I sleep with a snorer. If you sleep with a snorer too, you feel my pain (and I feel yours!) But as frustrating as it is to me, I know it’s equally frustrating for my husband Dave (the snorer) because he usually wakes up with a headache from it. As a matter of fact, snoring is actually related to a host of health problems…so finding remedies for it benefits both of us.
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After researching the causes of snoring, I’ve found that it usually comes down to a few simple problems that can be treated quickly and naturally.
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Increase bedroom humidity
One of the first things to try is a humidifier. You might be snoring because your bedroom is warm and dry, causing your nose to dry out when you inhale. Since snoring is a vibration from your mouth and throat, keeping these areas moisturized can help. Breathe easier and quit snoring with little more moisture in the air!
Drink plenty of water
Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will keep your nasal passages moisturized through the night, too. Check out these 23 simple ways to remind yourself to drink more water!
Sleep position
Try sleeping on your side and propping up your head slightly with a pillow. When you sleep on your back, your tongue and soft palate rest against the back of your throat, blocking the airway and causing more snoring.
A simple trick to keep you from rolling onto your back from your side during the night is to attach a tennis ball onto the back of your pajama top. Use tape, or a sewn strip of cloth to hold the tennis ball in place.
Control your weight
Gaining weight, particularly in the neck area, can actually trigger snoring. Losing just 10 percent of your body weight can help by easing constriction of the upper airway. Check out these 7 rules for lasting weight loss, and work on a healthy lifestyle.
Establish regular sleep patterns
Make sure that you’re regularly getting enough sleep. If you crawl into bed exhausted every night, you quickly fall into a heavy sleep without much muscle control, which tends to increase snoring.
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Fight the dry
Taking a hot shower or using a saline nasal spray before bed can open up your nasal passages, decreasing the likeliness of snoring. Adding a few branches of eucalyptus to the shower will release the eucalyptus oils, which soothes inflamed airways – plus, it smells amazing!
Reduce bedroom allergens
Allergens like pollen, dust, animal dander, can cause congestion and irritate your airways, both of which can contribute to snoring.
Try this simple method for dusting a ceiling fan, and change your sheets and pillowcases regularly. Also make sure you’re changing your air filters on a regular basis.
Use essential oils
Try using essential oils to stop your snoring. You can mix 5 drops into a small glass of water and gargle it before bed, you add a few drops to a diffuser, mix the essential oil into a carrier oil and rub it on your feet, or you can make a spray to spritz on your pillow before bed. Learn how to make a lavender linen spray here.
Here are a few essential oils that can help your snoring:
- Eucalyptus essential oil has analgesic, antispasmodic and antiseptic qualities and is used to treat a number of breathing issues. It opens sinuses and clears up congestion, which just might be all you need to stop snoring!
- Lavender essential oil is known for its sleep-aid properties, can help you relax, and promotes restful sleep. Plus, it’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, so it will address any issues with allergens or inflammation.
- Peppermint essential oil is also used to treat breathing difficulties such as asthma and coughs. It has anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce inflammation in nasal passages which will help to ease your breathing.
Use equal amounts of each of these three oils in your favorite application method to treat your snoring today!
Note: If you tried these natural remedies with no success, talk to your doctor about the possibility of obstructive sleep apnea.
How do you treat snoring?
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Sleep apnea is a very serious condition that must be treated by a sleep medicine doctor. Anyone who snores should have a sleep study done to rule out sleep apnea. It can save your life. I have sleep apnea as do my brother and sister. It is caused by an abnormality in our palates, a genetic trait in my mother’s family. I became very depressed from lack of sleep. Fortunately, I have a good friend who has sleep apnea and insisted I see a sleep medicine doctor. After introductions, he asked me to open my mouth, looked at my palate,… Read more »
The lady that suggested a sleep study is wise. Most of the time snoring is a result of sleep apnea and the only way one can find out if they have it is through a sleep study. If one does have it then they will undoutedly recommend a cpap machine. They are cumbersome but they really do help and if one gives it a chance, say, using it faithfully for a couple of weeks, one will adjust and get used to it. I know because I use one. Sleep apnea is a very serious thing, nothing to laugh at. Although… Read more »
I think my poor hubby’s problem is not having a regular sleep schedule. The doctor also mentioned that he has some issues with his sinus cavities, making it hard to breathe when he lies down. If these suggestions don’t work, or you think something is wrong, it’s always good to check in with the doctor, too!
I’m willing to try all of these to get my man to quiet down lol- thanks for another great share! :)
Glad to help, Angie!
My husband had the throat surgery that adjusts the palate especially for snoring. It didn’t last more than a year for him and he’s back to snoring. Thank the Lord we have a guest room that I migrate to if he wakes me up. I’m definitely going to try a couple of these; humidity and EO might work. We’ve tried all the others, even earplugs for me!
Has he had a sleep study done? Snoring can be dangerous.
My boyfriend snores to the high heavens, and I am an ULTRA-light sleeper. Recipe for disaster. We do most of these, but I’ve never tried essential oils. Definitely going to whip up some lotion with eucalyptus ;)
-Clarissa @ The View From Here
I also have sleep apnea (fat & former smoker). When I feel a little stuffy, I put some, I’ll be truthful, A LOT, of eucalyptus essential oil into my diffuser & put it behind my cpap aimed at the air intake. I always sleep like a baby when I do this. I also do it even if I’m not stuffy as I love how it opens me up & I LOVE the smell!!
Hi Jillee – This blog caught my attention, because I am a snorer…and sometimes my hubby snores as well. You stated that your husband often wakes up with headaches, so I wanted to let you know about something. Back 10+ years ago I went to my family doctor (for a totally unrelated health issue). While we were talking, I let her know that I woke up almost every single day with a headache. She told me that I should NOT wake with a headache…that headaches typically come on during the day as opposed to waking up WITH one. She indicated… Read more »
I have rather bad sleep apnea – not affected by weight loss and sinus surgery not recommended. When I first started treatment my doctor told me that if you snore you have an apnea (of some degree of severity) but if you have an apnea you don’t necessarily snore. I do use your breathing jar but with inconsistent success. I’m still tweaking the oils hoping to increase it’s effectiveness for me.
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