Snoring is your body telling you it’s not getting enough oxygen to breathe properly when you’re lying down. When you’re sleeping, the throat muscles and jaw may collapse on your air passage, obstructing the air flow, thereby causing the nearby tissues to vibrate violently producing a hoarse and raucous sound. Everyone snores once in a while, and while occasional mild snoring is normal, you might want to consider getting some help if your snores sound like thunder rumbling in the middle of the night. If severe, snores can disrupt your sleep cycle causing insomnia, obstructive sleep apnoea among other disorders.
How To Get Rid Of Snoring?
Snoring is never really considered a medical ailment and is, therefore, a tricky predicament. Also, there isn’t really any “cure” to stop snoring immediately. At best, you can use anti-snoring devices or remedies to reduce the intensity of your snores. Also, there are time tested natural remedies to help you.
Natural Remedies For Snoring
Are you snoring so loud that your spouse has to sleep in the next room? Other than being a source of embarrassment, heavy snoring can also adversely affect your health and lead to serious cardiac issues if left unchecked for long. There are a number of reasons such as obesity, asthma, pollution and irregular sleep that causes snoring. Generally, a few over-the-counter products and pills pose the threat of mild allergies or other side-effects. It is best that you use natural remedies instead.
Some of the best anti-snoring remedies are mentioned below:
1. Peppermint
Peppermint is known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that effectively reduce the swelling in the inner tissues and membranes of the nostril linings. Peppermint also clears the nose and assists in smooth regular breathing when you’re sleeping. You can either get some mint candies or include mint leaves in tea or a beverage to clear your throat during a cold or allergy. Add a few drops of peppermint oil to a glass of lukewarm water and gargle with the mixture for a solid minute or two. Rinse thoroughly when done and repeat the process two or three times a day for a couple of weeks. Ensure that you don’t swallow the solution.
You can even add peppermint oil to the humidifier about half an hour before going to bed at night. This reduces congestion and opens up the air passage for easier breathing pattern, even rubbing some peppermint oil under your nose before sleeping works wonderfully.
2. Steam Treatment
A sore throat or nasal blockage is one of the main reasons why you are unable to sleep at night. Phlegm and saliva usually obstruct the nasal linings reducing the air inflow into the windpipe. Now, steam treatment is one of the oldest and most effective remedies for curing nasal congestion. In this method, you need a bowl or large container of hot water. Add a few drops of peppermint oil, eucalyptus or tea tree oil in the water and mix well. Then lower your head and cover your head with a towel so as to inhale the steam in its most concentrated form. Taking in this steam deeply from the nose loosens the solidified phlegm congested in the chest and nasal membranes within minutes. For best results, follow the process every night before going to bed.
3. Ghee
Glee or clarified butter is a commonly found ingredient in most homes. It not only strengthens your bones and enhances your physical fitness but it has many medicinal properties. Ghee is primarily used in many ayurvedic medicines and is known for curing many diseases including snoring.
You can either consume liquefied ghee or add Brahmi, a herb to the mixture and inhale it. Brahmi is a medicinal plant that is often a part of Ayurvedic treatments. Mix a few Brahmi leaves to the ghee and boil it to a paste like consistency. You can even apply this mixture on the inside of your nostrils and around nose and throat before going to bed.
The warm ghee melts the impurities and phlegm that’s clogging up your air passage, thereby easing the oxygen flow and helping you sleep better.
4. Olive Oil
Olive oil, like peppermint oil, is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent that reduces the swelling around the jaw, the throat tissues and inner membranes of the nasal passage. Olive oil also warms up your body and is an effective cure when dealing with a bad cold or a sore throat.
You can directly consume olive oil with some honey for taste or heat it up and massage the chest, throat and inner linings of the nostrils with the mixture to clear up any blockages and facilitate easy flow of oxygen. Drinking a few teaspoons of olive oil before going to bed also lessens the swelling along the respiratory passage – a great way to prevent snoring.
Olive oil is also a popular choice for people who want to reduce weight and adopt a healthy lifestyle. The oil is cholesterol free and prevents the risk of heart blockages, cardiac issues, and other respiratory problems.
5. Cardamom
Cardamom is a spice commonly found in the Oriental countries and is well-known for its distinctive taste and smell. However, the spice not only adds flavor to a dish but also has some amazing medicinal properties. Cardamom is a natural expectorant and decongestant, i.e., an agent known for clearing the mucus and phlegm and clearing the nasal passage for unrestricted air flow.
