We all need a good night’s sleep!
There’s so much information out there about how to stop snoring – from buying devices to changing bedrooms! It can be hard to know where to begin.
But it’s really quite simple. It all starts with the breath…
Fast hard breathing during the day translates into fast hard breathing during sleep and this creates the turbulence which is snoring.
If you’re a noisy breather, you’re also more likely to be a snorer. Try quietening your breath, so quiet that the person next to you can’t hear you breathe. That’s what we should be aiming for, one breath at a time!
Noise, pressure and tension go together and can cause us to take in larger volumes of air than we need. When it comes to the breath, more is not necessarily better.
Remember… the upper airway is like a pipe and the more quietly and gently you breathe, the more air gets to where it needs to go.
Another important factor that contributes to snoring is your posture when you sleep. Gravity is definitely not your friend when you’re in bed!
So it’s best not to lie on your back. When you sleep on our back, you increase the likelihood of your airway collapsing and this can start with the tongue, then the soft palate and even the pharynx. This is much more common if you’re carrying a few unwanted kilos.
I was a noisy breather and a (light) snorer – not because of any pathology but because I just didn’t pay any attention to this vital life force. Until I learnt about breathing re-education and how much I needed it. Now if I catch myself breathing noisily, I’m able to stop quickly and my nights are peaceful!