The Cause of Snoring and Conventional Treatments
Snoring is the result of limited airways that originate from your nasal passageway or throat. It is actually the effect of the vibrations because the air is having difficulties to pass through the tonsils, uvula, soft palate, tongue and muscles located in the back side of the throat.
Luckily, there is more than one way to treat snoring and sleep apnea (an occurrence in which people stop breathing for a brief moment while sleeping). The typical treatment includes using antidepressant drugs although in many cases people are advised to take surgery. These two treatments can lead to many side effects and by using them you can jeopardize your health in general.
CPAP or Nasal continuous positive airway pressure is a treatment for sleep apnea that is recommended most often. It is actually quite simple. Sufferers wear a medical mask on top of their nose while sleeping and the pressure produced by an air blower directs air exactly through the nasal passages.
This air pressure is continual and persistent and modified which means that you will get enough air to keep your throat functioning properly.
This treatment helps people avoid airway closure when it is used, but the fact is that apnea will come back in case CPAP is not used or when it is used in an inadequate way. In other words, this is only a temporary solution.
The truth is that changing your eating habits and practicing a healthy diet according to your own nutritional type while following an adequate cardiovascular set of exercises is way more efficient when it comes to dealing with sleep apnea.
9 Natural Alternatives to Stop Snoring
Luckily, people have created many completely natural techniques that anyone can use and it is definitely the best idea to try them before using some of the conventional treatments that can lead to other problems. Here’s a list of 9 ways to stop snoring:
1. Avoid sleeping on your back
While sleeping on your back might not be bad for your posture, the truth is that snoring is often caused by lax muscles in the tongue and throat. In case you lie on the back, the muscles in your tongue and throat will relax and go backward toward your throat which will lead to a vibration because you will have difficulties to breathe. The simplest remedy that will “force” you to sleep on your side is to sew a tennis ball in the middle of the back of your pajamas.
2. Lift up the head of the bed
If you want to stop the collapsing of the airways, you can also try this easy tip. Just lift up the head of the bed for about 4 inches. Use wedges and/or blocks right under the mattress.
3. Take care of your weight
If you have additional weight around the neck, you might experience narrowing in the throat when you are lying. If you take care of your weight you will definitely notice a difference. Try to reduce the intake of sugars and grains.
4. Perform tongue and throat exercises
IN case they are strong enough, there will be lower chance to go backward. The following is a description of an exercise like this. Start by putting the lower and upper molars together. Do this gently. After that, open up your mouth and try to press the molars apart as much as you can, but avoid over stretching. Perform this exercise for up to 20 times. You should notice the strengthening of the jaw muscles even after 10 repetitions.
5. Use the help of a steam bowl
Positioning your head right over a steam bowl and using a towel on top of it, before bedtime, can unblock and lower possible swelling in the nasal area that might lead to this situation. In addition, keep the place where you sleep clean and without dust.
6. Try nasal strips
In case the problem originates from nasal passageway obstruction, nasal strips can improve the airflow in this area.
7. Stay away from alcohol
Alcohol relaxes the muscles in the throat and tongue and lead to worsening of the situation. The same goes for sleep aid and muscles relaxing drugs.
8. Reduce milk intake
It turns out that drinking milk especially before bedtime can worsen snoring because it results in the occurrence of a mucus layer in the throat and mouth. Drink water after your dinner.
9. Don’t eat too much in the evening
Stay away from big meals in the evening. In case your stomach is full, it will press your diaphragm and make breathing very difficult.
In case you are dealing with sleeping problems like difficulties falling asleep or frequent waking up, you should also look for natural solutions. In addition, try to develop a sleep routine and stick to it.
Via Mercola