From a tongue zapper to breathing classes I tried them all… so what finally stopped me snoring? 

Every night, shortly after my girlfriend and I go to sleep, the peaceful tranquility of our single room is shattered by a cacophony of restless rumbling. At least 15 million men and women in the UK regularly snore – and unfortunately I’m one of them.

Men in particular are much more likely to be noisy sleepers because we have larger upper airways, amplifying nighttime noises.

Alcohol intake and weight gain make snoring worse because they loosen our airways, resulting in the soft tissue vibrations that cause the snoring sound; while a stuffy nose can force you to breathe through your mouth, which also causes snoring.

In my case, it happens when I roll onto my back during sleep and retract my jaw, narrowing the airway.

Aside from annoying your partner — according to the Mayo Clinic, women get 13 percent less sleep a night when their other half snores — in some cases, snoring can be a sign of a serious health condition called sleep apnea, in which the airway collapses. during sleep, short interruption of breathing.

Men in particular are much more likely to be loud sleepers because we have larger upper airways, amplifying nighttime noises (stock image)

“Snoring in itself is not necessarily a cause for concern,” says Guy Leschziner, a professor of neurology and sleep medicine at King’s College London.

“But if it’s interfering with your breathing, it could be sleep apnea, which is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms and even dementia.”

While sleep apnea, which is thought to affect up to 10 percent of middle-aged adults, can be improved by losing weight or wearing a mask that pumps air to keep the airways open, there are other ways to stop standard snoring. to go.

And with an increasing number of products and wellness regimens promising relief, I put five of them to the test. To monitor their effectiveness, I downloaded the SnoreLab app. Designed by sleep scientist Jules Goldberg after his wife complained about his snoring, it uses advanced algorithms to detect, record and measure how much you snore each night.

I then gave each product a snore score based on the app results, my friend’s feedback, cost, and ease of use.

Nasal spray to tighten tissues

Asonor snoring nasal spray, £12.45, amazon.co.uk

Claim: This spray contains ingredients like polysorbate 80 and glycerol, which the maker says “lubricates and softens the mucous membranes in the throat, while also slightly tightening the muscles.” They say it is the vibration of these (dry) mucous membranes that causes the snoring — the spray is a ‘clinically proven and medically tested snoring solution’. Use before going to sleep: you spray four times in each nostril.

Expert opinion: Professor Chris Fox, a psychiatrist who runs a national sleep research program at the University of Exeter, says: ‘It’s cheap and it uses these chemicals to moisten things in the throat, which can work, so I think it’s worth a try’ . he says, “and it won’t hurt you.”

“However, it claims to be clinically validated, but there are no links to the research on the website,” adds Dr Sophie Bostock, an independent sleep scientist who helped roll out the NHS Sleepio digital sleep improvement programme.

My review: This made no particularly noticeable difference.

Result of the SnoreLab app: Snoring for 35 minutes.

My rating: 4/10

Tongue zapper to open airway

Zeus anti-snore device, £150, zeussleep.co.uk

Claim: Aimed at “throat snorers,” the maker says this gadget (pictured, in the writer’s hand) sticks to the skin just below the chin and sends out a mild electrical current to stimulate the tongue muscles to contract, opening the airways ‘to aid blissful, uninterrupted sleep’.

Expert opinion: ‘This device works through the skin, transmitting electrical signals to the tongue and bringing it forward,’ says Vik Veer, head of sleep surgery at the Royal National ENT Hospital in London. ‘This way you don’t block your breathing at night and you sleep without snoring or sleep apnea.’

Whether it works for you or not depends on the cause of your snoring, he says: This device is for snorers whose tongue drops back while sleeping.

“If you lie on your back at night and you suffer from snoring, then lying on your side is more likely to work for you.”

My review: For me, this was the most effective of the interventions I tested. At first it feels strange to have a light weight, sort of like a coin, on your throat as you go to sleep – but it’s comfortable and after a few nights I forgot I was wearing it.

The stimulation it exerts on your tongue is so mild that I didn’t notice it while sleeping and according to the SnoreLab app, I definitely snored a lot less.

The only downside to this is that you have to remember to charge it every few days.

Result of the SnoreLab app: No snoring.

