Nearly half of the world’s population snores, or has snored in their lifetime. If you are not a snorer, chances are your partner is. This can be a nuisance for those within earshot.
It is important to get a good night’s rest in spite of the noise around you. So how to sleep through snoring?
How To Block Out Snoring Sounds?
For starters, a good set of earplugs or headphones could go a long way in maintaining your sanity. Get a pair of sleep friendly ear plugs that will block out the snoring noises but will still allow you to hear the alarm.
Another strategy to block out snoring sounds is to use a white noise machine, or download an app for it.
Some people find it calming to listen to rain sounds, ocean waves crashing or meditation guides. Give these a go and see if they work for you and your partner.
How Do You Reduce Snoring?
If blocking out the sounds doesn’t seem to work, consider alternatives that could stop the snoring or at least reduce it.
1. Sleep On Your Side
One method that has been shown to work is changing the sleeping position.
Sleeping on your back increases internal and external pressure on the muscles and soft tissue around the throat, causing increased noise and more snoring.
Lying on your side could remedy this by reducing the pressure around this tissue.
Experts recommend simple strategies such as taping tennis balls to pyjama tops in order to discourage one from lying on their back.
2. Use an Anti Snoring Pillow
Anti snoring pillows have also been shown to reduce or eliminate snoring for some people. Most of these work by aligning the head with the shoulders thus reducing the volume and frequency of snoring.
3. Apply a Nasal or Throat Spray
There is quite an array of nasal and throat anti snore sprays that have been proven to reduce snoring.
Nasal sprays work by lubricating the nostrils and clearing out the thick mucus which makes it hard to breath through the mouth, allowing for easier breathing via the nose.
Throat sprays reduce snoring by temporarily tightening and lubricating the throat muscles that contribute to snoring.
4. Use a Chin Strap
Most snorers do so through the mouth. A chin strap made to reduce snoring can be used to keep the mouth shut all night, and to encourage breathing through the nose.
Other changes that can be made to improve sleep quality for all are:
- Reduce alcohol intake – limit overall alcohol intake and more so eliminate drinks a few hours before bedtime. Alcohol leads to relaxation of muscles around the throat that cause snoring. Tobacco smoking and use of tranquilizers also have a similar effect.
- Try to lose any extra weight – being overweight has been linked to more cases of snoring. Carrying excess weight around the chin and throat leads to poor muscle tone and excess fatty tissue which causes snoring.
- Exercise – toning of other muscles in the body also tones the muscles around the throat. Toned throat muscles sometimes lead to less snoring.
- Keep hydrated – drink enough fluids through the day to prevent dehydration. Without sufficient fluids, mucus around the mouth and throat tends to become thicker and stick together/ This causes or worsens snoring.
- Consider getting evaluated by a professional to determine what remedies will work for you and to rule out any serious conditions that could manifest through snoring.
Is It Bad To Wake Up A Snoring Person?
Most snorers generally have poor sleep quality. They wake up tired, fatigued and irritable. Waking them up will only make things worse for them, yet they may still go on snoring.
Giving them a gentle nudge could help them change their sleeping position and reduce the snoring.
Instead of waking up a snoring person, try to block out the snoring, and discuss ways of reducing and eliminating snoring once the person is well rested.
If all these tips and tricks don’t seem to do it for you, getting separate bedrooms has been shown to work for couples where one partner snores.
