NON-SURGICAL SNORING REMEDIES

Lifestyle Changes: Diet

• Allergy Alert!

Surprisingly, many people aren’t entirely sure of what they’re allergic to! It sounds strange, and yes, people are typically aware of the major things that they’re allergic to, but the minor things – the things that promote congestion, runny eyes, and minor breathing difficulty – are often neglected.

The idea here is to carefully monitor any adverse reactions that you might have to food, drink, or anything at all (including pets!). Anything that leads to congestion can enhance snoring.

So if, for example, you discover that an hour after you drink milk you feel stuffy, then watch out if you’re a snorer! Simply changing your diet around, or in this case choosing to avoid milk – or at least not drink it close to bedtime – could substantially improve your snoring problem.

For people with some fruit allergies, vitamin C can be a significant irritant. People should monitor their reactions when taking vitamin C in both supplement and direct form (through fruit or juice). Other foods that can lead to excess snoring are noted below in the “Eating Right” section.

• Weight Loss

As discussed earlier in this guide, excess weight can contribute to snoring, as excess skin in the neck area provides more flesh/tissue for air to vibrate against.

In light of this, losing weight can not only lead to profound health improvement and lowering the risk of a dizzying array of problems (such as heart disease and stroke), but it can also lead to a snore-free life; a nice bonus indeed!

• Eating Right

We’ve already noted that some foods can enhance congestion (which would possibly be:

• dairy products
• fried foods
• chocolate
• frozen foods
• some baked goods (e.g. pizza)

Generally, these foods should be avoided by snorers; or, at least, they should not be consumed near bedtime.

We’ve also noted that excess weight can lead to snoring, as it has the dual effect of enlarging the flesh of the neck (thus providing more tissue/skin for the air to vibrate against), and reduce efficiency of the lungs, thus requiring the body to compensate by pushing harder to expel carbon dioxide (thereby increasing the force of wind through the airway).

However, there are some foods that are purported to be good for snorers; which means, of course, that they can possibly help alleviate some degree of snoring; or perhaps wipe it out completely! (Hey, it’s possible!). These anti-snore-friendly foods (i.e. foods that tone the trachea) include:

• mustard greens
• pears
• thyme
• horseradish
• onions
• garlic
• leeks
• scallions
• lobster
• seaweed

• Healthy Living

Generally speaking, a healthy lifestyle is conducive to not snoring. Of course, there are exceptions, and many factors (such as hereditary, environment, and other health ailments) can lead to snoring despite an attempt to live and eat well.

Mindful of this, the following healthy living suggestions could help alleviate or outright cease some forms of snoring:

• avoiding alcohol (promotes too much relaxation of the trachea)
• avoiding sleeping pills (same as above)
• quitting smoking (can irritate the trachea and lead to congestion)
• avoiding caffeine and other diuretics (dehydration can lead to respiratory problems)

Of course, it’s also important to note that there is (as yet) no magic food that will alleviate snoring. So beware of any advice, brands, or food products that promise an end to snoring!
Lifestyle Changes: Exercise

• Throat Exercises

Exercises that help strengthen and tone the muscles in the throat can help alleviate snoring and, in some cases, actually get rid of it altogether. Here are three simples way of improving throat strength/toning throat muscles:

• Take a pencil and hold it between the teeth for up to 5 minutes. The grip should be firm, but not painful at all.
• Take your finger and gently press against your chin for a few minutes (no more than 3).
• Push your tongue against your lower row of teeth for about five minutes.

These exercises should be performed just before bedtime, and no strain should occur. It should not at all be a painful experience! The goal is simply to retrain some of the throat muscles that have lost their tone through a variety of factors, including age itself. Any or all of the above exercises should help tighten the neck muscles, and thus lead to less airway vibration (and subsequent snoring).

Additional exercises that help tone the overall body can also help with snoring. There are a number of factors, however, that will determine if the fat that has gathered around the neck is actually going to reduce; if an individual is genetically predisposed to acquire fat in that area, it could last for quite a while.

However, some improvement in muscle tone should lead to an improvement in snoring; at least, perhaps, in the reduction of noise. While this may not be the ideal solution, it can be a step in the right direction.

• Throat Muscle Toners

Throat muscle toners help strengthen the muscles in the throat, thus reducing some of the loose skin and hanging tissue that can lead to vibration, and hence, lead to snoring.

These throat muscle toners generally aim to achieve the following:

• restore throat muscle strength
• keep the air channel open
• allow the air to flow to the lungs without any obstruction

Muscle toners are, like most non-surgical devices, un-medicated, non-habit forming, and generally inexpensive. Throat muscle toners come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and even colors to suit individual preferences and requirements.

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