We talk a lot about procedures and treatments to help combat snoring. These can be wonderful, life-changing things, but it’s also worth thinking about posture. A lot of the time, if you’re a snorer, it’ll be because you’re sleeping on your back.
Snoring itself is caused by a looseness of tissue in the roof of the mouth, or the tongue lolling back into the throat and causing an obstruction to the breathing passages. If you’re lying on your back, what you’re doing is giving a helping hand to gravity, making it more likely that this will happen. Studies of the postures of sleepers have suggested that most people whose snoring poses a problem do sleep on their backs.
It’s not surprising, therefore, that almost all experts recommend changing your sleeping posture, if you want to reduce or eliminate problem snoring without further intervention. Of course, it’s not always possible to stop yourself from moving about when you sleep, so here’s a classic old trick. Now, stay with me on this, you’re going to laugh but it will make a difference.
Right.
First, find an old t-shirt or pyjama top, and sew a pocket into the back.
With me so far? ok.
Now, take several tennis balls, and place this in the pocket.
No, seriously, try this.
You then wear the t-shirt to bed, and sleep on your side or your stomach.
As we’ve said before, if you can stay off your back you’re a lot less likely to snore. This can help to prevent that, because if you shift onto your back, you should find that the tennis balls make you uncomfortable, and that you shift back onto your side.
Give it a try. If you can stomach the curious looks by your partner the first night, you might well find that they disappear after the first tranquil night of sleep!
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