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Lifestyle and home remedies

By Mayo Clinic staff

To prevent or quiet snoring, try these tips:

  • If you're overweight, lose weight. People who are overweight may have extra tissues in the throat that contribute to snoring. Losing weight can help reduce snoring.
  • Sleep on your side. Lying on your back allows your tongue to fall backward into your throat, narrowing your airway and partially obstructing airflow. Try sleeping on your side. If you find that you always end up on your back in the middle of the night, try sewing a tennis ball in the back of your pajama top.
  • Raise the head of your bed. Raising the head of your bed by about four inches may help.
  • Nasal strips. Adhesive strips applied to your nose help many people increase the area of their nasal passage, enhancing their breathing. These strips aren't effective for people with sleep apnea, however.

  • Treat nasal congestion or obstruction. Having allergies or a deviated septum can limit airflow through your nose. This forces you to breathe through your mouth, increasing the likelihood of snoring.

    Don't use an oral or spray decongestant for more than three days in a row for acute congestion unless directed to do so by your doctor. Long-term use of these medications can have a rebound effect and make your congestion worse. Ask your doctor about a prescription steroid spray if you have chronic congestion.

    To correct a structural defect in your airway, such as a deviated septum, you may need surgery.

  • Limit or avoid alcohol and sedatives. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages at least two hours before bedtime, and let your doctor know about your snoring before taking sedatives.

    Sedatives and alcohol depress your central nervous system, causing excessive relaxation of muscles, including the tissues in your throat.

Alternative medicine Treatments and drugs
References
  1. Snoring. American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/snoring.cfm. Accessed Aug. 30, 2012.
  2. Beninati W, et al. Overview of snoring in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Aug. 30, 2012.
  3. Snoring and sleep apnea. American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. http://www.aaoms.org/sleep_apnea.php. Accessed Sept. 6, 2012.
  4. Rosen GM. Mechanisms and predisposing factors for sleep related breathing disorders in children. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Sept. 6, 2012.
  5. Strohl KP. Sleep related breathing disorders in adults: Definitions. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Sept. 10, 2012.
  6. Strohl KP. Overview of obstructive sleep apnea in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Sept. 10, 2012.
  7. Paruthi S. Evaluation of suspected obstructive sleep apnea in children. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Sept. 10, 2012.
  8. Beninati W. Treatment of adults with snoring. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Aug. 30, 2012.
  9. Millman RP, et al. Polysomnography in obstructive sleep apnea in adults. http:/www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Sept. 10, 2012.
  10. Flint PW, et al. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05283-2..00019-7&isbn=978-0-323-05283-2&sid=1353392067&uniqId=361428808-4#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05283-2..00019-7. Accessed Sept. 10, 2012.
  11. Dave NB. Initiation of positive airway pressure therapy for obstructive sleep apnea in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Sept. 10, 2012.
  12. MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane). Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Sept. 10, 2012.
  13. Puhan MA, et al. Didgeridoo playing as alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome: Randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2006;332:266.
  14. Ernst AOE. Can singing exercises reduce snoring? A pilot study. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2000;8:151.
  15. Wardrop PJC, et al. Do wind and brass players snore less? A cross-sectional study of snoring and daytime fatigue in professional orchestral musicians. Clinical Otolaryngology. 2011;36:134.
  16. Antoniadou M, et al. Lung function in wind instrument players. Pneumon. 2012;25:180.
  17. Morgenthaler TI (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Oct. 15, 2012.
DS00297 Nov. 7, 2012

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