Some Natural Treatments For Snoring

Stopping snoring doesn't always have to involve chemicals or surgery. There are some natural treatments for snoring available that provide an alternative for people who may not wish to go the medical or pharmaceutical route.

Lifestyle Changes

Snoring is often the result of an unhealthy lifestyle, so the simplest natural treatment for snoring is merely to change the way you live. Being overweight can lead to an increase in the amount of fatty tissue around your neck, which in turn can cause snoring. Aim to lose 10% of your body weight to help stop snoring.

Alcohol can also be a cause of snoring. It acts as a depressant causing the muscles in the back of your throat to collapse more rapidly than they normally do whilst sleeping. It also irritates the nasal passages. Avoid drinking alcohol for at least four hours before you go to bed if you want to avoid snoring. Sedatives such as sleeping pills and antihistamines can have similar effects to alcohol, so it is best to avoid these too.

Dairy products can increase the production of mucus, which can lead to nasal congestion. Try switching to dairy free alternatives to that warm, milky drink at bedtime, such as soy, rice or almond milk.

Posture is an important factor in snoring. Snoring usually occurs when a person is lying on his or her back. Some people resort to sewing a tennis ball into the backs of their pajamas in order to ensure that they sleep on their sides. It can also be helpful to raise the head of your mattress four inches or so by placing a block underneath it. This lifts your head up while sleeping, thus clearing the airways.

Herbal and Other Natural Treatments for Snoring

Sometimes, lifestyle changes by themselves are not enough to prevent snoring. But if you still don't like the idea of putting chemicals into your body, have no fear. A wide range of natural treatments for snoring are available at health food stores, drugstores and supermarkets. Tissue salts containing calcium sulfate, magnesium phosphate and calcium phosphate can promote healthy sleep patterns that reduce or eliminate snoring. Herbal remedies that relax the body include extract of wild oats (Avena sativa), blue skullcap (Scuttelaria lateriflora) and maypop, also known as purple passionflower (Passiflora incarnata). These do not appear to have the harmful effects of artificial sedatives, which can actually promote snoring. In addition, ordinary household ginger (Zingiber officinale) can help to produce saliva, lubricating the throat and palate, especially when mixed with honey.

This concludes our review of snoring treatments that don't involve orthodox medicine. When using alternative remedies, always be sure to consult your doctor.