Revealed: The 5 proven ways to REALLY stop your partner snoring – as scientists recommend blowing through a conch shell
And if your partner snores, you've probably tried everything from ear plugs to white noise.
This week, scientists revealed that an ancient hack could finally help relive the dreadful symptoms of snoring.
According to experts from the Eternal Heart Care Centre and Research Institute in Jaipur, blowing into a conch shell – also known as shankh blowing – can alleviate snoring.
But does this really work? And what other ways are they to stop your partner snoring?
Professor Michelle Spear, a professor of anatomy at the University of Bristol, has revealed five proven methods.
'Snoring is often dismissed as a harmless quirk – or the punchline of bedtime jokes,' she explained in an article for The Conversation.
'But it can signal deeper issues that go beyond mere acoustic annoyance.'
Snoring is caused by issues with your tongue, mouth, throat or airways in your nose vibrating as you breathe.
For this reason, Professor Spear breaks down her advice by body part – the nose, the jaw, the tongue, the soft palate, and the pharynx.
1. Nasal strips
Snoring is often caused by problems within the nose, including allergies, polyps, or a deviated septum.
These problems force you to switch to mouth breathing – increasing airflow turbulence.
Thankfully, there are several solutions for nose–based snoring issues, according to Professor Spear.
'Saline nasal rinses and sprays can help clear allergens and mucus, promoting smooth airflow,' she advised.
'And mechanical aids, such as nasal strips or nostril dilators, widen the nasal aperture, encouraging nose breathing.
If your tongue is the issue, Profesor Spear recommends 'tongue push–ups', where the tongue is pressed against the roof of the mouth and held for several seconds before relaxing
'Even the simple act of practising nasal breathing during the day can help reduce snoring.'
2. Sleep on your side
For other people, the issue lies with the jaw.
'A lower jaw that sits too far back – whether due to genetics or possibly injury – can cause the tongue to fall backwards during sleep and block the airway,' Professor Spear explained.
'If the mouth also falls open, it throws off the balance between the space in the mouth and the surrounding soft tissues, making snoring more likely.'
The simple fix? Sleeping on your side.
'Sleeping on your side counteracts this gravitational collapse,' the expert advised.
If that doesn't do the trick, you can also try gently closing your lips with hypoallergenic tape to stabilise the jaw, and promote nasal breathing.
3. Tongue push–ups
As you sleep, the muscles around your tongue gradually relax.
This isn't an issue for most people.
However, if you have a large tongue, weak tongue muscles, or a loose tongue tie, your tongue can fall backwards, partially blocking your airway – and causing snoring.
If your tongue is the issue, Profesor Spear recommends targeted exercises to improve tongue strength and control.
'One such exercise is the "tongue push–up", where the tongue is pressed against the roof of the mouth and held for several seconds before relaxing,' she advised.
'Another involves sticking the tongue out as far as possible and moving it in different directions – up, down and side to side – to enhance flexibility and tone.'
4. Conch shell blowing
The soft palate – the area just behind the mouth – helps control airflow and stop food or liquid from going up into the nose.,
However, during sleep, the muscles that usually lift the soft palate relax, which can lead to breathing difficulties for some people.
Professor Spear recommends exercises to strengthen these muscles – including conch shell blowing.
'A simpler approach is to mimic chewing motions while pressing the tongue to the roof of the mouth, which engages and strengthens the muscles in this area,' she added.
5. Singing
Finally, your snoring issues could stem back to the pharynx - the muscular tube linking your nose and mouth to the larynx and oesophagus.
'The muscles in the throat help keep the airways open when you're awake, but they relax during sleep,' Professor Spear explained.
'As we get older, or after drinking alcohol or taking sedatives, these muscles can become weaker.
'In people who are overweight, extra fat around the neck can also create external pressure on the airway, especially when lying down.'
According to the expert, there are specific breathing an voice exercises you can do to help strengthen these muscles - including singing.
'Singing, especially using sounds like 'la' and 'ka', is a simple and effective way to do this,' she said.
OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNOEA
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) occurs when the walls of a person's throat relax and narrow during sleep, blocking their airways.
This interrupts normal breathing, with symptoms including loud snoring, noisy and laboured breathing, and repeated episodes when breathing is interrupted by gasping and snorting.
OSA affects between four and 10 per cent of people in the UK. In the US, around 22 million are affected.
During an episode, the lack of oxygen triggers a sufferer's brain to pull them out of deep sleep so their airways reopen.
These repeated sleep interruptions can make the person very tired, with them often being unaware of what the problem is.
Risks for OSA include:
Being overweight - excess body fat increases the bulk of soft tissues in the neck
Being male
Being 40 or over
Having a large neck
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
Being in the menopause - hormonal changes cause the throat muscles to relax
Treatment includes lifestyle changes, such as loosing weight, if necessary, and avoiding alcohol.
In addition, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices prevent the airway closing by delivering a continuous supply of compressed air through a mask.
A mandibular advancement device (MAD) can also be used, which is like a gum-shield that holds the jaw and tongue forward to increase the space at the back of the throat.
Untreated, OSA increases a person's risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart attacks and type 2 diabetes.
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