by wildcherry on Tuesday, November 11th, 2008 | Health, Life

According to the National Sleep Foundation in Washington, 75 percent of adults frequently either wake in the night or snore — and many have taken to separate beds just for those reasons. In a report issued Tuesday, the foundation found that more than half the women surveyed, ages 18 to 64, said they slept well only a few nights a week; 43 percent believed their lack of sleep interfered with the next day’s activities.

“Fortunately, there are lifestyle changes and natural remedies that can help you stop snoring.

1. Change your sleep position.

Snoring occurs when the soft palate, uvula, tongue, tonsils and/or muscles in the back of the throat rub against each other and generate a vibrating sound during sleep.

So, at first, snoring “occurs only when you are lying on your back [and] your tongue falls back and increases airway resistance,” Mahowald explains. That’s why some folk remedies called for sewing tennis balls on the back of pajamas, he says.

“If you are one of these snorers, sleeping on your sides will usually help” you stop snoring, Mahowald tells WebMD.

You may also want to try raising the head of your bed 4 inches, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology. To do this, place blocks or a wedge under the head of the mattress.

However, as snoring progresses, it can occur when you are sleeping on your side or with your head elevated. Eventually, snoring can become present all night and at all positions. Then, it’s time to examine your lifestyle.

2. Lose 10% of your body weight to help stop snoring.

Overweight people tend have bulky neck tissue which increases snoring risk. If you are overweight, losing just modest amount of weight - even just 10% of your body weight — can help you stop snoring, Mahowald says.

3. Avoid alcohol and sedatives to stop snoring.

“Anything that causes sedation such as sleeping pills or low dose alcohol can also cause snoring because they tend to suppress your breathing drive,” says Robert W. Clark, MD, medical director of the Regional Sleep Disorders Center at the Columbus Community Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
If you snore because you have a couple of drinks or a sedative at night, either cut back or cut it out altogether, he advises.

4. Inhale steam before bed to stop snoring.

Nasal congestion can often cause snoring. Clarke suggests you try to reduce congestion before bedtime by deep breathing steam through your nose.

“Steam vaporizers are worth their weight in gold,” says Clarke. “And so is running hot water, putting a towel over your head and inhaling steam to loosen mucus-causing congestion.”

5. Try nasal strips to stop snoring.

Studies show that nasal strips can provide temporary relief from congestion and may also help some people stop snoring.

“It’s easier to breathe when your nostrils are open wide, so nasal strips, which are worn on the nose, can help if snoring is coming from your nose,” Mahowald says. The catch? Most often snoring stems from base of tongue or soft palate — not the nose.”

This article is from the WebMD

Tags: how snoring occurs, how to stop snoring, nasal strip, natural remedies for snoring, sleep position, sleeping disorder, snoring problems, stop snoring