My rating: 8/10

Mattress to support the sleeping position

Emma Premium Mattress, £413.10, emma-sleep.co.uk

Claim: “Studies show that sleeping on your side is best for good breath control and reduction in snoring,” says Theresa Schnorbach, a sleep scientist at Emma The Sleep Company, adding that this mattress “has high-tech springs combined with advanced Halo Memory Foam.” which she suggests will provide good support for side sleeping and “improve sleep quality.”

Expert opinion: According to Professor Leschziner, any mattress or pillow that supports your spine well and helps keep your throat and neck aligned is likely to help curb snoring because it helps keep your airways open.

“But some people may find that a firmer mattress makes it more uncomfortable to lie in a different position, so it may not always be the solution,” he says.

My review: Our previous mattress was quite soft, so it took me about a month to sleep comfortably on a much firmer memory foam mattress.

But now that I’ve kept it up, I feel like I’m definitely sleeping better.

However, my partner said it didn’t make much of a difference to my snoring.

Result of the SnoreLab app: 15 minutes of snoring (after a month of use).

My rating: 6/10

Breathing classes to train muscles

Free on YouTube, or find a local instructor (group lessons cost £11-12 per session)

Claim: A course in which you learn a series of breathing exercises, said to train the throat muscles to strengthen and stimulate nasal breathing during sleep.

“Breathing techniques are about learning how to breathe using your diaphragm (the dome-shaped muscle under the lungs),” says Sophie Arkana, a breathwork instructor based in London.

Learning this, she says, helps keep the airways open while you sleep. A 2020 study in the journal Heart & Lung found that a form of breathwork called inspiratory muscle training can help reduce snoring.

Expert opinion: ‘Breathwork can strengthen the muscles in the throat – making them less likely to vibrate – and reduce the risk of mouth breathing during sleep,’ says Dr Bostock. “When you lie on your back and breathe through your mouth, the jaw puts pressure on the soft tissue at the back of the throat, creating a constriction that can cause snoring.”

By learning to breathe through your nose instead, you can stop snoring. ‘While many people normally breathe through their mouths, nasal breathing allows for a more efficient transfer of oxygen, as well as heating, filtering and dehumidification of the air we breathe,’ says Dr Bostock.

My review: I took one-hour breathwork classes at a wellness retreat for a week, which made a difference surprisingly quickly — I literally quit overnight — but free YouTube classes are a cheaper option. The only downside is that you have to keep doing the lessons because you can fall into old habits.

Result of the SnoreLab app: No snoring (night after my sessions).

My rating: 8/10

Air purifier to remove irritants

Philips 3000i Series Air Purifier, £484.99, philips.co.uk

Claim: The company told me, “There have been a number of studies linking snoring to factors such as air pollution and air problems caused by humidity.

‘Philips air purifiers help remove viruses, allergens, aerosols and pollutants in the home, providing cleaner, healthier air instantly, which can be a real benefit for a healthier and more restful night’.

Expert opinion: ‘We know that the presence of dust or even pollen during hay fever season can exacerbate and trigger snoring in some people,’ says Professor Fox. This is because they cause nasal congestion and you are more likely to snore if you breathe through your mouth during sleep. So such an air purifier can do no harm and can reduce the triggers, “he says.

My review: As a city dweller in a cramped, often untidy, one-bed apartment, I was eager to see if improving air quality could help. But while I slept better with the air purifier at night, it only made a small difference to my snoring. Using an air purifier on a regular basis also leads to higher electricity bills, so it may not be a long-term solution.

Result of the SnoreLab app: 22 minutes of snoring.

My rating: 5/10

Dynamic Duos: Nutrients that work best when consumed together

This week: Vitamin B12 and folic acid

Try: Poached eggs on steamed asparagus or spinach

A deficiency of vitamin B12 or folic acid (vitamin B9) can lead to anemia. “Folic acid needs B12 for absorption, storage and metabolism, but the two nutrients also work together for cell division and replication,” explains dietician Orli Rhodes. “They are also vital for a healthy nervous system and for breaking down homocysteine, which can damage the walls of blood vessels.” Vitamin B12 is found in foods of animal origin, such as eggs, red meat, fish, seafood and poultry; and folic acid is found in plant foods like avocado, berries, and broccoli.

Try: poached eggs on steamed asparagus or spinach; whole wheat pasta with broccoli and salmon; or steak with a green leaf salad.