The simplest tips against snoring

Approximately one in three people snore while sleeping, not only disrupting their partner's sleep but also reducing their own sleep quality. This often results in less restful sleep, difficulty staying asleep, headaches, and daytime fatigue. Learn here how these disturbing noises occur at night and which simple tips can help reduce annoying snoring and achieve more restful sleep.

Table of contents

1. Snoring during sleep
2. This is how snoring occurs
   
3. The simplest tips against snoring
4. Please do not wake

5. Conclusion

1. Snoring during sleep

Snoring (medically known as ronchopathy) is a condition in which the upper respiratory tract is obstructed, resulting in noisy and labored breathing during sleep. This makes it difficult to sleep through the night and disrupts the important deep sleep phases, which is particularly noticeable in Daytime fatigue, headaches or difficulty concentrating.

Almost every third German snores in their sleep, with men accounting for around 60% are affected slightly more often than women (40%). Simple snoring is generally considered harmless as long as there are no complete pauses in breathing. In the so-called Sleep apnea This leads to health-threatening breathing pauses, often accompanied by snoring. And even though snoring is relatively harmless, it can have numerous negative effects on your own sleep and that of your partner. This, in turn, naturally also harms our well-being and daily performance.

2. This is how snoring occurs

Annoying snoring sounds occur primarily in the upper respiratory tract when the air encounters resistance during breathing, forcing us to breathe in and out more forcefully. The air then flows through the throat with increased pressure, causing soft tissue (such as the tongue, soft palate, or uvula) to vibrate audibly—we snore.

Especially during sleep, our entire body muscles relax, which already narrows the throat. Various factors then further block the airways and promote snoring. For example, colds, hay fever, Smoke, polyps, a large tongue or enlarged tonsils, but also incorrect sleeping posture or swelling of the throat mucosa negatively affect breathing and increase the risk of snoring.

Here you will find simple and helpful tips to stop snoring so that your airways stay clear and you can get a restful sleep.

3. The simplest tips against snoring

#1 Choose the right sleeping position

Sleeping on your back is known to trigger or worsen nighttime snoring. In this position, the lower jaw drops slightly due to gravity, and the tongue slides back into the throat, narrowing the airway. Sleeping on your side can quickly help ease breathing and stop snoring. You can find out more about the advantages and disadvantages of different sleeping positions. here.

To get better air, it can also be helpful to raise the upper body slightly using a firm pillow or a special "anti-snoring pillow".Specially shaped pillows such as the smart® SILENCE PILLOW for optimal positioning of the head during sleep and thus facilitate breathing at night.

#2 Keep your airways and nose clear

A blocked nose causes us to breathe in and out with increased pressure, or to avoid nasal breathing altogether and breathe through the mouth. This leaves the mouth open, and the tongue is more easily drawn into the throat. Especially during a cold, hay fever, or a dry indoor climate, the mucous membranes of the nose become severely irritated, swell, and constrict the airways. Therefore, try to clean your nose thoroughly on a regular basis and keep the mucous membranes moist.

#3 Pay attention to your diet before going to bed

To sleep soundly, you should eat light meals in the evening, because a full stomach pushes the diaphragm and lungs upwards and obstructs the airflow in the body. Certain foods and Nutrients can affect sleep patterns influence or contribute to improving breathing and preventing heavy snoring. Peppermint or olive oil, honey, or cardamom, for example, have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects on the mucous membranes, helping to reduce swelling and keep the airway clear.

#4 Avoid alcohol and nicotine

Alcohol negatively affects sleep and snoring and should be avoided 2-3 hours before bedtime. It relaxes the muscles, thus encouraging the tongue to fall back into the throat, and disrupts sleep quality due to the resulting waste products. Smoke should be avoided because inhaling the harmful substances irritates and swells the mucous membranes, thus impairing breathing.

#5 Remember good sleep hygiene

For a restful sleep, a good Sleep hygiene A regular sleep-wake rhythm is crucial. Therefore, make sure your bedroom is kept at a cool temperature (16-18 degrees Celsius) and that the room is adequately ventilated to avoid overly dry air and irritation of the mucous membranes in the respiratory tract.

#5 Maintain a healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular exercise supports not only general health but also restful and restful sleep. Obesity, on the other hand, is a common trigger for snoring at night because it causes the diaphragm to rise and prevents the lungs from expanding, which weakens breathing and promotes snoring.

4. Please do not wake up

Even if it provides a brief moment of peace, you should refrain from waking a snoring person at night. People who snore primarily do so during the onset and light sleep phases, while breathing difficulties subside during deep sleep. Therefore, if we are repeatedly woken from sleep, it's difficult to reach the deep sleep phases that are so important for our recovery and we repeatedly fall back into light sleep. This not only significantly reduces the quality of sleep but actually encourages snoring.

5.Conclusion

• Snoring disrupts sleep and regeneration and has numerous side effects such as difficulty sleeping through the night, daytime fatigue or headaches

• Snoring occurs when the airways are narrowed and the air pressure causes the relaxed throat tissue to vibrate

• The best sleeping position for snorers is the side position, optionally with the upper body raised for easier breathing

• Clean or rinse your nose regularly to prevent mouth breathing and keep your airways clear

• Make sure you eat light, balanced meals in the evening and use anti-inflammatory, antibacterial foods such as olive oil, honey or cardamom to soothe the throat mucous membranes

• Avoid alcohol and nicotine at least 2 to 3 hours before going to bed

• Remember good sleep hygiene and ensure a well-ventilated, rather cool sleeping environment

• Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Obesity is one of the most common causes of snoring and is also bad for your health.

• Do not wake snorers, as you will disturb their sleep and, on the contrary, encourage snoring

Best wishes and see you soon!