Tony Alter / CC
You probably don’t care about your OWN snoring. But if someone you live with snores, it’s a big deal. So here’s some help with that. Someone asked a sleep specialist for tricks to get someone to stop snoring. Here are five things that could make a difference long term . . .
1. Ask them to sleep on their side. You’re more likely to snore if you sleep on your back, because gravity pulls your tongue back and creates a blockage. So if you can get them to sleep on their side, that’s your best bet.
2. Get them to stop eating so close to bed. When your stomach is too full, your diaphragm doesn’t have enough room to expand. Plus, skipping those late-night meals can help with weight loss. You’re more likely to snore if you’re overweight, because there’s more fat around your throat that pushes on your airways.
3. Tell them to drink more water. Being dehydrated thickens the mucus in your throat and makes you more likely to snore. So a few extra glasses of water a day could help.
4. Make them take a hot shower before bed. The steam can loosen phlegm and help them breathe a little easier at night.
5. Get them to learn some throat exercises. There are lots you can google. Like one where you rub the tip of your tongue across the back of your top teeth over and over again. And another where you have to say all the vowels . . . A-E-I-O-U . . . out loud for three minutes, several times a day.
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