Snoring has many possible causes. One cause of snoring is flabby muscles and tissue in the back of your throat. Exercising these muscles can make them tighter and less prone to vibrate while you are sleeping. That means you will snore less and may even be able to stop snoring for good.
Singing Exercises
Voice exercises like those done by professional singers can make your soft palate firmer. Dr. Phillip S. Chua of the Cebu Cardiovascular Center says just regular singing when done on a consistent basis will strengthen your flabby upper airway muscles. Aim for at least twenty minutes of vigorous singing everyday while in the shower or while doing housework and you may see an improvement in your snoring.
Tongue Exercises
Tongue exercises may help alleviate your snoring problems. Stick out your tongue as far as possible. Try to reach the tip of your nose with your tongue. Hold that position for a few seconds and then relax. Then stick out your tongue and try to reach as far left as you can and hold. Repeat by reaching as far right as you can with your tongue. Dr. Dan Peterson of Family Gentle Dental Care recommends doing tongue exercises twice daily to help overcome snoring.
The Didgeridoo
Playing the didgeridoo will make your upper airway stronger and could be beneficial for snorers and those suffering from sleep apnea. The didgeridoo is an ancient wind instrument developed by indigenous Australians that requires coordination between your breathing and airflow over the instrument. The technique that you master allows you to create a long continuous tone on the musical instrument while still continuing to breathe using a circular breathing technique. A study published in the British Medical Journal reported that after four months of training on the didgeridoo, participants reported improvement in their snoring.
General Exercise
General aerobic exercise is also important if your snoring is caused by being overweight. Consistent daily exercise will help you burn fat so you can lose weight and relieve the pressure placed on your upper airway when you sleep at night. You may not even have to reach your ideal weight to see benefits. A small percentage of weight loss may be enough to help you stop snoring.
