Minimizing snoring with peppermint gargles and humidifier tips
What's the story
Snoring can be a major nuisance, disrupting sleep for both the snorer and their partner. It's typically caused by vibrating soft tissue in the throat, but factors like dry air and congestion can make it worse. This article shares easy, non-invasive home remedies (peppermint gargles, humidifier hacks) that help reduce snoring by calming your throat and keeping the air moist.
Peppermint
The power of peppermint gargles
Peppermint oil's natural anti-inflammatory properties work to soothe the lining of the throat, minimizing swelling and facilitating easier breathing during sleep. By gargling nightly with a blend of warm water and a drop or two of peppermint oil before bedtime, you can reduce snoring. Make sure to dilute the peppermint oil well, it's powerful!
Humidifier use
Maintaining air moisture with humidifiers
Dry air can cause inflammation in your respiratory passages, making you snore more. Keeping a humidifier in your bedroom at night will put more moisture in the air, and that will help keep your airways lubricated. Just make sure you clean your humidifier often enough to keep mold from growing in it - that can make your breathing problems worse!
Settings
Optimal humidifier settings for snorers
Overdoing the humidifier settings can be as detrimental as underdoing it. The optimal indoor humidity level for sleep should be maintained between 40% and 60%. Fortunately, most modern humidifiers feature built-in hygrometers that gauge the room's humidity level, enabling you to adjust settings to achieve that perfect sleep-inducing atmosphere - minus the snoring!
Lifestyle changes
Lifestyle adjustments for reducing snoring
Apart from peppermint gargles and using a humidifier, simple lifestyle modifications can greatly minimize snoring. Drinking a minimum of eight glasses of water a day keeps nasal and throat secretions less viscous, reducing the likelihood of snoring. Altering your sleep position to your side instead of your back prevents your tongue from obstructing your throat, further decreasing the probability of snoring.