14 Highly Effective Snoring Remedies You Need to Know About

Certain sleep positions, such as lying on your back, cause your tongue and soft palate to press against the back of your throat, which leads to snoring. Switch to slide sleeping. To help you stay in that position, get a body pillow or the SlumberBump, specifically designed for snorers.

The weighted blanket is being touted as the cure-all for everything sleep-related, including stopping mild snoring, perhaps by relaxing the respiratory muscles. Though it should not be used by heavy snorers and those with sleep apnea or asthma.

When you're dehydrated, your mouth and nose can become sticky with secretions, leading to more snoring, according to WebMD. Stay hydrated throughout the day. The recommended amount of liquid for women per day is around 11 cups, though avoid drinking too much right before bed.

Dust bunnies and other allergens lurking in the bedroom (ceiling fans, window treatments, and bedding are all possible hideouts) can lead to snoring. You may also want to consider making your bedroom a pet-free zone.

Cocktails can help us unwind, but they are not good for sleeping, especially for snorers. When our throat muscles become too relaxed as a result of imbibing, our body's natural defense against airway obstruction weakens, according to the Mayo Clinic. Also refrain from using sleep aids like tranquilizers.

Try pushing the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth and sliding it backward, or raising the back of the roof of your mouth and uvula (the fleshy part of the soft palate that hangs above the throat) while sounding out the vowel "A." A Brazilian study published in the journal CHEST found that certain mouth exercises significantly reduced snoring in patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea. Find more exercises here.

If you think nasal congestion is the problem, then there are a few potential solutions. Spritzing with a saltwater nasal spray before bed can open up passages. Breathe Right adhesive nasal strips. can also help reduce snoring by lifting and opening nasal passages. You can also check out this nose-clearing trick. Need something stronger? The American Academy of Otolaryngology says prescription nasal-steroid spray may help some patients.

Recording your daily habits may give insight into certain behaviors that are triggering snoring, like eating dairy before bed (increases mucus production), having a big dinner, not getting enough sleep (being too tired may loosen the throat muscles), etc. If you notice a pattern, then eliminate one behavior at a time to see if that stops the snoring.

If your bedroom is warm and dry, your nose has to work overtime as you inhale, increasing the risk of congestion, according to John M. Dobrowski, MD, a certified sleep specialist and otolaryngologist at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston. Using a bedside humidifier — like the Pure Enrichment Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier— can help.

Anti-snoring mouth guards, like the SleepPro, move the jaw forward, opening the airway to prevent or lessen snoring. The pricier Zyppah is a hybrid mouth guard with a tongue strap. Your dentist may recommend a customized one, though whether it will be covered by insurance depends on your plan.

Being overweight or out of shape, especially if you have excess fat around the neck or throat, can contribute to snoring. Even for people with sleep apnea, losing weight can alleviate some of the symptoms.

When the snoring is severe and/or interfering with your breathing, you should see a doctor to rule out an underlying medical issue like sleep apnea. Your doctor may want to do some kind of imaging — CT scan, MRI, or X-ray — to rule out a structural problem like a deviated septum or want to check for inflamed tonsils and adenoids. Some of the other procedures your doctor may suggest to stop the snoring include palate radiofrequency, injection snoreplasty, laser surgery, and pillar surgery.

Participating in a diagnostic sleep study, also called a polysomnogram, is a way to rule out sleep apnea and other disorders that may be causing your snoring. They are often done in a lab overnight, but at-home may be an option. Check to see if there is a sleep study facility near you.

If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, you will probably need to get a CPAP (continuous positive air pressure). A CPAP helps to keep airways open and breathing constant while you’re asleep. Because it involves wearing a mask to bed, some people find it hard to use. It’s also important to know how to take care of your CPAP.