Hints for reducing snoring

Hints to reduce snoring and partner disturbance:

• Weight loss if  relevant... Some thin people snore terribly too!

• Improve fitness generally

• Don't go to bed exhausted

• Reduce alcohol intake...in the evenings especially

• Reduce smoking, or better...Quit!

• Avoid allergens which block the nose...Keeping your pillow area covered when not using it to prevent pollens and house dust mite landing where you head will spend the next 8 hours.  Have tests for House Dust mite allergies.  Perhaps a change from feather pillows and bedcovers might be in order!

• Treat allergic symptoms if they cannot be fully avoided, medications and surgery

• Sleep on your side

• Ear Plugs for the partner

• Chin strap made of 1 inch wide elastic, split over the chin and top of the head to keep the mouth closed.  An open mouth lets out much more snoring sound than a closed mouth!

• Trial of Drixine or Otrivine nasal spray prior to bed to see if a blocked nose contibutes to snoring by forcing you to mouth breathe.  If it does help, perhaps nasal unblocking surgery is indicated.  We do this too in selected cases.

• Provide your partner with a non-lethal weapon to wake you with!