Aside from lowering your quality of sleep, snoring has many negative impacts on your health. This condition often causes the affected person discomfort, while becoming a nuisance to anyone sleeping in the same bedroom. Chronic snoring also leads to higher risks of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.</P> <P>Different studies have used various techniques in stopping loud and obstructed breathing, including the five essential mouth exercises below that will help you learn how to <A href="/snoring">stop snoring</A>. For best results, make these mouth exercises a part of your everyday routine. They will help strengthen the tongue and throat muscles associated with snoring.</P> <OL> <LI> <H3><STRONG> Tongue Slide</STRONG></H3> </LI> </OL> <P>Stick out your tongue to its limit and try reaching the tip of your nose and chin with it. Then, try touching your left then right cheek. Repeat quickly 10 times.</P> <OL start="2"> <LI> <H3><STRONG> Tongue Curl</STRONG></H3> </LI> </OL> <P>Move the tip of your tongue backward in your mouth so it curls towards the soft palate. Stretch it as far back as it will go, and then bring it forward to touch the back of the upper teeth. Repeat quickly 15 times.</P> <OL start="3"> <LI> <H3><STRONG> Humming Style</STRONG></H3> </LI> </OL> <P>Clench the tip of your tongue gently between your teeth, and then make a humming sound. Start humming deeply, then increase the frequency until it is as high pitched as you can make it. Repeat this 10 times.</P> <OL start="4"> <LI> <H3><STRONG> Hippo Style</STRONG></H3> </LI> </OL> <P>Just like what your doctor says when you’re there for a health check-up, open your mouth as widely as you can like a hippo, then say ‘ahhhhhhh.’ Do this for 20 seconds.</P> <OL start="5"> <LI> <H3><STRONG> Nasal Breathing</STRONG></H3> </LI> </OL> <P>Close your mouth and breathe in sharply through your nostrils. Do this rapidly in four sets five times with a five-second break between each set.</P> <H3><STRONG>Put an End to Your Sleepless Nights</STRONG></H3> <P>Sleep Better Wisconsin is here to help you stop snoring naturally and enjoy better-quality sleep. Get in touch with us for consultations. We look forward to hearing from you.
Kids with health conditions, such as asthma, obesity, and a deviated septum, are more likely to have sleeping problems. Multiple studies have shown that these sleep disorders in children can result in difficulties in academic, behavioral, social, and physical development. Some common conditions that impede a child’s ability to get proper rest are:</P> <H3><STRONG>Childhood Insomnia</STRONG></H3> <P>Everyday habits and existing medical conditions can become the reason why kids have trouble sleeping. If done routinely, watching videos, playing games, eating sugary food before bedtime, and staying up late can affect a young mind’s ability to calm down for sleep.</P> <P>Stress can trigger insomnia, especially for school-aged kids that experience academic pressure, bullying, and family issues. Sleepless nights are also typical for those with health concerns like allergies, restless leg syndrome (RLS), and teens going through hormonal changes in puberty.</P> <H3><STRONG>Kids’ Snoring </STRONG></H3> <P>When a person’s airway is obstructed, it can cause a vibration in the back of the throat that sounds like heavy mouth-breathing combined with snorting and grumbling. Even though sometimes harmless in most adults, snoring in children almost always suggests an underlying health issue.</P> <P>Young ones who struggle with colds, allergies, asthma, and obesity tend to snore because these conditions primarily affect air passage through swollen tonsils or inflamed sinuses. Children with respiratory difficulties because of second-hand smoke and contaminated air are also at high risk for mouth breathing and snoring.</P> <H3><STRONG>Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)</STRONG></H3> <P>OSA poses a more serious medical concern among <A href="/sleep-disordered-breathing-in-child/">pediatric sleep disorders</A> because of how it restricts breathing at night. For a kid with OSA, the soft tissues of the throat relax and congest the upper airway causing abrupt awakenings resulting in little to no significant rest.</P> <P>OSA in children also causes a drop in oxygen levels in the body and can manifest in behavioral and developmental issues, like lack of concentration and temper tantrums. Kids with OSA may also show signs like frequent snoring, mouth breathing, morning headaches, lethargy, and being over or underweight.</P> <H3><STRONG>Discover Oral Appliance Therapy</STRONG></H3> <P>At Sleep Better Wisconsin, we offer an alternative to powerful drugs often prescribed to treat sleep disorders in children. Consult with us and learn more about The HealthyStart® System, an oral appliance therapy designed for kids.
What to Eat for Better Sleep</STRONG></H3> <P>When it gets dark, your brain produces a sleep hormone called melatonin that tells the body it’s time to wind down. Things that expose you to artificial light, like phone screens and brightly lit rooms, affect your ability to fall asleep naturally because it hinders that process.</P> <P>The good news is that certain produce, meat, and drinks high in omega-3 and antioxidants can increase the sleep hormone, so you can doze off quickly. Consider including the following in your meals before bed:</P> <UL> <LI>Milk</LI> <LI>Chamomile Tea</LI> <LI>Passionflower Tea</LI> <LI>Cherries</LI> <LI>Grapes</LI> <LI>Kiwi</LI> <LI>Corn</LI> <LI>Asparagus</LI> <LI>Tomatoes</LI> <LI>Broccoli</LI> <LI>Cucumbers</LI> <LI>Almonds</LI> <LI>Walnuts</LI> <LI>Turkey</LI> <LI>Atlantic Salmon</LI> <LI>Tuna</LI> </UL> <H3><STRONG>What to Avoid Before Going to Bed</STRONG></H3> <P>If you’re having trouble sleeping, being more mindful of what you eat and how you prepare for bed will help immensely. Stay away from stimulants like food high in sugar and caffeine, as they trigger adrenaline and cortisol hormones that alert the whole body. These include:</P> <UL> <LI>Candy Bars</LI> <LI>Cookies</LI> <LI>Donuts</LI> <LI>Ice Cream</LI> <LI>Coffee</LI> <LI>Black Tea</LI> </UL> <P>Meanwhile, saturated fat found in meats and processed food can exacerbate indigestion and weight gain, causing other sleep disorders like night sweats and snoring. Avoid excess fat in the following foods:</P> <UL> <LI>Processed Meats (sausage, bacon, ham, and pepperoni)</LI> <LI>Heavy Creams and Cheese</LI> <LI>Deep-Fried Fries and Chips</LI> </UL> <H3><STRONG>Start Getting Real Rest</STRONG></H3> <P>At Sleep Better Wisconsin, we provide obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment through oral appliance therapy. While on the program, consult your primary care doctor regarding a nutrition plan to best suit your condition and needs.
