1. Sleep on Your Side
One of the major causes of snoring is sleeping on your back. When you sleep on your back, gravity pulls your tongue and the rest of your air passage down against your back, thereby restricting air flow. If you sleep on your side, you can prevent or at least greatly reduce your snoring problem. A trick for training yourself to stop snoring is placing a tennis ball under your sheets where you would lay if you were laying on your back. During the night, rolling onto this ball causes discomfort, so you'll naturally shift back to your side. You can also pin a tennis ball to your pajamas by putting it in a sock and securing it to an uncomfortable spot on your back.
2. Alter Your Environment
If you live in a dry region like the American Southwest, you may want to try a humidifier. Sometimes dry air can cause your air passages to swell, leading to snoring. Allergens can also cause snoring as your sinuses react to stimuli. Use an air purifier in your bedroom to keep the air as clear of dust as possible.
3. Lose Weight
You can often treat snoring simply by losing weight. Snoring is commonly attributed to weight gain, and studies have shown that losing weight can improve your snoring problem. Weight loss equal to roughly 10 percent of your body weight is typically sufficient to treat all but the worst snoring.
4. Cut Back on Sedatives and Try Alternatives
Prescription and/or over-the-counter sleep aids can lead to snoring. Stop taking them unless they are absolutely necessary. If you must take sleep aids, try an over-the-counter snoring remedy such as a nasal strip. Nasal strips lift your nostrils open and have some effectiveness in preventing snoring. Nasal decongestants can also be useful if your snoring is not a result of a blocked airway but of mucous in the throat.
5. Surgery Is an Option
A deviated septum may be causing your snoring, not to mention your general discomfort. Doctors can perform surgery to address a deviated septum, which can thus improve breathing and reduce or eliminate snoring. Somnoplasty, too, can be used to treat snoring. Somnoplasty is a surgery that shrinks the soft palate, thereby reducing the surface area that obstructs the airway.
