the behaviors to which we've become accustomed can also cause you to snore.  If you identify those choices and behaviors and change them, you may be able to stop your snoring naturally.

Lifestyle choices that contribute to snoring:

Sleeping habits:
Several factors about when and how you sleep can cause you to snore.  Sleeping on your back can cause you to snore more than sleeping on your side.  If you always sleep on your back and have a problem with snoring, find a pillow that will make you sleep on your side or stuff a pillow behind your back to keep you on your side throughout the night.

Not following a regular nighttime routine can also hamper your snoring.  If you don't go to bed at the same time each night and allow for proper rest, your over-tired body might be causing you to snore.  Over-worked muscles become too taxed and gravity can pull your tongue or your soft palate down into your airway and block your regular flow of oxygen.  Try to follow a regular pattern - relax before bedtime, go to bed at the same time each night, keep your room dark, keep noise and distractions out of the bedroom, don't watch TV in bed, and make sure your bed and pillows are comfortable and conducive to a good night's sleep.

Foods you eat:
Foods that coat your throat - like ice cream - can narrow your airway passage by enough to make you snore at night.  Brushing your teeth only gets the residue around your teeth and tongue, but not the thickness you feel in your throat.  Avoid those foods before bedtime and make sure you drink plenty of water or a cup of hot tea to clear out your throat.

Liquids you drink:
Any liquids that cause muscle relaxation (alcohol) or that coat your throat (soda or pop) can cause problems with snoring because relaxed muscles tend to fall into your airway while you sleep and a throat coated with sugary drinks thins your airway passage.  Try to avoid these liquids at least several hours before you go to sleep.

Smoking:
Smokers often have trouble with snoring.  Smoking can cause chest and nasal congestion as well as coughing.  When you breath and your airflow has to fight all of that congestion, it causes you to snore.  Just one more healthy reason to quit (although, I'm not preaching - I've "been there, done that" and quitting is so much easier said than done!)

Body weight:
Yes, darn it, being overweight can make you snore.  The extra skin and fat around your neck puts more pressure on your airway when you lay down and this makes your airflow extra noisy as it works its way through a tighter passageway.  Just put your chin down towards your chest and you can feel that extra skin bulking up.  In fact, you might even be able to feel it pushing on the back of your tongue when you make this movement even sitting upright.  Losing weight can help make your snoring go away.

Can changing your lifestyle be the only stop snoring solution you need?  It really depends.

I mentioned these are lifestyle "choices" and I realize the being overweight or sleeping on your back aren't necessarily conscious choices one makes.  They are, however, behaviors and lifestyle habits that have developed over time.  They can all be changed - some more easily than others.  It comes down to making a decision to make a change and whether or not the stop snoring solution is important enough to you to put some effort into the change.

Some of these also can't be changed overnight.  You might need to use a stop snoring solution that involves a physical product to help you stop while you work your way through making any necessary lifestyle changes.  Perhaps it will be easier for you to consider wearing a chin strap to bed or using a special pillow if you know that the change is only temporary until such time as you have lost weight or have stopped smoking.  Consider making a long-term plan to get healthier and end your snoring.

Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Snoring and sleep apnea go hand in hand.  However, just because you snore, doesn't mean you have sleep apnea - a health condition which is much more serious than a simple case of sounding like a freight train while you sleep.

Snoring at night is just a sign that one might have sleep apnea.  Those with obstructive sleep apnea experience periods of stopped breathing while they sleep because of a blockage in their airway.  The blockage is something physical like your tongue falling back into your throat or a weakened soft palate muscle which intrudes on the airway.


When the blockage cuts off the airway, breathing stops and then resumes when the body adjusts to compensate for the blockage.  Gasping or snoring usually accompanies the end of the episode as the body attempts to make up for the lack of oxygen. 

If you have sleep apnea, you may wake up suddenly in the middle of the night - actually bolting to an upright position - feeling as if you can't catch your breath.  Your spouse may also be able to tell you if they believe you stop breathing while you are sleeping.  Sleep apnea usually results in daytime sleepiness, as well.  It may seem as if no matter how much you sleep, you don't feel rested the next day.  This is a result of the lack of oxygen your body is experiencing.

The lack of oxygen can drain you slowly over time and is easily justified by our busy lifestyles and poor sleep habits.  Instead, it could be a sign that your body is telling you something is seriously wrong.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that going through many mini-cycles where your body is lacking oxygen is bad for your health.  If you suspect your snoring could be caused by sleep apnea, you should see your doctor.  You will probably have to go through a sleep study for the diagnosis to be determined but the prescribed solution will usually leave you feeling much more energized.  You may not realize just how much your body is being drained by the condition until you are breathing normally again at night.

The popular snoring remedies won't necessarily work for those with sleep apnea because they only treat the symptom, not the main cause of the snoring.

The main prescription for sleep apnea patients is a CPAP - or continuous positive airway pressure - machine.  This machine forces just the right air pressure through your airway to keep the blockage from occurring.  Only a doctor can tell you what that appropriate pressure setting is as the force of each person's blockage is unique.

Snoring and sleep apnea both get fixed when the CPAP machine is applied because the root cause of the problem is being addressed.

People are often afraid to find out if their snoring is a sign of sleep apnea because of the thought of having to wear a mask to bed.  However, the resulting energy and quality of life that resumes when your sleep improves far outweighs the minor embarrassment you may feel at having to use a CPAP machine.

Talk to just one person with sleep apnea that started using the mask and you'll find users swear by the positive change the machine has brought about in terms of the way they feel each morning when they wake up.

There have also been considerable improvements in the comfort and noise level of CPAP machines.  There are several different types of face masks, some much less obtrusive than the large, original full face masks you may have seen in pictures.  Your doctor can help you with recommendations.

If you think you suffer from snoring and sleep apnea, see your doctor and they can help you start feeling better in no time.