Life Hackery

Your wife complains that she can’t sleep beside you anymore. No, it’s not because you hog the sheets, don’t turnoff the lights or because your sex tactics suck. She’d rather sleep on the couch because every time you go to dreamland, you snore like crazy and you don’t even know it.

Snoring is a noisy kind of breathing, caused by vibrations of the tissue lining the air passages. This vibration occurs when the air passage is blocked, preventing easy and normal breathing. It sounds simple, but in reality, it can annoy other people. You might be getting your goodnight’s sleep, but your bed companions aren’t.

Snoring can be cured. You just need to know the right tactics to employ so you won’t experience it anymore. Here are some interesting ways to have a peaceful, snore-free night.

Vice vs. Nice

Your friend calls you up and tells you to come over his house for a game of poker, coupled with smoking on a few cigars and chug-a-lugging beer. Sounds fun right?

Don’t go. If you want a peaceful, snore-less night, don’t give in. Alcohol has a good way of relaxing muscles, causing limited air to pass in and out of your lungs. Try to resist chugging a glass of beer or a tequila shot just before bedtime.

You should also stay away from medications such as sleeping pills, tranquilizers or antihistamine in the evenings. Surely, you can find other solutions, like natural herbal remedies such as Valerian root to curb your insomnia.

Check Your Habits.

Let’s say you used to be a couch potato — you spend nearly half of your day watching TV. After a while, you decide to get a job, and suddenly you start working on a 12-hour shift, losing time for eating and even socializing. Soon enough, you begin a new habit of snoring.

It’s not surprising for people to experience changes in their physical body, like snoring, especially when they come across a change of lifestyle. You may not notice it immediately, but you’ll soon realize you’ve acquired a new set of bad habits, like putting too much fatigue on your body, or not getting enough exercise.

When people start complaining about lack of sleep, stop and think about your lifestyle. What has changed? What are your daily routines now? You may need to change some of your daily routine and start getting more rest and exercise. If you’re able to bring your body rhythm back, or at least help it adjust, then you may be able to get rid of those unpleasant snoring noises soon.

No More Dairy.

Remember that glass of milk you drank before going to bed? Put it away. While it can lull you to sleep, it can also be the very root of such annoying sounds. Many people are not aware of it, but dairy products, especially those made from cow’s milk, can cause snoring problems. This usually happens to those who are milk intolerant.

Dairy increases mucus production. When you’re awake, you can simply blow or sneeze it away, but when you sleep, the mucus just usually stays in the mucus membrane area, leading to a buildup in the throat and causing many respiratory dilemmas. Anything that’s made from cow’s milk can trigger snoring, so make sure you stay away not only from milk but also from cheese, ice cream and yoghurt.

You don’t have to shy away from dairy products all your life, just during nighttime, before you go to dreamland. Other than that, you can munch on dairy any time of the day.

Watch Your Head.

It’s easy not to pay attention to your head when you’re all drowsy and ready to doze off, but this is one of the most important factors when it comes to your snoring problem. Your head’s position actually affects the noises you make.

When choosing a pillow to use, opt for a firm one instead of the soft type. Soft pillows let your throat muscles relax easier, causing your airways to narrow — creating the unpleasant sound. Another trick is to elevate your head. Find a thicker pillow or sleep using more than one pillow.

Try The Sideways Technique.

Picture yourself when you’re sleeping: how do you look? Are you sprawled on your back, with your arms spread open? If you lie like this, then you’re likely to have a noisy night. People who sleep on their backs are more prone to snoring.

To solve this, try sleeping sideways. This will keep your airways as open as possible, and you can breath more easily. Of course, if you’ve already become used to sleeping on your back, it might be hard for you to adjust and change your sleeping position.

Most people wedge a pillow behind them when they turn on their side, but oftentimes, it doesn’t work. They just push the pillow away and go back to their back-against-the-bed position. If you’re having difficulty adjusting, here’s one trick: sew a tennis ball on the back of your shirt or pajama top. Every time you feel like rolling on your back, the discomfort the ball brings will drive you back to your sideways position.

Eat Less.

The delicious three-course dinner your wife prepared seems mouth-watering, but before you dig in, stop yourself. Do you know that eating big meals at night causes snoring? When your stomach is full of food, the diaphragm becomes pressured, causing limited breathing passages. The more constricted the passages are, the worse your snore becomes.

Whenever you get the urge to pig out at dinner, control yourself. Try to limit your food intake, especially if you’re going to bed just a few hours after. That also means you have to say goodbye to your midnight snacking habit.

The choice of food also matters. Stay away from fried, fatty and starchy food. “Rich” foods like cookies, cake, chocolate and pizza are also a no-no.

While you’re at it, you might want to try losing a few pounds. Overweight people are observed to be more prone to snoring. Try and lose at least 10 to 15 pounds. Exercise or do some extreme activities.

Snoring doesn’t have to be a burden. If you’re guilty of this, do your companions a favor and try these snore-free tricks. You’ll soon find yourself having a peaceful good night’s sleep.