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Sleep Health

What’s Making You Snore: Menopause, Allergies, or Sleeping Position? Try These 3 Natural Solutions

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We’ve all woken up exhausted after a full night of sleep. It’s frustrating, uncomfortable, and stressful — how else will your body recharge if sleeping isn’t even restful? If you feel like this often, you may be among the large number of adults who don’t realize they snore. With fall allergies on the rise, your chances of snoring are even higher. When you snore, your body isn’t able to get the rest it needs … and whoever shares a bedroom with you probably isn’t getting much rest either. Luckily, you can stop snoring with these three natural tips.

Snoring Caused by Menopause

Your reasons for snoring could be many. For one, your risk of snoring increases during menopause as levels of respiration-regulating estrogen drop, and snoring can interrupt your sleep patterns, leaving you tossing and turning all night.

For a natural solution, incorporate lavender oil into your bedtime routine. Research shows that inhaling lavender oil before sleeping has a positive effect on sleep quality, and it can also help with other menopause symptoms, like headaches and hot flashes. To get these benefits, put a few drops in an oil diffuser (Buy now from Amazon, $15.99) before you go to bed.

Snoring Caused by Allergies

If fall allergies have you sniffling during the day, that same symptom will cause you to snore at night. One easy way to sidestep trouble: Give your sinuses a quick mist with capsaicin nose spray just before you lie down for the night. Research in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology suggests the natural anti-inflammatory compound (derived from red peppers) eliminates snore-triggering congestion entirely in less than two minutes. Plus, it won’t cause a vicious cycle of “rebound congestion” that often happens within three days of using most nasal sprays. One to try: Xlear Max Nasal Spray with Capsicum (Buy now from Amazon, $11.68).

Snoring Caused by Sleep Position

Sorry, back-sleepers. If you’re sleeping on your back, you may have an increased chance of snoring. Luckily, there’s a natural — and free — solution: Just switch to your side. Research shows that sleeping on your side can cut snoring by preventing your tongue from blocking your airways. Plus, sleeping in this position removes more toxins from your brain, contributing to brain health, say Stony Brook University scientists. Tip: Tuck a tennis ball beneath the back of your pajama top to prevent yourself from unconsciously rolling onto your back. If you start to turn over, the feeling of the ball will nudge you back onto your side without waking you.

As with any health advice, make sure you talk to your doctor to determine the severity of your snoring issues before you make any lifestyle changes. Stop your snoring and sleep tight!

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.

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