Cardamom is also known for reducing swelling in the inner tissues and membranes of the respiratory passage. All you have to do is add a teaspoon and a half to a glass of lukewarm water and drink it about 30 minutes before you go to bed. The concoction has a very strong flavor and can be quite unpleasant, it is best you drink the whole thing in one go!
6. Turmeric
Turmeric is a common ingredient found in almost every kitchen. The spice not only adds color and flavor to your otherwise bland food but also is replete in medicinal properties. Turmeric is a natural antiseptic and has amazing antibiotic properties that fight the bacterial infestation and boosts your immunity system.
Applying a paste of turmeric is known to solve serious cases of inflammation and itchiness. Add a tablespoon of turmeric powder to a glass of warm milk and drink it every night before sleeping. This not only enhances your inner strength and arms your body against all external infections but also clears the nasal passage.
Turmeric mixed with honey and warm milk also forms a good solution for people who have a weak immune system and are more prone to infections and diseases. For best results, drink the concoction daily before going to bed as it helps you sleep better.
7. Garlic
Garlic is another well-known household ingredient that is used for obstructive sleep apnea treatment by most people who are suffering from snoring or other sleeping disorders. Garlic is a strong anti-inflammatory agent that immediately clears the mucus accumulation and phlegm build up inside the respiratory linings.
Garlic is extremely effective for treating sinus blockages and helping patients sleep better at night. Now, you can either chew garlic cloves directly followed by a glass of water for best results or add more garlic to the food you eat daily. Garlic in its raw form has a very strong flavor and smell that not many people can get used to.
You can even use garlic with other ingredients such as ginger, honey, and other herbs to create the ultimate medicine for cold and sore throats.
8. Chamomile
Chamomile is another herb grown in most homes that are known for curing a lot of ailments, including sleep apnea treatment. The plant is rich in anti-inflammatory features and can reduce the irritation and itchiness in your throat and nasal passage quickly. It not only reduces the swelling around the throat and jaw but also relaxes the muscles of your body and helps you sleep more soundly. Chamomile is available in most organic farm markets or even supermarket aisles and is used in herbal medicine
Prepare chamomile tea by adding a few dried up seeds and flowers of chamomile in a cup of warm water, boil the mixture for about 15 minutes and strain it carefully in a container. Add a tablespoon of ginger and honey to taste, stir well and drink when hot. Chamomile tea also detoxifies the body and flushes out the harmful stuff out for effective weight loss and reduces inflammation.
9. Nettle
For most people, snoring is an all-year round problem, while for some it occurs only during some seasons or when exposed to specific conditions. If your problem falls into the latter category, then the snoring is probably because of some allergy or infection lurking around in the air at that time.
Seasonal allergies are not an unusual or serious predicament and can be dealt with using some easy and effective precautions. For instance, nettle has natural anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties that open up the air passage and eases the breathing process.
Prepare a concoction by boiling a couple of dried up nettle leaves in a cup of warm water. Simmer it gently for a few minutes and then strain it into a cup. Drink mixture thrice daily to reduce the effects of snoring and risk of sleep apnoea.
10. Honey
Other than being a natural sweetening agent, honey also has many anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and is a major part of Ayurveda medicine. Honey is known for effectively reducing the swelling in and around the throat and nasal passage allowing more air to pass by and facilitating easy regular breathing.
Honey also lubricates the inner linings of the throat and reduces the friction caused when air passes through. The fact that honey is by far the most delicious ingredient in our list also makes it a popular ingredient for people who have a snoring problem.
All you have to do is add a couple of tablespoons of honey in a glass of warm water and drink it on an empty stomach. Now, a mixture of honey, warm water, and vinegar is also known to cut through body fat and reduce the risks of obesity.
11. Lifestyle Changes
It is necessary that we make some fundamental change in our diets and daily activities so as to reduce the risk of serious medical issues. Following a green organic diet, exercising regularly, giving up alcohol, cigarettes and sleeping in early are some of the things that people can do to enhance their physical and mental well-being.
Obese people often snore loudly at night because their throat or jaw muscles fall back or collapse on the air passage blocking the air follow. If not attended to immediately, this can not only lead to snoring but also cause serious health risks such as heart attack and cardiac arrest. Choose the best snoring remedy, and improve your life.
