Section 4a: Non-Surgical Remedies

Surprisingly, many people aren’t entirely sure of what they’re allergic to! It sounds strange, and yes, people are typically aware of the major things that they’re allergic to, but the minor things – the things that promote congestion, runny eyes, and minor breathing difficulty – are often neglected. 

The idea here is to carefully monitor any adverse reactions that you might have to food, drink, or anything at all (including pets!).  Anything that leads to congestion can enhance snoring. 

So if, for example, you discover that an hour after you drink milk you feel stuffy, then watch out if you’re a snorer!  Simply changing your diet around, or in this case choosing to avoid milk – or at least not drink it close to bedtime – could substantially improve your snoring problem. 

For people with some fruit allergies, vitamin C can be a significant irritant.  People should monitor their reactions when taking vitamin C in both supplement and direct form (through fruit or juice).  Other foods that can lead to excess snoring are noted below in the “Eating Right” section.

• Weight Loss

As discussed earlier in this book, excess weight can contribute to snoring, as excess skin in the neck area provides more flesh/tissue for air to vibrate against. 

In light of this, losing weight can not only lead to profound health improvement and lowering the risk of a dizzying array of problems (such as heart disease and stroke), but it can also lead to a snore-free life; a nice bonus indeed!

• Eating Right

We’ve already noted that some foods can enhance congestion (which would possibly be:

• dairy products

• fried foods

• chocolate

• frozen foods

• some baked goods (e.g. pizza)

Generally, these foods should be avoided by snorers; or, at least, they should not be consumed near bedtime.

We’ve also noted that excess weight can lead to snoring, as it has the dual effect of enlarging the flesh of the neck (thus providing more tissue/skin for the air to vibrate against), and reduce efficiency of the lungs, thus requiring the body to compensate by pushing harder to expel carbon dioxide (thereby increasing the force of wind through the airway).

However, there are some foods that are purported to be good for snorers; which means, of course, that they can possibly help alleviate some degree of snoring; or perhaps wipe it out completely! (Hey, it’s possible!).  These anti-snore-friendly foods (i.e. foods that tone the trachea) include:

• mustard greens

• pears

• thyme

• horseradish

• onions

• garlic

• leeks

• scallions

• lobster

• seaweed

• Healthy Living

Generally speaking, a healthy lifestyle is conducive to not snoring.  Of course, there are exceptions, and many factors (such as hereditary, environment, and other health ailments) can lead to snoring despite an attempt to live and eat well. 

Mindful of this, the following healthy living suggestions could help alleviate or outright cease some forms of snoring:

• avoiding alcohol (promotes too much relaxation of the trachea)

• avoiding sleeping pills (same as above)

• quitting smoking (can irritate the trachea and lead to congestion)

• avoiding caffeine and other diuretics (dehydration can lead to respiratory problems)

Of course, it’s also important to note that there is (as yet) no magic food that will alleviate snoring.  So beware of any advice, brands, or food products that promise an end to snoring!

Lifestyle Changes: Exercise

• Throat Exercises

Exercises that help strengthen and tone the muscles in the throat can help alleviate snoring and, in some cases, actually get rid of it altogether.  Here are three simples way of improving throat strength/toning throat muscles:

• Take a pencil and hold it between the teeth for up to 5 minutes.  The grip should be firm, but not painful at all.

• Take your finger and gently press against your chin for a few minutes (no more than 3). 

• Push your tongue against your lower row of teeth for about five minutes.

These exercises should be performed just before bedtime, and no strain should occur.  It should not at all be a painful experience!  The goal is simply to retrain some of the throat muscles that have lost their tone through a variety of factors, including age itself.  Any or all of the above exercises should help tighten the neck muscles, and thus lead to less airway vibration (and subsequent snoring).

Additional exercises that help tone the overall body can also help with snoring.  There are a number of factors, however, that will determine if the fat that has gathered around the neck is actually going to reduce; if an individual is genetically predisposed to acquire fat in that area, it could last for quite a while. 

