Snoring

Snoring is the sound which occurs when the soft palate (the back of the roof of the mouth) vibrates when it relaxes during sleep. Although, snoring does no harm in itself other than disturbing the snorer and anyone who shares the room but sometimes, it may lead to a potentially serious sleep disorder like upper respiratory resistance syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea, in which breathing stop periodically during sleep. Snoring can be provoked by conditions that causes swelling in the nasal and throat passages, such as colds, throat or sinus infections, or by lifestyle factors such as drinking alcohol, being overweight, and smoking. In children, it is due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Tendency of snoring increases from middle age onward and men snore more than women.

Home Remedies

• Sleep on your side by tucking a pillow into your back or sewing a tennis
     ball into the back of your nightclothes.

• Use a nasal strip that keeps the nasal passage open. Stick the adhesive
     strip across the soft part of your nose, just above the nostrils before going
     to bed. The adhesive pad has bands of plastic embedded in it that tighten
     and lift the sides of the nose, which help to maintain airflow while sleeping.

• Instill 3-4 drops of warm brahmi ghee or plain ghee (clarified butter) in
     each nostril in the morning and before going to bed.

Do’s

• Lose weight, if necessary.

• Do regular walking or other exercise which help the obese person to
     breathe better.

• Go to bed at the same time each night and get adequate of sleep.

Don’ts

• Don’t use sleeping pills or sedative antihistamines.

• Avoid alcohol; at least do not drink 4-5 hours before going to bed.

• Do not smoke, since tobacco smoke irritates the linings of the nose and
     throat.

See Doctor                                    

• Have pauses in breathing of 10 seconds or more during sleep.

• Feel tired and irritable during the day.

• Snoring is not helped by the above measures.

• Disrupting your sleep or your partner’s sleep.