Can’t stop snoring? These 3 everyday habits could be making it worse, says sleep expert

If you can’t stop snoring, you might be surprised to learn that you could be making it worse if you do these three things on a regular – if not daily – basis.

The main cause of snoring is the narrowing of your airways which causes vibrations in your nose, mouth and throat. There are many reasons people snore, including weight, age and sleep position, but persistent snoring can become a serious issue.

Snoring can affect the quality and quantity of your sleep, and lead to problems like tiredness, inability to concentrate and irritability. If you share a bed, your partner could be impacted by your snoring, too – my husband started snoring last year and it wakes me up on a regular basis!

But according to Aaron M. Fuhrman, sleep expert, and founder and CEO Sleepay, snorers are unknowingly sabotaging and disrupting their sleep with normal everyday habits – here are three things you’re probably doing regularly that could be making your snoring worse.

1. Eating too much protein before bed

According to Fuhrman, “eating high protein meals within four hours of bedtime could be working against you when it comes to snoring.” Food can have a big impact on how well you sleep at night – see 8 foods to eat before bed and 4 to avoid for more details – with most of it to do with digestion.

Compared to carbohydrates and lighter foods, protein rich foods tend to take longer to digest. If your body is working to digest food while you sleep, this can cause you to stay awake for longer as your body is working overtime. In relation to snoring, the “digestive process can cause inflammation and relaxation of the muscles in your throat and airways, making them more likely to vibrate and cause snoring.”

2. Having an alcohol nightcap

One of the key rules of good sleep hygiene is to avoid alcohol and caffeine before bed as it can impact your overall sleep and your likelihood to snore. As alcohol is a muscle relaxant, having a drink before bed can feel relaxing but it can have this relaxing effect on the “tissues in your throat, tongue and soft palate which can cause them to collapse more easily into your airways while you sleep”, says Fuhrman.

3. Not exercising or moving enough during the day

Exercise plays a big role in regulating your circadian rhythm, so if you’re not moving enough during the day, this could have an impact on your sleep. Fuhrman explains that “regular physical activity strengthens the muscles in your body, including those in your airway. When these muscles are toned, they’re better able to stay open during sleep which reduces snoring dramatically.”

If your snoring is still keeping you up, try these 5 techniques to stop snoring.