Tips to Avoid Snoring

• Snoring can be a dangerous condition. BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images

  Snoring can be loud, obnoxious and dangerous. According to The Boston Globe, 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, which is severe snoring that disrupts breathing and regular sleep. Snoring occurs when muscles in the throat relax during sleep. As the throat muscles relax, the airway collapses and causes the person to partially wake up hundreds of times a night, resulting in a lack of sleep that can create health issues over many years. Aside from seeking medical treatment, take steps at home to avoid snoring and sleep better.

Elevate Head

• SnoringTips.com suggests elevating your head during sleep to avoid snoring. Use a thick pillow to support the head, or use multiple pillows to keep the head elevated and increase airflow to avoid snoring.

Avoid Certain Foods

• Avoid having dairy foods before bedtime. Dairy products cause mucus to build up in the respiratory system, which causes snoring. Do not drink milk, eat ice cream or other dairy products before bed to help avoid snoring. Also, avoid big meals before bedtime. If your stomach is full, it will push up on your diaphragm, limiting breathing. Do not eat rich foods such as cakes, chocolate, pizza and cookies before bed because they will make the stomach feel full.

Side Sleep

• Sleep on your side instead of your back to prevent snoring, according to SnoringTips.com. If you are not naturally a side sleeper, you might remedy the problem by tying a tennis ball around your waist and positioning it against your back. The discomfort of rolling back onto the tennis ball will keep you sleeping on your side.

Lose Weight

• Weight loss is a healthy tip for avoiding snoring. Disability-Resource.com says that overweight people tend to have bulky necks, which creates more snoring. Lessen the weight and pressure on airflow passages to avoid heavy snoring.

Alcohol and Smoking

• Wellsphere.com says alcohol is a factor for some people in snoring because alcohol has chemicals that relax muscles. In some people, alcohol causes throat muscles to relax, which leads to snoring.

  In addition, avoid smoking because it affects the tissues used in breathing. Cigarettes damage the cell lining in the esophagus, which can encourage snoring.

Sleeping Patterns

• Establishing good sleeping patterns is a tip to avoid snoring. This will not cure snoring, but it will help the body know when to relax for sleep. Sleep at the same time every night, and you will feel more rested, which will eliminate grunts and frequent noises from your mouth or nose at night, according to Disability-Resource.com. Get your body used to the same sleep habit every night for a more peaceful and quiet sleep.