Snoring is caused by restricted airways. The sound is actually the sound of your throat and soft palate rubbing each other as you try to inhale.

Here are some simple steps you can take to stop your snoring problem:

Keep in Shape

Extra weight can lead to fat deposits in your neck and throat that can restrict your airway. If you’re overweight and snore, this could be the reason.

Allergies

If you suffer from allergies, you should use a nasal decongestant at night rather than an antihistamine. Allergies can cause snoring because they usually include nasal congestion as a symptom. This can hinder your breathing.

Antihistamines are depressants that relax the throat muscles, so while they may help with your allergies they can actually lead to snoring as well. You are better to use a decongestant at night, to clear your breathing without contributing further to your snoring.

Sleeping On Your Side

It’s common for people to only snore when they sleep on their backs – often sleeping on their sides solves the problem.

If your body naturally rolls on your back when you sleep, you can stop this by putting a tennis ball in a sock and pinning it to the back of your pajamas. The discomfort will make you roll on your side automatically if you roll onto your back in the night.

There are other options available such as specialized pillows, nasal strips and throat sprays. Their effectiveness will depend a lot on the underlying cause of your snoring.

It’s always a good idea to check with a health care professional to get their informed opinion before deciding on any more serious treatments for your snoring.

There are a number of types of surgery to stop snoring and the right one will depend on your body and the underlying reason for your snoring.

The type of surgeon you would consult to find out what your best option is would be a otolaryngologist. They specialize in the ears, nose and throat. Unfortunately, many insurance companies consider snoring surgery a cosmetic procedure and don’t cover the costs.

LAUP

One of the most common types of surgery for snoring is uvulopalatoplasty, otherwise known as LAUP. In an LAUP procedure, a laser is used to cut away the uvula (the dangling tissue at the back of your mouth) to reduce its contact with the throat.

If your snoring is caused by the uvula partially blocking your airway, this surgery will often help.

Somnoplasty

Another type of surgery commonly used to help with snoring problems is radio frequency tissue ablation, or RFTA. This is done under the trade name “Somnoplasty” and was only recently approved by the FDA.

RFTA is another way of reducing the size of the uvula, minimizing its contact with the throat. With RFTA, multiple sessions may be necessary before you see results. Because it is so new, there is not a lot of data published on it yet.

Another recent procedure is known as Coblation-Channeling. This methods uses radio frequencies to reduce the size of tissue in the airway, which may be obstructing your breathing. This is even newer that RFTA, however, so there is not much data published on it yet either.

Repose

Yet another recent procedure is called tongue suspension, going under the trade name Repose. This type of surgery keeps your tongue from falling back and blocking the airway during sleep.

A small screw is inserted into the lower jaw bone and stitches are placed below the tongue. This helps to keep the tongue in place at night.

The last procedure we’ll look at is nasal deviation surgery. Blockages in the nose or a deviated septum can cause restricted breathing and lead to snoring. This surgery helps to remove those blockages.

An interesting side effect of this surgery is that it also helps to improve your breathing during the day. For that reason, it is often covered by medical insurance policies.

As with any serious procedure, you need to get professional advice before considering anything. Talk to a health care professional about your snoring to get an informed opinion of the best choice of treatment for you.

In general, snoring is a result of a lack of airflow through the airways at the back of your mouth and nose. This is in the area at the back of your mouth, where your upper throat and tongue meet the uvula and soft palate.

When these tissues make contact, they vibrate which results in the sound of snoring.

Lack of muscle tone in the throat and tongue are one reason people snore. If the muscles are too relaxed, they can cause the airway to become restricted, which causes blockage and ultimately snoring.

Alcohol is another cause of overly relaxed muscles. Because alcohol is a depressant, it can cause your muscles to relax more than normal, leading to snoring. If you’re planning to drink at night, it’s best to stop about 4 hours before you go to bed to minimize the chance of snoring.

Sleeping pills and antihistamines are other depressants that have a similar effect to alcohol.

Being overweight is another common problem. It can lead to excess fat deposits in your neck and throat area, which can put pressure on your airway and restrict your breathing.

Allergies can also be a factor in snoring. They often cause nasal congestion which makes it difficult to breathe and can result in snoring.

The best solution for allergies is to use a nasal decongestant. Because antihistamines can contribute to snoring, they’re not the best way to deal with allergies. At night, try to stick to a decongestant.

These are a few of the more common reasons for snoring problems. Whether one of these problems sounds like it might be what is causing your snoring or not, it’s best to discuss the problem with a health care professional to get their informed opinion.

One of the more common reasons for snoring is when the muscles in the neck and throat are not well toned. With some simple daily exercises, you can firm up those muscles which will often help with your snoring.

Ask any professional singer and they’ll tell you how important it is to do exercise daily that will help keep their air passages clear. Singers do exercises that help to tone their jaws, their tongues and their throats. Strong muscles in these areas will help them perform better.

These same type of exercises can help with a snoring problem in many cases, by helping to keep the airways clear and breathing easier.

Besides, you never know – these exercise might just help you win American Idol some day!

Here are 7 easy exercises that you can do anywhere to help tone your muscles:

1. Slowly open and close your mouth, to its fullest. Do it in a controlled way and ensure that your lips meet when your mouth is closed.
2. Pucker up as if you’re going to blow someone a kiss, then hold it for 5 seconds before relaxing.
3. Practice your smile – make it big and exaggerated. Hold it for 5 second before relaxing.
4. Press your lips together and hold them tightly for 5 seconds, then relax.
5. Press your lips together and then make a sipping noise, as if you were sipping a drink.
6. Stick your tongue out as far as you can. Keep it straight and horizontal – don’t let it droop.
7. Stick your tongue out to it’s maximum and then move it side to side – touching the corner of your lips on both sides.

Practice these exercises for a few minutes every day and you may find your snoring problem will disappear before you know it.

Strangely enough, many snorers don’t question the fact that they snore. If their neighbor made the same amount of noise in the middle of the night, they would have something to say but because the noise is a result of snoring, they just accept it.

Snoring can have a negative effect on relationships, with the snorer’s partner not getting the proper rest. This can lead to irritability, stress and even accidents.

The reality is, snoring can be cured and doesn’t have to be a fact of life.

The first thing you should do when dealing with snoring is to get a medical checkup, to make sure the snoring isn’t a symptom of something more serious like obstructive sleep apnea.

Your lifestyle is another thing to consider. Are you overweight? If so, that can be one of the contributing factors to snoring.

Alcohol consumption is another possibility. If you drink alcohol at night, try to stop at least 4 hours before going to bed, otherwise it can lead to excess snoring.

Allergies can also make you snore. Hay fever or food allergies can lead to nasal congestion, which in turn can cause you to snore. If you don’t snore every night, allergies may be the reason. Try to determine if the snoring only happens at certain times of the year or after you eat certain foods.

Sleeping on your back can be another reason for snoring. This is especially true if you are also overweight. Try putting a tennis ball in a sock and pinning it to the back of your pajamas to see if that will help keep you off your back.

If all else fails, surgery is always an option but it can be expensive, painful and is not 100% successful.