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.