Sometimes snoring is just an annoying nighttime distraction, but at other times it is a sign of a serious health problem. There are several things that cause snoring, some minor and some serious. The following article can help you figure out what is causing your snoring and how you can treat it.

You are more likely to snore if you are overweight. Although excess weight does not guarantee snoring issues, if your body builds up fat in certain locations where it can constrict your breathing passages, louder and more frequent snoring may be the result. If your snoring gets worse after gaining a few pounds, losing them may help.

Throat Muscles

As silly as it may seem, singing may be the answer to curing your snoring. Singing will build up the muscles in your throat over time. The stronger your throat muscles are, the less likely you are to snore. Musical wind instruments, such as the trumpet or clarinet, can also make your throat muscles stronger.

Taking sleeping pills can actually increase the amount of snoring you do, so not taking them might actually help reduce the amount you snore. The main effect of sleeping pills is to relax every one of your muscles. The ones keeping your nasal passages wide open will also sag, letting the passages become narrower. This restricts your air flow and causes you to snore.

If you exercise, it could solve your snoring problem. Your breathing pattern is made regular with exercise and this can help prevent snoring at night. Exercise is crucial in keeping your respiratory system working properly, but it is also a good way to relieve stress. High stress levels can alter breathing and increase the chances of snoring.

A good way to limit snoring is to go to a pharmacy and have the pharmacist recommend an OTC remedy designed to address snoring. Prescription medications also exist, but they are usually more expensive than over-the-counter treatments. Each medication treats a different cause, including congestion, swelling and muscle relaxation.

To reduce snoring, try losing some weight. Excess fat, especially fat around your neck, puts increased pressure on your airways. This means that you have a higher chance of your airways collapsing slightly while you are sleeping. You can notice quite a difference in your snoring if you even lose a few pounds.

Have a small spoon or honey, or two, before going to sleep. While it is not known why this is effective, many people claim that it works to reduce the occurrence of snoring. Given the myriad of applications honey is used for in folk medicine, it is not surprising that honey also helps snoring sufferers.

You can reduce your snoring with a tennis ball. You can sew a pocket inside the back of your night shirt for the ball, or simply pin the ball onto the back of the shirt. When you sleep, you probably will turn over and feel the ball up against your back. Side-sleeping significantly reduces snoring.

As you now know, snoring is way much more than just an annoying night-time noise, it could be the symptom of a health issue. As snoring has various causes depending on the individual sufferer, you need to be aware that a snoring minimizing technique that works for one snorer, may not work for another. However, when you implement the advice from the article above, you’ll be better equipped to treat yours.