Snoring - Prevention

Prevention

You can help prevent snoring by:

• Avoiding the use of alcohol and medications that slow your breathing, such as sleeping pills and tranquilizers.
• Eating sensibly, exercising, and maintaining a weight as close as possible to a healthy weight.
• Going to bed at the same time every night and getting plenty of sleep. Regular sleep patterns help you sleep better, and more restful sleep may decrease snoring.
• Sleeping on your side, not on your back. Sleeping on your back can increase snoring. Try sewing a pocket in the middle of the back of your pajama top, putting a tennis ball into the pocket, and stitching it closed. This will help keep you from sleeping on your back.
• Quitting smoking. This reduces inflammation and swelling in the airway, which may contribute to the narrowing of the airway.
• Raising the head of your bed 4 in. (10 cm) to 6 in. (15 cm) by putting bricks under the legs of the bed. (Using pillows to raise your head and upper body will not work.) Sleeping at a slight incline can prevent the tongue from falling toward the back of the throat and contributing to a blocked or narrowed airway.
• Promptly treating breathing problems, such as a stuffy nose caused by a cold or allergies. Breathing problems can increase the risk of snoring.