Although more men snore at a young age, and scientific studies have even proven this, women snore as they get older. The slacker our muscle and connective tissue becomes, the higher the likelihood that our throat will make loud noises at night. To be more precise, the uvula is the culprit, producing the annoying snoring noises with every breath. But even if we can’t help it that we resemble a sawing machine when we sleep, our bedmates feel their night’s rest is disturbed. This is why anti-snoring pillows are trendy – but there are many more ways you can stop snoring. A few of them are presented below.
1. Nasal spreader
There is a reason why we snore particularly often when our nose is closed – caused by an allergy or a cold. A simple nose spreader can help reduce the noise: This is a small silicone clip that is curved like a horseshoe. There are magnetic balls at both ends that are pushed into the nostrils. They are intended to expand the nasal passages and make it easier to breathe in and out.
2. Nasenpflaster
Alternatively, you can try using a nasal strip to stop snoring. It is simply stuck to the bridge of the nose and is also intended to widen the nasal entrances to improve breathing while sleeping. Although the spreading effect is significantly less than with a nasal entry dilator, it is very easy to use. In addition, the adhesive on the plasters can potentially cause skin irritation. In this case you should stop the treatment.
3. Anti-snoring vest
Back in 2016, the founder Marcus Ruoff presented his anti-snoring vest “Nachtwaechter” to the jurors of the well-known startup show “The Lions’ Den”. Although the deal fell through after the broadcast, the product is still enjoying increasing popularity: The vest is intended to prevent you from turning on your back while sleeping – because in this position the noise level increases extremely for every person. With the “night watchman” you stay in the side position.
4. Mandibular splint
Another therapeutic measure to eliminate snoring noises that have an anatomical cause is the lower jaw splint. It is intended to improve breathing while sleeping by positioning the jaw slightly forward at night so that the tongue does not slide so far back into the throat. There are over-the-counter anti-snoring splints, but it is even better if you have the protrusion splint, also known as MAD, custom-made by an oral surgeon.
5. Neck support pillow
A neck support pillow has roughly the same function as a sleep vest: It is intended to put the sleeper on their side and prevent them from rolling back onto their back and snoring loudly. This is made possible by its ergonomic shape and curvature, which provides ideal support for the head and neck. This in turn means that the person affected adopts a more relaxed posture while sleeping, which should also reduce their snoring.
6. Anti-snoring ring
A small ring with a big effect: Thanks to its special shape, it activates Chinese acupressure points that are supposed to ensure a restful sleep. The ring made of stainless steel is adjustable in size and can therefore be individually adapted to each finger. It is placed on one of the little fingers 30 minutes before going to bed and is then supposed to stop snoring. According to customer reviews, the noise cannot be completely suppressed, but it can be reduced.
7. Snoring belt
This belt, on the other hand, uses electrical stimulation to prevent position-related snoring – especially on the back. It is placed around the chest and back, fixed and switched on. The two electrodes on your back should then automatically detect when you turn on your back. To prevent you from starting to snore, the electrodes send out an electrical impulse, to which you ideally react so that you automatically lie on your side again and continue sleeping.
8. Snoring stopper
Depending on which side you prefer to sleep on, the snoring stopper is attached to the corresponding ear. It reacts to acoustic snoring noises as well as vibrations that are transmitted via the skull bone. As soon as it detects one of the two signals mentioned, it sends an impulse to your ear. This can be a tone or a tone plus a vibration. It is triggered repeatedly until improvement occurs – with the airways opening up and snoring subsiding.
According to the Techniker Krankenkasse, various factors can promote snoring, such as an elongated uvula, enlarged tonsils or polyps in the nose. “Consuming alcohol and sleeping pills also causes the muscles to relax too much,” the health insurance company points out. Therefore, not only anatomical predispositions influence the noise level at night, but also our own (consumption) behavior. In other words, it is partly up to you to stop snoring. To do this, you just need to heed the following tips:
Being overweight is one of the main reasons why people snore. Therefore, you should make sure you get enough exercise and eat a balanced diet. Even losing a few kilos can have a positive effect on your snoring behavior.
Did you go to sleep with your stomach too full? Then you probably had a very restless night. It was certainly no less bad for your better half, as a full stomach promotes snoring. Therefore, it is better not to eat too much in the evening.
Did you know that nicotine consumption irritates the mucous membranes, causing them to swell and make breathing difficult? Since smokers often snore, you should stop or reduce your consumption.
As the TK has already mentioned, alcohol relaxes the throat muscles to such an extent that snoring is programmed. For this reason, you should stop drinking alcohol a few hours before going to bed.
The same applies to sleeping pills, which have a relaxing effect on the soft palate and thus promote snoring. If possible and not medically necessary, it is better to avoid sedatives.
Last but not least, the sleeping environment also influences the noise level. Keep your bedroom cool and ventilate regularly. It is also advisable to always go to bed at the same time. Then your body will get used to the sleep rhythm more easily.
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