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- To stop snoring, try nasal strips, sleeping on your back, or avoiding alcohol before bed.
- You can stop snoring if you have sleep apnea by using a CPAP machine.
- Medical procedures to stop snoring include surgery, rhinoplasty, and palatal implants.
- Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice.
Snoring is common, affecting about 57% of adult men and 40% of adult women. It occurs when air flows through a narrowed breathing passageway, causing a loud vibration of the soft tissue in the back of the throat, says Kevin Walker, MD, medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center with Intermountain Healthcare.
Snoring can be loud, disruptive, and even negatively impact your health which could prevent you and others in your household from getting a good night's sleep.
To stop snoring you need to identify the root cause of the issue, which would mean consulting with a doctor, says Abhinav Singh, MD, medical director of the Indiana Sleep Center. They can then find the best treatment for you.
Here's a look at some of the most common ways to address snoring.
1. Maintain a healthy weight
If you are overweight, you may carry excess fat around the neck, which can affect your airways, Walker says. The more tissue around the airway, the more difficult it is for the airway to stay open at night.
Some studies suggest weight loss can help improve snoring, but more research is needed. For example, a 2013 study found snoring was more prevalent among obese and pre-obese indivduals compared to those with a normal body mass index (BMI). The researchers concluded that weight loss may be an appropriate strategy for managing snoring in people with a BMI greater than 25.
2. Change your sleep position
Snoring is typically worse when sleeping on your back because the tongue and soft palate - the back of the roof of your mouth - are more likely to fall back and restrict the airway, Walker says.
Sleeping on your side or elevating your head with extra pillows can potentially reduce snoring, although it was found this was not true for patients with obstructive sleep apnea, a medical condition that causes snoring. Therefore, more research is needed.
3. Stop smoking
Smoking causes airway inflammation, which can contribute to snoring, Walker says.
Quitting could therefore reduce snoring. Additionally, quitting smoking can benefit your overall health by reducing your risk of diseases, like cancer.
4. Limit alcohol
Drinking alcohol can cause the muscles in your upper airway to relax, which can increase snoring, Walker says. Therefore, avoid consuming alcohol at least three to four hours before going to bed.
5. Avoid sedatives
Sedatives, such as benzodiazepines and opioids can worsen snoring because similar to alcohol, they relax your upper airway muscles, Walker says.
Additionally, opioids could lead to central sleep apnea where signals from the brain to the lungs are interrupted. In those with obstructive sleep apnea, it could even result in death.
6. Try nasal strips
Snoring can sometimes be the result of nasal valves collapsing when you try to breathe through your nose, Walker says.
Stick-on nasal strips placed on the bridge of the nose help open nasal passageways and reduce snoring. You can buy them at a grocery or drug store.
"Success rates vary, but they are non-invasive and simple to try," Walker says.
7. Get palatal implants
Palatal implants are polyester rods placed in the soft palate to make it more stiff and less likely to vibrate. They are placed by an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia.
"These can reduce snoring in some people but don't work for everyone and aren't recommended in people who are significantly overweight or obese or who have significant sleep apnea," Walker says. Plus, more data is needed to determine their effectiveness and how long they work.
Consult with an ENT surgeon to see if you are a good candidate for palatal implants.
8. Address structural problems in the nose and mouth
Sometimes snoring is caused by the size and shape of your nose, jaw, tongue, and tonsils. For example, for about 27% of children who snore, large tonsils are the culprit. Therefore, removing tonsils or getting a nose job may reduce snoring, but should be a last resort.
A deviated septum is another structural problem that can contribute to snoring. This is when the wall between your nostrils is bent to one side. An injury to the nose can cause a deviated septum or it can be a condition you are born with. A surgical procedure to fix a deviated septum called a septoplasty may help improve snoring.
9. Use a CPAP machine
Snoring is a common symptom of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) - a condition in which the airway repeatedly collapses at night, causing either shallow breathing or pauses in breathing with drops in oxygen, Walker says.
A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine can treat sleep apnea by keeping airways open while you sleep. It pumps air through a mask over the nose.
OSA is a serious medical condition that can contribute to other health problems, like high blood pressure and increased risk of stroke.
10. Talk with your doctor about UPPP
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is a surgery that involves removing tissue in the throat to help open up the airway and reduce snoring.
"Surgery is typically not the first option to treat snoring," Walker says. "So UPPP is mainly considered when other options have failed and in patients who have excess tissue in the mouth or throat that seems to be causing snoring."
That's because it can take two to three weeks to heal and notice an improvement in snoring. It may also not work for everyone and studies show mixed results in the surgery's success.
Insider's takeaway
Snoring is common and can have many causes, including obstructive sleep apnea, nasal congestion, or structural problems in the nose or mouth.
You may be able to reduce your snoring with simple accommodations at home, like sleeping on your side instead of your back or using over-the-counter nasal strips.
If your snoring is causing disruption to those around you or you notice yourself waking at night gasping for air, you may have a more serious condition, like obstructive sleep apnea, and should consult with your doctor about a diagnosis and treatment options.