In daily life, many friends are plagued by snoring problems, and they want to get rid of it but have never been able to find an effective way.

Obesity is a common cause of snoring, so weight loss is an important way to reduce snoring symptoms. In addition to this, in everyday life, throughDevelop good sleep habits,Practice anti-snoring and use some anti-snoring tipsSome people can also reduce the symptoms of snoring, or even stop snoring.

To stay away from snoring, we must first know where the snoring comes from. When a person falls asleep, the neck muscles gradually relax, causing the upper airway to become narrow, unable to allow enough air to enter the lungs. Due to the obstruction of air circulation, when a person inhales and exhales, the soft tissues around the upper airway vibrate, forming a snoring sound. The narrower the airway, the greater the amplitude of the vibration and the louder the snoring. In addition, a deviated septum, nasal polyps, a short jaw, and an enlarged tongue or tonsils can cause snoring.

1Practice good sleep habits

Make sure you fall asleep regularly

Working long hours before bedtime or not getting enough sleep for long periods of time can make the body extremely tired. Compared to normal people, people who are in a state of fatigue have much more relaxed muscles in the back of their throat after falling asleep, making snoring more likely.

To avoid this, everyone should go to bed at the same time every night and try not to fall asleep in a very tired state. Although everyone's sleep needs are different, it is still recommended that adults sleep 9~0 hours per night.

When you're ready for bed, dim your room, use blackout curtains to keep light out, or wear a sleep mask to reduce light from your eyes.

Avoid all kinds of stimuli before bedtime

Try not to watch TV or look at your phone in bed before bed. The eyes are sensitive to the blue light emitted by electronic screens. Turn off all electronic devices before bedtime and dim the lights on your phone and computer to help you sleep.

Avoid drinking coffee or tea after noon. The effect of caffeine can be maintained in the body for 10 ~ 0 hours, which will affect night sleep.

Maintain the right room temperature and humidity. Snoring can also worsen if the throat is irritated by breathing dry air through the night. If the air is dry, try using a humidifier while you sleep.

Avoid placing irritants in the bedroom

Dust, pollen, animal dander, and other airborne particles, when inhaled into the respiratory tract, can irritate the throat and soft palate, causing the mucous membranes of the throat to swell, narrowing the airways, and making snoring more likely.

Make it a habit to wash your sheets and pillowcases regularly and change your pillows regularly. Vacuum the room and keep pets away from bedrooms and beds. People with allergic problems (such as allergic rhinitis) should strictly avoid contact with dust mites, pollen, animal dander and other irritants.

Sleep on your side

When a person is lying on their back, the soft palate is more likely to collapse into the tongue and upper throat, causing snoring. Lying on your side can help reduce airway obstruction and reduce snoring. Using a throw pillow can help maintain a side-lying position at night.

If trying to sleep on your side doesn't reduce your snoring, you can buy a comfortable pillow that supports your head while you sleep, adjusts the position of your tongue and chin, opens your airways, and reduces the likelihood of snoring.

Clean your nasal passages before bedtime

If the nasal passages are blocked when you fall asleep and you rely entirely on mouth breathing while sleeping, you will be more likely to snore. It is recommended to clean your nasal passages before going to bed and take a warm bath a few minutes before bedtime. Hot water and warm, moist air can open the nasal passages. Or use a nasal dilator to keep your nasal passages open to reduce snoring.

2Do an anti-snoring exercise

Try stretching your tongue

Move your tongue back from the back of your front teeth to the back of your throat and stick it out as far as you can, while repeating the cheek puffing motion. Practicing multiple times a day for 3 minutes each builds strength in the muscles associated with the mouth and throat.

Exercises throat muscles

The best throat muscle exercise is singing. Studies have shown that regular singing not only reduces the frequency of snoring, but also improves sleep quality. This is because singing strengthens the muscle control of the throat and soft palate, thus preventing them from collapsing during sleep.

3Try anti-snoring tips

◎ Low pillow sleep

Using a lower pillow while sleeping can help reduce snoring symptoms.

◎Apply to your nose before going to bed

Warm towel compresses allow blood flow to the nose to flow more smoothly and enhance the ventilation of the nose. Hot water vapor can also be used to smoke the nose, which can effectively relieve snoring caused by nasal congestion.

◎Insist on soaking your feet

Soaking your feet in hot water every night can help reduce the risk of snoring by improving blood circulation throughout the body, relaxing the mind, and improving sleep quality.

◎Avoid spicy and greasy foods

Excessively spicy food often causes congestion of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat. Increased nasal and airway secretions can worsen snoring symptoms.

◎I use tennis pajamas

Typically, people who snore do not snore in a side or prone position. Only in the supine position is the snoring sound more pronounced.

You can sew discarded tennis balls from your home to the back of your pajamas. In this way, when the snorer tries to lie on his back, the tennis ball creates a slight pressure on his or her back, which naturally prompts them to avoid the supine position, which ultimately helps to reduce the snoring.

Source: Public Health magazine

Author: Teng Guojie, Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University

Review: Liu Yuhe, member of the National Health Science Popularization Expert Database and Director of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University

Planner: Yu Yunxi Wang Ning

Editor: Xia Haibo Zhou Hailei