Cures to Stop Snoring

As many as half of all adults occasionally snore, according to Mayo Clinic. Snoring occurs when air moves past the relaxed tissues in your throat, causing them to vibrate as you breathe. In some instances snoring can indicate a serious health condition. Lifestyle changes, medical devices and surgery can lower or eliminate snoring, states Mayo Clinic.

Causes of Snoring

• As you age, your throat narrows and its muscle tone decreases, increasing snoring frequency. Your physical build has an effect as well, with men usually having narrower air passages than women. Nasal and sinus problems may be the culprit, causing blocked airways and difficult inhalation, indicates Mayo Clinic. Being overweight and poor muscle tone also contribute to snoring. If you sleep flat on your back, this causes the flesh of your throat to relax and block the airway. Consuming alcohol, smoking and some medications can increase muscle relaxation and cause snoring, reports Helpguide.

Self-Help Cures

• Losing weight can reduce the fatty tissue in the back of the throat and improve snoring symptoms. Clearing your nasal passages with decongestants or a neti pot (used to irrigate your nasal passages) can help inhalation. Keeping regular sleep patterns and your bedroom air moist with a humidifier could improve the symptoms of snoring. Elevating your head 4 inches may ease breathing. Trying a neck pillow designed to support your neck muscles may help. Helpguide suggests pinning a tennis ball inside a sock to your pajama top to avoid sleeping on your back, which contributes to snoring.

Lifestyle Changes

• According to Helpguide, certain foods consumed before bedtime can increase snoring. You should avoid large meals, dairy products, soy milk, sleeping pills and other substances that relax you, antihistamines, caffeine and alcohol. Throat exercises, such as repeating vowels and pursing your lips with your mouth closed, strengthen muscles in the upper respiratory tract; Helpguide recommends 30 minutes of throat exercises daily. Singing increases muscle control in the throat and soft palate while taking up the didgeridoo --- a large trumpet made of wood or bamboo originated in Australia --- strengthens the soft palate and throat, states Mayo Clinic.

Medical Cures

• If you have tried to stop snoring on your own without success, you may need to contact your doctor or an ear, nose and throat doctor. Helpguide lists several medical remedies to cure snoring: A continuous positive airway pressure machine, or CPAP, blows pressurized air into a mask you wear while you sleep. Surgery may remove tissues or correct abnormalities. Dental appliances, oral devices and lower jaw-positioners open your airway by moving your lower jaw or tongue forward during sleep.