Put a stop to snoring and disturbed sleep patterns with these tried-and-tested natural measures

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However, aside from being a nuisance its important that snoring is properly addressed, as new research has revealed that snorers are three to four times more likely to suffer adverse health conditions than non-snorers.

It used to be thought that only sufferers of obstructive sleep apnoea (a condition that causes sufferers to literally stop breathing at various intervals when theyre asleep) were at an increased risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and high cholesterol, but this no longer appears to be the case. According to the British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association snorers are also at an increased risk of developing these conditions.

This finding is particularly worrying as snoring is a common problem, affecting around 60 per cent of men and 40 per cent of women by the age of sixty. The reason snoring tends to get worse with advancing age is that muscle tone in the oral cavity tends to decrease as you get older. This causes slack tissue at the back of the throat, which then vibrates noisily.

Snoring can also be triggered by a partial blockage in your airway resulting from enlarged adenoids or tonsils, for instance, or a deviated septum (the cartilage forming the ridge of your nose). It can also be triggered by allergies or illnesses like a cold or flu that cause a blocked nose, or sedatives like sleeping pills or antihistamine tablets

Make sure youve explored all the options before agreeing to surgery

There are several surgical procedures that can be performed to combat snoring, but they are not without risk and can be ineffective, painful and cause infection. They include:

* Injection of a scarring material into your soft palate. This stiffens the soft palate and prevents it from flapping and making a noise.

* Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty involves the removal of part of your throat and palate by laser to reduce flapping in your airway when you breathe. Unfortunately, it can be painful and usually requires three to five sessions in order to be effective. While it may help relieve snoring, some patients may subsequently develop obstructive sleep apnoea.

* Radiofrequency Tissue Reduction (RTR) involves piercing your tongue, throat or soft palate with a needle connected to a radio frequency generator. The inner tissue is then heated, which causes it to shrink. However, like many of these surgical procedures it has a high relapse rate in the long term.
* Tongue retaining device a dental device opens your airway by bringing your lower jaw or your tongue forward during sleep. Most dental devices are acrylic and fit inside your mouth, much like an athletic mouth guard or orthodontic appliance. Some others fit around your head and chin to adjust the position of your lower jaw. While these can help, many people find them uncomfortable.

* If youre diagnosed as having sleep apnoea, your doctor may recommend the use of a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airways Pressure) machine. This is a special pump which gently forces air through your airway via a mask worn on your nose. The device is used, as the name suggests, continually during the night and it is usually an effective way of managing the condition.

As strange as it may sound, singing can help reduce snoring by toning lax muscles in your upper throat. Scientists from the Department of Complementary Medicine, University of Exeter, studied 20 patients suffering from long-term snoring. The patients were made to sing songs and perform singing exercises, which had been designed to tone specific muscles that commonly vibrate in snorers, for 20 minutes each night for three months. At the end of the study, the scientists found that those who performed the singing exercises correctly snored significantly less than they did prior to the beginning of the study. The results were found to be even better among those patients who also lost some of their excess weight. For further information visit: www.singingforsnorers.com.

Everything from exercise to essential oils can help put a stop to snoring

Fortunately, there are simple lifestyle changes and natural remedies that can help you stop snoring. One of the best things you can do is lose any excess weight, as research shows that overweight people are far more prone to snoring. This is because deposits of fat on the soft palate and walls of the throat narrow the airway and are inclined to vibrate.

Exercise is a good way to help shift those unwanted pounds, plus research has revealed that it is a useful treatment for snoring in its own right. In a study carried out by US researchers from the Medical College of Georgia, the effects of exercise on 100 overweight children who snored were assessed. They found that both light and heavy exercise, lasting anything between 20 to 40 minutes a day, significantly decreased the loudness and frequency of their snoring.

In addition, you should reduce your intake of alcohol, as this increases the likelihood of snoring by relaxing your throat muscles. Plus try and sleep on your side as sleeping flat on your back allows the flesh of your throat to relax and block your airway. Another tip is to try sleeping without a pillow; pillows can block your airway by bending your neck.

Alternative treatments that have been found to be effective against snoring include aromatherapy and acupuncture. They are believed to work by improving the circulation of blood inside your nose, which reduces swelling and in turn improves air flow.

In addition, studies have revealed that nasal strips can provide temporary relief from nasal congestion and help reduce snoring by keeping your nostrils open and improving air flow within your throat. Another way to overcome nasal congestion is with steam inhalations of essential oils like euclalyptus blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) or peppermint (Mentha x piperata) to loosen mucus-causing congestion.