A Primer on How to Stop Snoring – Including Side-Sleeping

Snoring has nearly as many causes as there are articles on the subject. Snoring has been blamed on everything from slack tongue to inflamed sinuses, deviated septum, enlarged turbinates, poor posture, and body weight.

In fact, every one of these factors may play a role in snoring, which at its simplest is caused by an occlusion of the windpipe by the back of the tongue, leading to interrupted breathing. In its worst form, snoring can graduate to obstructive sleep apnea, which has been strongly associated with health problems ranging from stroke to mental decline.

Because so many different pieces can add up to a snoring issue, it’s wise to attack them all until you see a marked improvement. This article describes a couple of less-known measures, including side-sleeping, in detail:

“Snoring is always worse when you sleep on your back. It’s because gravity is pushing your tongue backwards. Pillows that get you off your back can help tremendously,” Dr. Greenburg says. If you really have trouble sleeping on your side, [a side sleeper pillow] might just help.

And if the snoring continues or you feel wakeful and unwell even after a “full” night’s sleep? Contact the snoring experts at the Los Angeles Sinus Institute for an appointment.