It is such that while a snorer enjoys his glorious sleep without a clue of the havoc that’s been created by his loud nasal sounds, the partners are the ones who suffer. After all, who wouldn’t want a quiet and peaceful surrounding to get a good sleep after a tough day’s work? Snoring is the outcome of the inability to breathe properly while sleeping. When the air movement is partially obstructed while breathing - as one sleeps - it causes vibrations in the throat leading to loud, hoarse sounds.
If this is the cause of your worry, here’s how to stop snoring. Researchers have found that a set of few simple tongue exercises can reduce the frequency of snoring by 36 percent and total power of snoring by 59 percent.
"This study demonstrates a promising, non-invasive treatment for large populations suffering from snoring," said Barbara Phillips, medical director, sleep laboratory at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in the US.
One of the key factors that cause snoring is the tongue. This is because it tends to fall backwards during sleep, thus blocking the air passage of the throat. It is therefore important to strengthen your tongue muscles to help curb snoring.
The three exercises –
1. The Slide: Snorers should try pushing the tip of the tongue against the roof of the mouth and sliding the tongue backward. It should be done for ten to fifteen seconds and then slowly put the tongue back for a few seconds before repeating the entire process over again.
2. The Press: Sucking the tongue upward against the roof of the mouth, and pressing the entire tongue against the roof of the mouth can also help. Do this as many times a day as you can for at least a few minutes.
3. The Roll: Forcing the back of the tongue against the floor of the mouth while keeping the tip of the tongue in contact with the bottom, front teeth and elevating the back of the roof of the mouth and uvula while saying the vowel "A".
The study was conducted on 39 patients who were randomised for three months of treatment with nasal dilator strips plus respiratory exercises (control) or daily oropharyngeal exercises (therapy). The participants were evaluated by questionnaires and full polysomnography with objective measurements of snoring.
"The exercises significantly reduced snoring in our study group," said study author Geraldo Lorenzi-Filho from University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.