Most people snore when they are in deep sleep. Snoring is believed to be basically as part of sleep so it is just an accepted as it is. However, medical studies have shown some concern that snoring, especially snoring too heavily during sleep may be harmful to a person’s health. In lieu of this condition, snoring exercises have been recommended to prevent or at least lessen snoring during sleep.

Snoring happens due to some obstruction in the air passage while asleep. The heavy breathing during sleep causes the soft palate in the mouth to make the snoring sound. In addition to this, the tongue adds more to the snoring sound when it naturally rolls back a little towards the air passage. The other obstructions may be due to a stuffy nose, tensed throat and the incorrect position of the jaw while asleep.

There are practical exercises recommended to stop snoring or at least lessen it.

• Pretend that you are chewing a gum. The chewing exercises your mouth, tongue and jaws. Do this for about a minute and as daily as you can.

• Try to protrude the lower jaw over the upper jaw with your teeth showing while in this protruding position. Make a count of ten and try to do this exercise 5-10 times a day.

• Open the mouth as wide as you can for a few seconds then close making sure the lips are tightly closed together.

• Bring your lips together as if blowing a kiss and hold this position for about 5 seconds then relax. Repeat at least 5 times on a daily basis.

• Make an exaggerated smile with your mouth and hold this position for about 5 seconds then relax.

• Pretend that you are sipping some juice as this is also a good exercise for the jaw.

• Do this in front of the mirror to properly do it. Put your tongue out and stretch as far as you can, make sure that it stays straight. Then move the tongue left and right touching the corners of the lips.

• With your hand on the jaw, open the mouth wide and put enough pressure on the lower jaw that you can handle. Hold for a count of 5 then relax. Try this exercise as many times as you can.

Doctors have recommended some more mouth and tongue exercises that would be helpful to prevent snoring.

• The tongue is exercised by saying this phrase at least 10-20 times before going to sleep. "The lips, the teeth, the tip of the tongue" saying it over and over like a tongue twister.

• Say the surprise expressions of "ah-oh" or "ahh" with some exaggeration of being surprised.

Coupled with the above snoring exercises is the practice of eating healthy and observing a healthy life style. Snoring is also heavily attributed to being overweight, too much drinking of alcohol, smoking and stress-related activities.

Also, for further information to prevent snoring, it would be better if you sleep on your stomach or make it a habit to sleep sideways. Propping up your neck with 2 or 3 pillows would help stop snoring.

Mark Perry

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