Help Your Partner Reduce Snoring By Lifestyle Changes

Saturday, April 30th, 2011 at 10:27 PM

If the decibel level in your bedroom is increasing and reaching beyond your tolerable limits owing to the loud snoring partner you both need to introduce certain very specific changes in your lifestyle. Encourage him/her to try these snoring remedies:

1. Lose weight to stop snoring related to obesity.

2. Avoid alcohol within three hours of bedtime, because alcohol relaxes throat muscles.Sedatives and sleeping pills have the same effect.

3. Exercise regularly, which helps control weight. It also promotes good overall muscle tone, which is beneficial.

4. Quit smoking. Tobacco smoke tends to inflame tissues of the upper airway.This swelling narrows airways, impeding airflow.

5. Manage acid reflux by avoiding large meals within three hours of bedtime and foods that cause heartburn.Take any acid-reducing medication as prescribed.

6. Treat nasal congestion. Using saline nasal spray at night may clear nasal passageways. If that doesn’t work, ask your partner to talk to his doctor about other treatments, such as decongestants, antihistamines and steroid nose sprays. Nasal strips would be helpful in only stop snoring for about 1 in 20 people, but there’s little harm in trying.

7. Change sleep position. Snoring is generally worse when sleeping on your back, Schwimmer says. A full-body pillow can help him maintain a side-sleeping position.

A combination of lifestyle changes and medical treatment can usually reduce even the most wall-rattling roar to a soft buzz. But it won’t always stop snoring entirely. If you still can’t sleep well, use earplugs, and switch on a white noise machine or fan to get the rest you need.