Every woman can relate to those times when they have to deal with a snoring partner and the sleepless nights that come along with it. Although statistics seem to point to the fact that men tend to snore more than men, there are still a good number of women who give their spouses sleepless nights because of their snoring habits.
Most women have become so scared of their partners reaction that they opt for separate bedrooms in other to do away with taunts from friends and family. If you are one faced with this challenge, there is no need to worry anymore. Here are some tips to help you reduce snoring and give your partner the benefit of enjoying peaceful nights once again.
- Weight Loss & Exercise: being overweight or having a large neck circumference (16”), increases the risk of fat pushing down on the throat and worsening the case of snoring. Starting a weight loss and exercise programme can significantly reduce snoring in many individuals.
- Change position: sleeping on your side can prevent the tongue from falling back and blocking the throat during sleep. Pillows can be used to prevent an individual from rolling back onto their backs during sleep.
- Limit Alcohol: drinking alcohol relaxes the airway muscles even more than normal causing further airway collapse and a worsening of snoring. Limit alcohol consumption for weight loss and avoid drinking it at least 4hours before you go to bed.
- Stop Smoking: smoking causes nasal congestion and inflammation leading to a worsening of snoring. Quitting smoking can help reduce snoring and improve your overall health.
- Sedatives: certain medications such as sleeping pills and anti histamines are designed to have a relaxing effect and can therefore worsen snoring. Speak with your doctor before making any changes to your medication as they might be able to provide non-sedative alternatives.
- Prevent Mouth Opening: if you know you snore with your mouth open, then it can be helpful to keep it closed during sleep by either using specifically designed adhesive tape or mouth guards.
- Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD): if you know that you are a tongue based snorer, then using MAD can help to move your jaw forward and prevent your tongue from blocking the back of your throat during sleep.
- Prevent Nasal Collapse: if you know you suffer from nasal collapse then using some form of adhesive nasal dilator strip placed over the outside of the nose can help to keep the airways open and reduce snoring.
- Check for Allergies: nasal congestion and inflammation caused by allergies is a common cause of snoring. Being tested for allergies can therefore enable you identify and reduce potential allergens in your sleeping environment (such as beddings, dust mites, pet hairs, etc) and lessen snoring.
- Surgery: if none of the standard methods mentioned above work to reduce snoring, then speak with an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist about the possibility of surgery which should be considered as last resort.
