Snoring
A quick guide to the why and what to do about it.
Snoring, it’s the bad habit that turns dreams into a nightmare for your bed partner and even if you live in denial about the noises in your sleep…snoring is an indicator for potential health issues.
So it’s time to take snoring seriously.
Fortunately, there is a lot you can do if you are a snorer or want to help a loved one. Yes, it is possible to get a quiet night’s sleep back…so read on to learn some ways to save your sleep!
To find out the right treatment, it will depend on the type of snoring that you have. There are four common types of snoring that have a different root cause and so this might explain why off-the-shelf snoring solutions may not have worked for you.
If you are unsure which type of snoring you have then you can record yourself at night, ask a loved one to observe any patterns or see a medical professional.
TYPE 1: Nose Snoring
Signs: This snoring sounds like a loud whistle, and you might wake up with a dry mouth, bad breath, and headaches. You might find that breathing through the nose is impaired even when you are awake.
Causes: Blockages in the nose can cause difficulty breathing and snoring. This could be caused due to a deviated septum, trauma to the nose or some other physical obstruction such as polyps. Other causes include inflammation from allergies, colds or types of medication.
Solutions:
To clear and reduce sinus inflammation and congestion then you could try herbs such as goldenseal -look for a sustainable source (hydrastis candensis), wild indigo (baptisia tinctora), frankincense (boswellia serrata). If you can’t get hold of those then simply try adding hot water to a bowl aromatic herbs such as peppermint, thyme, eucalyptus and oregano, placing a towel over your head and inhaling the steam to clear sinuses.
Nasal rinses such as ¼ teaspoon of salt to 250ml of water and can dilate nasal passages and clear inflammation. Or even simply a hot shower before bed an also calm the nervous system and open the nasal passages. In Ayurveda simply placing 2 drops clarified ghee in each nostril morning and night can help with snoring.
Nasal strips and dilators which are applied on the nose can increase the space in the nasal passage making it easier to breathe freely.
TYPE 2: Mouth Snoring
Signs: Your snoring only occurs when your mouth is open and you might tend to sleep on back or on your side.
Causes: This can be from blocked nasal passages, enlarged tonsils, or weak palatal tissue, this may cause you to breathe through your mouth instead of your nose or you may be used to breathing through the mouth. However, breathing via the mouth can increase chance of infections as the nose is not filtering the air that’s passing through.
Solutions:
To avoid snoring through the mouth, then you can try adhesive tape or mouth guards that can help you keep your mouth closed. (Yes it can be as bizarre as taping your mouth shut at night!)
Buteyko breathing focuses on training the body in breathing techniques focused on breathing through the nose to instil the right habits for breathing through the nose when sleeping.
To tighten weak tissue in the mouth and throat then herbal astringents (herbs that tighten tissues) such as raspberry leaf, myrhh or sage can made into a tea and gargled before bedtime.
TYPE 3: Tongue Snoring
Signs: This type of snoring will usually only happen when sleeping on your back. The sound will be inconsistent, high-pitched sounds. You may also notice you have a very large tongue!
Causes: Tongue snoring happens when the tongue gets too relaxed and so will block the airflow to the lungs making it difficult to breathe. It can happen in people who have been drinking alcohol or taking sleep medication. Excessive fat around the neck may also be a cause of tongue-based snoring.
Solutions:
Anti-snoring pillows can help prevent this kind of snoring. They keep you on your side, preventing you from turning on your back, and avoiding difficulty in breathing. There are also snoring mouthpieces or mandibular advancement devices (MADs) designed to move your jaw forward, thus preventing the tongue from blocking the back of your throat and ensuring uninterrupted breathing.
Reducing alcohol intake. Alcohol relaxes the throat muscles which leads to snoring. It’s always advisable to quit alcohol and if you are drinking then have your last drink at least 3 hours before sleeping
Sleeping pills and sedatives can also be a cause of mouth snoring so speak to your Doctor about your medication. There are gentler, herbal alternatives so perhaps consult a herbalist to try herbal alternatives such as hops, chamomile, valerian, skullcap and California poppy.
TYPE 4: Throat Snoring
Signs: This tends to be the loudest snore…so your partner will know about this one!
The common signs of throat snoring is that you snore, no matter what position you are in, you wake up with a dry mouth, you have difficulty breathing during sleep and you are sleep during the day.
Causes: Throat based snoring is associated with a sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). OSA means that you stop breathing in your sleep which means you will likely be tired in the day from lack of restful sleep.
Good news is not all snorers have OSA but it is important to get this checked out if you have any of the following symptoms: excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating during the day, morning headaches, sore and/or dry throat upon awakening, gasping or choking at night, high blood pressure or chest pain at night.
The signature snore for OSA is loud snoring followed by periods of silence when breathing stops which may wake you up or awaken with a gasping sound for air. This can happen at least five times an hour during sleep so it is associated with light sleeping. Eventually, this reduction or pause in breathing may signal you to wake up, and you may awaken with a loud snort or gasping sound.
Solutions:
Obese people are twice as likely to snore and suffer from sleep apnoea. This can be due to fat narrowing the airways resulting in the snoring sound. Therefore, losing weight would be the first step to easing these symptoms. It sounds easier said than done but if you struggle with changing diet then adding in herbs can make this a lot easier. Kitchen favourites such as cinnamon can help balance blood sugar, garlic can help modulate harmful, inflammatory bacteria in the gut that can promote obesity, and rosemary can support the liver to help metabolise toxins can all be very powerful for taking a holistic approach to weight-loss instead of relying on short-term diets.
Myofunctional therapists specialise in supporting muscles around the face, tongue and mouth. They provide simple exercises such as pushing the tongue up to the palette and trying to touch the chin. This can reduce the need for more invasive medical intervention such as sleeping with a CPAP machine.
Hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) can also cause shallow breathing which can increase risk of sleep apnoea so checking thyroid function can help find an underlying cause that you can address with your Doctor or other health professional.
Here are just a few other tips that may improve snoring:
Nasal inflammation can be caused by certain foods so it can be worth experimenting with the diet to find triggers, a common one that people find is dairy products so you may want to work with a Nutritional Therapist and try eliminating dairy for 30 days and see if that improves.
Snoring caused by dust allergies can be improved through air filters and hypoallergenic bedding.
Smoking is a major contributor to habitual snoring- it might be time to quit!
Dehydration can lead to mucus formation in the nose which leads to snoring so keep up your water intake!
Stress can also weaken your throat and tongue muscles so add in stress relieving activities or herbal adapogens such as ashwagandha, liquorice and Siberian ginseng.
There are acupressure rings that you can wear whilst sleeping. They apply pressure to meridian points to clear congestion and strengthen the respiratory tract.
Elevating the position of your head by four inches may help reduce the sound of snoring. The increased height helps keep the airways open, thus reducing the vibrations.
Working with an osteopath or chiropracter can support weakness in the muscles around the upper respiratory tract and neck can be a contributing factor. This can be aggravated by spending hours slouched at a computer, which results in a ‘chin forward’ posture. This can cause the skull to be pushed back and the upper airways to be compressed even further, making snoring considerably worse over time.
Summary:
There are lots of ideas so if it feels overwhelming then create an action plan of different things you could try.
Remember, you do not need to do it alone! There are professionals such as nutritional therapists, herbalists, breathwork practitioners, myofunctional therapists and much more that can provide bespoke support for your journey.
The changes can be dramatic, improved sleep allows the body to rest and repair leading to a strong immune system, lower stress, better relationships, a healthy heart, balanced weight and improved memory and concentration.
So remember, take snoring seriously, your health starts with a good night’s sleep!