Alternative techniques to help overcome snoring
Many people sleep on their backs, which is why they snore. The good news is that sleep snoring solutions or basic snore solutions have easy solutions: if you sleep on your back, try sleeping on your side using some simple strategies you may create at home. Making this simple change, which does not require any intrusive treatments, expensive technology, or substantial investment, can have a major influence on your snoring or sleep apnea.
Why should you sleep on your side?
More than half of all sleep apnea cases are “position-induced,” meaning the apnea occurs exclusively while the sufferer is on their back (supine) [1]. When you sleep on your back, your airway narrows. The weight of your neck, a sunken jaw, and your tongue falling backward all contribute to an increased risk of airway obstruction and noise.
Therapy with tennis balls
If you find yourself sleeping supine, a tennis ball on your back can help you break the habit. This simple yet powerful hack has spread so far that it has its own term in the snoring-science academic literature: To make sleeping on your back difficult, tape or sew one to the back of your pajamas. What do we do when we meet adversity and discomfort? We instinctively avoid it. Most importantly, we are now sleeping on our side! It need not be a tennis ball. Any object tiny enough to fit yet large enough to constitute an impediment will suffice.
Some even suggest putting a squeaky toy on their backs to give an aural alert to the physical discomfort! There are additional items available that replicate the tennis ball by strapping semi-rigid foam pads to the back. However, unlike a tennis ball, they also give some support due to their broader form.
You can achieve this effect by sleeping with a small, full knapsack, a tactic used by troops during the American Revolutionary War to prevent snoring and giving away their position to their enemies.
While these strategies may work for some people, there are some clear drawbacks.
Snoring remedies are only effective if they are employed, and many people abandon the tennis ball technique because it is simply too uncomfortable.
Construct a side-sleeping nest.
To avoid rolling onto your back, try sleeping with your back propped up against something. This can be perfect if your bed is against a wall. If not, try leaning against some pillows. Experiment with various settings and keep track of what works best for you. Side sleeping can be uncomfortable for some people. In this scenario, placing some pillows between your legs can be beneficial. This can assist in keeping your legs and accompanying muscles at a more natural and pleasant angle, as well as preventing the bony parts of your knees from colliding.
