A - Z Encyclopedia

Understanding Snoring: Information, Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

Prevention

How Can I Prevent Snoring?

• Consider losing some weight if you're overweight. Most snorers tend to be overweight, and shedding excess fat -- as little as 5 to 8 pounds -- has been shown to decrease, if not eliminate, snoring.
• Avoid midnight snacks and alcoholic beverages. Drinking alcohol or eating heavily before going to sleep causes muscles near the airway to slacken.
• Avoid sleeping pills or other sedatives. Although they put you to sleep, they relax your neck muscles, making your snoring worse.
• Stop smoking. Smoking causes nasal and lung congestion, a major cause of snoring.
• Sleep on your side. While heavy snorers will snore in any position, people with moderate snoring tend to snore only when sleeping on their backs. One helpful trick is to sew a pocket onto the back of your nightclothes and insert a tennis ball. This will make it uncomfortable for you to lie on your back -- and prompt you to turn on your side during sleep.
• Sleep without a pillow. Pillows can contribute to airway obstruction by bending your neck out of alignment.

Back to eHealth Encyclopedia