- Try losing weight. According to Health.com, excess weight narrows the airways, causing snoring. Losing weight allows more air to travel through the airways, reducing or eliminating snoring.
- Stop smoking and drinking alcohol. According to HelpGuide.org, both substances cause muscle relaxation, increasing nasal congestion and closing nasal airways. Eliminating both substances reduces or stops snoring.
- Get plenty of sleep. Make it a habit to sleep at the same time every night, getting at least eight hours of sleep. Establishing a solid sleeping pattern and getting the recommended amount of sleep decreases snoring. Erratic sleeping patterns makes snoring worse.
- Avoid sleeping on your back. A back sleeping position, or sleeping with the back against the bed, relaxes the muscles in the throat and narrows it, making snoring worse. Decrease snoring by adapting a side sleeping position or turning the side of the stomach and legs against the bed. This prevents muscle relaxation. Placing a tennis ball or a large, round object in the back of a sleeping gown also helps people sleep on their side.
- See a physician if snoring still persists after switching sleeping positions and adapting a healthier lifestyle. Surgery or snoring appliances can eliminate snoring. According to the Mayo Clinic, dental mouthpieces or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices keep the airways open, reducing snoring by allowing more air to travel through the mouth and nose. Surgery also eliminates snoring by removing part of the soft palate to allow more air to travel through the mouth.
