Diet & Fitness Blog
Silence is Golden: 3 Ways to Stop Snoring
Email PageGeoffrey Anderson Jr.
Copy Editor
There's nothing like the benefits of a good night's sleep: a cozy feeling, incredible dreams and plenty of energy once you wake up. Unfortunately, I haven’t experienced any of those things lately -- a loud sound coming from the other bedroom has been keeping me awake.
Get your mind out of the gutter -- I'm talking about snoring. For the past week, my grandmother's been visiting from Ecuador, and each night I've heard her noisy breaths through my apartment's thin walls. I'm used to the sound – my ex snored – but it's still difficult to fall asleep.
Although snoring can be annoying if you're on the receiving end, the snorer should also be concerned about the noise. Caused by obstruction in the airways, snoring can indicate disorders such as sleep apnea, which prevents a person from breathing for a few seconds while asleep; this can happen several times a night. Your body has to wake up to resume breathing, thus affecting your quality of sleep and forcing your cardiovascular system to work harder at getting oxygen to your tissues.
If you or your loved one snores, rest assured there are many remedies that'll help both of you finally snop snoring get some much-needed rest:
1. Lose weight. People who are overweight are likelier to snore because the excess fat may press against their throats. A healthy diet and regular exercise can help you lose weight and stop snoring (plus your bed partner will finally be able to sleep without earplugs). eDiets has several meal plans to get you started on your weight-loss goals.
2. Stop smoking. And if you don't smoke, don't start. Aside from completely destroying your health, smoking can irritate the linings of your airways, causing them to inflame. In turn, you can't breathe as well because your airways are narrower.
3. Switch sleeping positions. Sleeping on your back can cause you to snore; your tongue might be blocking part of your airways. Instead, sleep on your side or elevate your head to stop snoring. To help, you may want to tape a tennis ball to the back of your pajama top. Doing so will keep you off your back at night because it's really uncomfortable.
The occasional snore happens, but if snoring becomes a chronic problem, have a physician check it out for your sake – and your partner's.
What works for you? Have any of your own tips to stop snoring? Share them below by leaving a comment.
-- Hit the Sack: 3 Tips for Better Sleep
-- What Your Sleep Position Says About You
-- Migraine Misery: Ways to Beat It
Comment by 
Will D. said... - Tuesday, August 19, 2008 10:12:00 AM
Another good idea to stop snoring is by using snoring pajamas. Most people who snore generally do so when lying on their back. Basically, you sew a pocket on to the back of your pajamas and place a tennis ball inside. When you roll on to your back in your sleep the ball will make you change position as it is so uncomfortable!
Comment by said... - Tuesday, August 26, 2008 12:51:00 AM
The best thing for a snoring partner is ear-plugs! I love those darn things, now I can't sleep without them.
Comment by 
Jessica Freas "Freeze" Kenny said... - Tuesday, August 26, 2008 11:21:00 AM
My husband snores and NOTHING seems to work! Some of his snoring is loud and deep and some is weezing, but either way, I can't sleep! It takes me hours to get to sleep... I push him, tell him to turn over... we've used the nose strips, throat spray, ear plugs... nothing seems to work!
Comment by said... - Tuesday, August 26, 2008 2:21:00 PM
Great advice if these are one of the issues that causes you to snore. They haven't worked for me. I've been reluctant to go see a doctor because of the horror stories I've heard of multiple surgeries and still no change. :(
Comment by said... - Tuesday, August 26, 2008 3:05:00 PM
Jessica, have your husband see his doctor about his snoring. Sleep Apnea can be dangerous.
Boris, there are other ways to attack snoring other than surgery. Check with your doctor to see if you need a sleep study to rule out sleap apnea
Comment by said... - Thursday, August 28, 2008 8:31:00 AM
there is suppose to be a new snore pillow for fellow snorers..just fyi
Comment by said... - Wednesday, September 10, 2008 5:56:00 PM
I suffered from bad snoring until I went to a sleep clinic and was given a cpap machine and have not snored since.I use it every night and wake up refreshed .This and losing weight has made such a difference to my life...Jan
Comment by barbara said... - Friday, December 12, 2008 12:42:00 PM
someone on the other side of you while you snorrrrrr -welp they just clober you ,till you learn not to ....
Comment by said... - Friday, December 12, 2008 9:01:00 PM
I started snoring last year, and went to a sleep clinic. I did one of those over night sleep studies where they hook you up to several machines to record you while you sleep. I stopped breathing an average of 35 times an hour and my oxygen count went down to 70%. I was literally dying every night. Thankfully my insurance paid for a CPAP machine which I use faithfully every night. Snoring isn't funny. It's not about making your partner roll over, or sleeping on the couch.
Those stupid strips do nothing. Get help! Sleep Apnea can lead to heart disease, and falling asleep at the wheel causes countless accidents every year. I had no idea how much sleep I was loosing every night until I got a real nights sleep! SNORE FREE
Comment by dgs said... - Monday, December 15, 2008 6:55:00 PM
Try GUn muffs,be sure to look for the low profile kind and very important is to check the level of sound you want to silence. I been wearing them at night for the last 3 years. I couldnt sleep with my husband his snoring was so bad. I was tired of sleeping on the couch or not at all.I was ready to divorce him. Only thing is I dont hear the alarm, but he wakes before me, so its not a problem. Now I cant fall asleep without them. Love the GunMuffs and my Husband.
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