However, some improvement in muscle tone should lead to an improvement in snoring; at least, perhaps, in the reduction of noise.  While this may not be the ideal solution, it can be a step in the right direction.

• Throat Muscle Toners

Throat muscle toners help strengthen the muscles in the throat, thus reducing some of the loose skin and hanging tissue that can lead to vibration, and hence, lead to snoring.

These throat muscle toners generally aim to achieve the following:

• restore throat muscle strength

• keep the air channel open

• allow the air to flow to the lungs without any obstruction

Muscle toners are, like most non-surgical devices, un-medicated, non-habit forming, and generally inexpensive.  Throat muscle toners come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and even colors to suit individual preferences and requirements.

Sleeping Position and Sleep Factors

Snoring is widely considered a sleep disorder; both for the trouble that it (potentially) causes the snorer, and the trouble that (almost always!) causes those around the snorer.  Therefore, an effective target in the battle against snoring is sleep itself.

There are two areas that can be focused upon to potentially help prevent (or lessen) snoring: sleep position, and sleep factors. 

• Sleep Position

Many snorers have found surprising relief from simply putting something under their chin as they sleep; either their hand, or a pillow, or even a rolled up sock. 
This can help firm up the neck muscles; or at least, give the impression that this is happening.  The bottom line is that since there is less loose skin (and thus tissue) that can vibrate against air in the trachea, there is less snoring.

Putting a pillow beneath the small of the back, and thus propping up the abdomen, is both extremely comfortable, and also an effective remedy for some snorers.  This position helps open up the airway, and expand the lungs. 

For those snorers who snore predominantly through their mouth, it might be helpful to learn that sleeping on one’s side helps keep the mouth closed.  However, many snorers actually snore out of both their mouth and nose, and this may not solve the problem.  It may, however, lessen it somewhat; which, at least in the big picture, is a positive step!

Sleep Environment

The room in which a snorer sleeps can also play a factor in whether snoring occurs.  This is quite a surprise to most people, who are convinced that snoring is a purely internal biological process.  

In other words, they think that they’d snore on the moon if that’s where the slept, or in the middle of a desert, or on an island in the South Pacific.  Maybe some people would; but some wouldn’t, because environmental factors can indeed play a role in reducing (or increasing) snoring.

For example, a room that is humid will typically help alleviate snoring.  Dry air can cause nasal and airway congestion that can lead to vibration and snoring.  If you live in a dry area, a humidifier can make a massive difference.  This is especially true to so-called seasonal snorers who tend to snore during the winter months (when the air is typically dryer). 

Ionizers, which emit negative ions in the air (and thus clean the air, similar to how rain, which is full of negative ions, cleans the air), have also been used by some snorers to help alleviate some snoring.

A darker room and stopping external noise can actually help stress as well; which is a big surprise to some non-snorers who keep the TV or radio on at night simply to try and drown out the lawnmower that they happen to be sleeping next to. 

The quality of sleep can be negatively influenced by external light and sound; and this can lead to stress.  While it may seem quite counter-intuitive, people may with to experiment for a few days or weeks of sleeping with no TV, no light, and no external distractions.  While at first it may just seem like the snoring becomes louder, in a short while, it may actually subside.  

Alternative Therapies

There are several alternative remedies – some ancient, some fairly new, and some in-between – that have provided snoring relief for countless people around the world. 

Many of these alternative medicines are not alternative at all in parts of the eastern world; in fact, in some countries (such as India, China, and Russia), some of these remedies are quite mainstream, and if you travel to those countries you’ll quite easily find many of these solutions in use.

In the western world, particularly the United States and Canada, practitioners of these alternative medicines are emerging quite rapidly.  Educational institutions are quickly developing certification programs, and standards organizations are developing frameworks within which to help responsibly guide and develop these alternative therapies. 

