In preparing this material, the authors of Daily Mail were inspired by a fresh recommendation from researchers at the Eternal Heart Care Center in Jaipur, India. Scientists claim that a person will snore less if they periodically blow into a large seashell, as if it were a wind instrument.
Meanwhile, Professor Michelle Spear from the University of Bristol considers the issue of snoring to be quite serious. “ is often perceived as a harmless quirk or a joke. However, it can signal deeper problems that go beyond mere acoustic annoyance,” the scientist noted.
Professor Spear proposed five methods for combating snoring that she considers effective and time-tested. These tips relate to five parts of the body involved in the process: the nose, jaw, tongue, soft palate, and throat.
Nasal Strips
Snoring is often caused by nasal issues such as , polyps, or a deviated septum. These conditions force a person to breathe through their mouth, increasing airflow turbulence.
According to Professor Spear, there are several solutions in this case: “Saline nasal rinses and sprays help remove allergens and mucus, promoting unobstructed airflow. Mechanical devices like nasal strips improve nasal breathing.”
Sleeping on Your Side
Among those familiar with the struggles of snoring, some have jaw issues.
“A lower jaw that is too far back—due to genetics or injury—can cause the tongue to fall back during sleep, blocking the airways,” the expert explained. “And if the mouth is open, it disrupts the balance between the space in it and the surrounding soft tissues, increasing the likelihood of snoring,” she added. In her opinion, the simplest solution is to sleep on your side, as this counters “gravitational collapse.”
If that doesn’t help, you might try gently taping your lips together with hypoallergenic tape to stabilize the jaw and facilitate nasal breathing.
Tongue Exercises
During sleep, the muscles around the gradually relax. For most people, this isn’t an issue. However, if the tongue is large, or if it has weak muscles or a stretched frenulum, it can fall back, partially obstructing the airways and causing snoring.
If your tongue causes problems during sleep, Professor Spear recommends specific exercises. “One such exercise is ‘tongue push-ups,’ where you press the tongue against the roof of your mouth and hold it in that position for a few seconds before relaxing,” the scientist explained.
Another exercise involves sticking the tongue out as far as possible and moving it in various directions (up, down, side to side) to “increase flexibility and tone.”
Playing the Shell
The soft palate helps control airflow and prevents food or liquid from entering the nose. However, during sleep, the muscles that usually lift the soft palate relax, which can make breathing difficult.
Among the exercises to strengthen these muscles, Professor Spear recommends the previously mentioned blowing into a shell. Indian researchers suggest doing this for 15 minutes, five days a week. During this exercise, deep inhalations should alternate with powerful long exhalations through tightly closed lips. This exercise also helps alleviate sleep apnea.
An even simpler method is to mimic chewing movements while pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth.
Singing
Ultimately, the cause of snoring may lie in the throat, specifically the muscular tube connecting the nose and mouth to the larynx and esophagus.
“The throat muscles help keep the airways open when you’re awake, but they relax during sleep. With age or after consuming or taking sedatives, these muscles can weaken. In overweight individuals, excess fat in the neck area can also create external pressure on the airways, especially when lying down,” Professor Spear noted.
According to her, there are specific breathing and vocal exercises that help strengthen these muscles. The simplest of these is singing. The expert claims that singing, especially using sounds like “la” and “ka,” is a straightforward and effective way to combat snoring.
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