Snore No More
For nearly a decade, when my children were younger, our family would join 4-5 other families for a week-long camping trip. Our campsites were a mishmash of sleeping tents and designated kitchen areas. This set up often left us sharing individual campsites with another family. After the first years’ trip of sleep-broken nights, I learned how the campsites needed to be divvied up in order to keep the peace (and quiet). The following year we instituted “Snorers’ Sites” and “Non-snorer Sites”.
While the noisy snorers may, themselves, sleep well, those around them are losing precious sleep and all its related health benefits. So, let me ask you, if there was a relatively quick fix available, wouldn’t you, either the one who is sleep deprived, or the one who has been having all those noise complaints filed against them, be willing to try it out?
There are many reasons why people are prone to snore, some causes are more “fixable” than others. Today I would like to address two easy ones so that, quite possibly, those who sleep (or try to sleep) nearby a snorer can achieve a sound, healing night’s rest.
Back-lying snorers: Some people only snore when are lying on their backs. For these men and women, I have an easy remedy. Simply take a tee shirt that has a chest pocket sewed on its front. Place a tennis ball in that pocket and put it on BACKWARD…and voila! Every time the snorer goes to roll onto their back, they feel this uncomfortable lump, and they reposition themselves into side lying where they remain relatively quiet.
Overweight snorers: If your neck circumference is greater than 16 cm for a woman and 17 cm for a man you are at high risk for snoring. Now what I am suggesting may take a few weeks or even months, but by employing the necessary steps required to lose a mere 10 pounds or up to 10% of your body weight (if overweight or obese) you will significantly reduce the amount of fat deposited in your throat area. This will create an enhanced opening in your airway which typically translates into less air turbulence and quieter breathing.
What do you say? Will you give it a try?