If you’re interested in learning more about these therapies, a quick Internet scan, or a visit to a holistic health shop (or probably any health store) will most often lead to some quality information, both referrals and literature.  Some of the most popular anti-snoring alternative remedies are noted below.

• Warm Beverages Before Bedtime

Drinking warm beverage just before bedtime has proven to be effective for a number of snorers.  Adding a small amount of honey to the water can help coat the walls of the trachea.  Some people have even found that combining honey, warm water, and apple cider vinegar creates a rather potent, yet non-addictive and non-fattening anti-snoring drink.

Herbal tea, particularly the kind labeled “Breathe Easy” (or anything that promotes an unclogged airway) can help prevent snoring.  Some of these teas can also contain chamomile or other herbs that promote sleeping. 

Bear in mind, however, that if the snorer becomes too relaxed, then while sleep may occur quite readily, it’s important to remember that sleep isn’t the problem: snoring is the problem!  So don’t necessarily choose herbal teas that promote drowsiness or “sleepiness”; for snorers, any herbal tea that will clear the airflow/trachea should help alleviate some snoring.

• Relaxation Techniques

As noted above, stress can be a factor in causing snoring.  We’ve discussed how reducing external stress, in the form of sound and light, can potentially help alleviate snoring (as strange as that may seem).  Yet in addition to this, there are (of course) other forms of stress: the kind that builds up at our jobs, or while we’re stuck in traffic, or filling out our tax returns, and so on. 

This kind of stress can be equally damaging to the snorer; and various relaxation techniques, such as:

• Tai Chi

• Yoga

• Medication

• Reiki

• gentle massage

• relaxing music

These treatments can also help treat other ailments that may or may not be linked to snoring, including lung problems, obesity, and more.

• Homeopathic Medication

Homeopathic medicines have been used for centuries to deal with a wide range of health concerns, including snoring.  A popular homeopathic medicine under the trade name Snore Stop™ is proving to be effective for some snorers by dissolving secretions in the nose and throat, thus opening up the airway. 

Another popular homeopathic nose drop called Y-Snore™ is also receiving some critical acclaim from snorers and non-snorers alike.  Y-Snore is a mild, non-addictive decongestant, which helps open up the nasal passage and thus inhibits/prevents airflow vibration in the trachea during sleep.

• Magnetic Therapy

Though not yet widely known in the west, magnetic therapy is extremely common in other parts of the world, particularly in China.  Magnetic therapy can potentially help snorers by stimulating the nerves in the nose, thereby opening up the airway to the throat, and cutting down on potential vibration (and thus snoring). 

Magnets can also be applied to the entire body (i.e. not just focused on the nose) to help stimulate nerves and body processes that can indirectly help deal with snoring.

For example, some people have relied upon magnetic therapy as a part of an overall weight-loss program.  Since excess weight/obesity is often linked with snoring, magnetic therapy can, ultimately, help treat and/or reduce snoring.

A nose ring with earth magnets (under the brand name Snore Free™) has received some positive feedback from those who have used it to open the nasal passage.

• Hypnosis

Believe it or not, but hypnosis has been suggested as a remedy for some people.  It has not, however, been widely accepted as a potential solution; and as such, it does not get an expanded discussion in this book.  However, I would be remiss not to note that many people are in fact relying upon hypnosis to deal with a number of health ailments, including snoring. 

• Addition Alternative Therapies

In addition, there are numerous alternative therapies that are generating growing attention as potential anti-snoring options.  These additional alternative therapies include: the use of crystals and gems, light therapy, and color therapy. 

The efficacy of these potential solutions is being tested, and scientific research on these methods is not yet well established; and hence, we will not explore them further in this book.  However, this does not mean that they lack promise; for they do. 

As any snorer – or someone who lives with a snorer – will attest, anything that promises a healthy, long-term, safe, and surgery-free solution to snoring is a good idea, no matter how far fetched that idea may seem today!

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here….