Health Topics A-Z

How Can I Prevent Snoring?

• Consider losing some weight: Most snorers tend to be overweight, and shedding excess fat (as little as 5-8 lbs) has been shown to substantially decrease — if not eliminate — snoring.
• Avoid midnight snacks and alcoholic beverages: Drinking alcohol or eating heavily before going to sleep causes muscles to slacken.
• Avoid sleeping pills or other sedatives: Although they put you to sleep, they relax your neck muscles, making your snoring worse.
• Stop smoking: Smoking causes nasal and lung congestion, a major cause of snoring.
• Sleep on your side: While heavy snorers will snore in any position, moderates tend to snore only when sleeping on their backs. One way to avoid this is to sew a pocket onto the back of your nightclothes and insert a tennis ball, which will make it uncomfortable for you to lie on your back and prompt you to turn on your side during sleep.
• Sleep without a pillow: By putting a kink in your neck, pillows can contribute to airway obstruction.