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.