Snoring is the pulsation of respiratory structures and the ensuing sound, due to blocked air movement during inhalation while sleeping. The sound may be soft or loud and repulsive. The structures are usually the uvula and soft palate. The asymmetrical airflow is caused by a obstruction and usually due to one of the following:

- Throat weakness causing the throat to close during sleep
- Mispositioned jaw, often caused by tension in muscles
- Fat gathering in and around the throat
- Obstruction in the nasal passageway

Statistics on snoring are often contradictory, but at least 30% of adults and perhaps as many as 50% of people in some demographics snore.

Home Remedies For Snoring

Most snorers tend to be overweight. Slimming down will stop snoring. The more overweight you are, the more likely it is that your airway collapses while you sleep, causing you to snore.

Do not drink alcohol before going to bed. Alcohol relaxes all the muscles in the throat that vibrate. The more you drink the louder the snoring.

Stay away from sleeping pills. Sleeping pills relaxes the tissue around the head and neck which in turn will make snoring worse.

Stop smoking “if you smoke”. Smoking causes swelling and inflammation of the throat tissues, allowing them to vibrate and cause snoring.

Try sleeping on your side or you stomach. Most moderate snorers only snore when they sleep on their backs. If you toss and turn in your sleep you can try the tennis ball trick. To keep yourself from rolling over on your back, sew a small pocket on the back of your pajamas or whatever you sleep in. Then slip the tennis ball into the pocket. When you sleep at night and you roll over on your back the feel of that hard object will make you roll back over on your side or your stomach.

Make sure you have a good pillow. Pillows help elevate your snoring level, because anything that puts a kink in your neck makes you snore. Fluffing your pillow before going to sleep helps a lot.

Raising the head of your bed can also help to alleviate snoring.

Make sure to take care of of your allergies. Some snorers snore because they are suffering from allergies or colds. Use a nasal decongestant if your snoring is brought on by allergies especially if it comes around hay season.

When to call a doctor for your snoring

Sleep apnea is one of the worst problems associated with snoring. This is a potentially life threatening disorder, in which breathing actually stops during sleep for at least 10 seconds and up to a minute, or even longer.

This can happen hundreds of times a night, contributing to high blood pressure, heart problems, memory loss, weight gain, impotency, and headaches.

Symptoms to look for are: loud snoring, that is loud enough to be heard outside the room; snoring punctuated by periods of silence, gasping, or choking; and extreme tiredness during the day.

If you are recognize any of these symptoms with your snoring it is time to see a doctor.