You probably have the same question as many other people. Does a humidifier help with snoring? Whether it’s you or your partner, snoring can cause a rude awaking in the middle of the night. One moment you’re pleasantly dreaming, and the next, you’re suddenly up, catching your breathing, or listening to your partner catch their breath. While snoring is a common experience for many, it can also cause difficulties in overall health and wellness.
Snoring can be brought on by many different triggers, from allergies to colds to other sinus problems. Snoring can also be caused by living in a dry climate or breathing in dry air from an air conditioning system. This dry air can cause difficulty breathing and lead to an increase in snoring levels. When people search for remedies to fix their snoring problems, people often look for nasal strips or figure out different sleeping positions.
Snoring is often caused by dry air, allergies, or a cold. A humidifier can be a great resource in helping you sleep well and stop snoring. How does a humidifier help combat chronic snoring and how does it work? Our team at Hey Dewy will share with you why a humidifier can help transform your sleeping habits and get you on a path towards a better night of healthier sleep.
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Does a Humidifier Help With Snoring?
When dealing with a chronic snoring concern triggered by a range of things, people often look to resources that'll help improve their overall well-being. You might change up your diet and exercise habits to get in better shape. You might try nasal strips that help control the airways in your nose to help air move through more freely. In addition, a humidifier can also be a great resource in helping you to stop snoring.
Humidifiers are a home appliance that elevates the moisture levels in the air in a room. You can have stand-alone units or ones that are already built into your home. While various sizes and types can work for your needs, typically, a portable option is most convenient and effective when used for your snoring habits.
However, as you explore a humidifier as a solution to your snoring problem, it’s important to keep in mind that everyone’s snoring problem is different. What works for one person might not work for others. Keep this versatility in mind and be willing to try new things as you look for a solution to your snoring condition.
Dry Air Environments
Primarily, humidifiers are most effective when snoring is brought on by breathing in dry air. If that dry air has led to other concerns such as nasal congestion or other throat irritations, a humidifier can be beneficial.
When the air is dry, and you breathe in that air, the tissues of your throat and nose become irritated. There isn't enough moisture in the air you breathe to soften the passage of air. This irritation can also make snoring much worse and lead to other issues in throat soreness. This also narrows the airways in your nose and throat, causing restrictions and difficulty in breathing. This can also make you snore more often.
As dry air tends to happen more often during the cold seasons when you have your heater cranked up, a humidifier might be most effective during those times of the year. Have you noticed how colds and increased sinus congestion happen more commonly during the winter months?
In dry air environments, your body needs to produce more mucus in your mouth and throat due to the decreased moisture in the air. However, this also causes a heightened risk of sinus congestion and blocks the nasal passages. This restriction can make it more difficult to breathe and more likely for you to start snoring.
When using a humidifier, that moisture is put back into the air to help alleviate the dry air and the effects. It increases the humidity levels in your enclosed space. If you live in an area where the air is already naturally humid, a humidifier might not be effective. Therefore, you might be able to conclude that your snoring is not due to dry air but some other lingering condition you will want to explore.
Cleaning Air
Another trigger point for snoring is the allergens and dust that float through the air. A humidifier can help clean the air. When a humidifier is operating, it cycles the air through and releases purified air. This process also eliminates the dust and allergens in the air that can aggravate snoring even more. The increase in moisture in the air prevents the allergens and dust from releasing back into the air and getting into your airways as you sleep and breathe.
Using a Humidifier for Snoring Relief
Typically, it’s recommended to turn on the dehumidifier about an hour before you go to bed so that the air is nice and moisturized by the time you're ready to go to bed. You’ll also want the humidifier to keep running throughout the night for the best results in your breathing. Be sure to turn it off in the morning when you get up.
If you have a humidifier in your bedroom, keep the humidifier about five to six feet from your bed. This gives you enough space to move around it and keeps it close enough for it to be most effective in purifying and moisturizing the air that is closest to you.
If your room is already humid, turning on a humidifier might not be as effective. It could increase the risk of other problems such as mold growth and a sticky feeling, which is why it's recommended that you clean these devices.
Choosing the Right Humidifier
Just as for many other household appliances, humidifiers come in various types, sizes, and price points. Generally, a small portable humidifier is most often recommended as they are easy to transport and take along. They also come at a much lower price point than some of the more established and robust models. Small portable versions of humidifiers also make them easy to travel with if you need a humidifier while traveling.
Other considerations to keep in mind as you select the right humidifier for you and your snoring needs is how much power you need it to have. If you have a small bedroom, you might need one that has lower power than if you had a much larger bedroom or kept the humidifier in a much larger room. Especially if you have difficulty sleeping due to noise, you’ll want to choose a humidifier that runs very quietly. A very loud and obnoxious fan or operating noise might not help your overall sleeping habits.
Humidifiers Can Provide Relief, Not a Cure
As with many other medical conditions, there is a difference between minimizing the symptoms and addressing the condition's underlying cause. In the case of snoring, adding a humidifier into your nightly routine is a way of eliminating the symptoms and triggers that are common for snoring. It does not, however, treat the underlying cause of when you snore in the first place.
These causes could include things like poor health or smoking habits. These underlying reasons should also be addressed as you move toward better health. If something doesn't feel right, it's best if you visit the doctor for professional help. While a humidifier can improve a person's well-being, it's not a solution to fix a health problem.
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