Can pillows cause snoring?
We all love our pillows, but did you know that your pillow could be causing you to snore?
Yes, that pillow you’ve been sleeping on for years can contribute to snoring. You might have grown attached to the pillow, but do not get used to snoring.
Snoring is annoying for you and your partner, and it could lead to more serious health problems like sleep apnea. Not to mention, snoring impacts your mood, productivity, metabolism and your daily life.
Here is why your pillow could be causing your snoring and poor sleep.
Comfort
An uncomfortable pillow can cause you to have a sore neck and restless night. Make sure you find the one that fits your sleeping patterns. That way you will adjust your pillow-less and sleep with less interruption.
If you sleep hot, you may want to stay away from memory foam pillows. The foam can act like a sponge that traps heat. This may lead to you sweating and turning more in your sleep.
Tiredness and dehydration can both increase snoring. Therefore, it is important to find a pillow that is comfortable and fits your sleep position.
Sleep Position
There is no special pillow that directly ends snoring. However, a pillow my cause you to snore by the way your head rests.
Sleeping on your back is known to cause snoring. Further, tilting the head forward worsens breathing patterns. These positions cause the throat and mouth to relax too much. Hence, these limp muscles vibrate and cause snoring. Therefore, your pillow could be making your sleep position and snoring worse.
This is also the case if you use too many pillows or pillows that are too hard. You may like how they feel, but they could be bad for sleeping and breathing patterns. Instead, you want a pillow that leaves your head tilted backwards or neutral.
You could look for a pillow that encourages side sleeping. However, that may take some adjustment if you normally sleep on your back. Pillows come in different shapes and comforts. There are some that support the neck properly during back sleep, as well as some thin ones that promote stomach sleeping.
Otherwise, you may find increased results by forming a wedge with your pillows. Some people find that sleeping in this elevated position decreases snoring.
Either way, this is a short-term and uncomfortable solution. You’re better off sleeping in a recliner or adding an adjustable foundation to your mattress. These are more supportive ways of elevating your sleep position. Plus, adding more pillows may just increase the allergens in the room as you sleep.
Pollen and Allergens
Dust mites in pillows can cause allergic reactions that can make you snore. The same goes for pollen from outside.
Our noses simply suck in the allergens as we sleep in old or dirty pillows. These irritants cause inflammation in the nose and throat which can block the breathing passageways. Hence, the allergens in our pillows could make us snore. Germs in living spaces can also cause respiratory infections that cause short-term snoring.
This means you should do your house cleaning by dusting your room, washing your bedding, cleaning your curtains and vacuuming your floors.
Entering the bed clean and keeping pets out of the room may also limit allergens in the room. Moreover, you may want to omit feather pillows from the bed. These could also cause the allergic reactions that lead to snoring.
Either way, you want to wash your pillows every other week. You can also run these in the dryer on air fluff. Further, you should replace older pillows after six months. Otherwise, you can buy washable pillow protectors for more expensive pillows.
Finally, buy a variety of pillow shapes and sizes so you can alternate until you find a pillow that works. At the very least, you want to find a pillow that does not hurt you.
Unfortunately, finding a clean and comfortable pillow does not guarantee success against snoring. There are many factors that create this common annoyance and serious health problem.
Before you contact a doctor about this serious problem, you can try SnoreStop. A natural solution can help fight the allergic reactions caused by pillows. We offer a Starter Kit that targets the three specific locations where snoring occurs. SnoreStop can help you sleep better without disturbing your sleep like mouth guards or headgear which are cumbersome to wear all night long.
