Strategy 4: Practice Good Sleep Hygiene
Good sleep hygiene isn’t just a catchy phrase; it’s a foundational aspect of quality rest. Just like personal hygiene impacts our overall health, sleep hygiene affects our sleep quality and patterns. The premise is simple: regular habits and environmental factors can promote consistent, uninterrupted sleep. This, in turn, can reduce the susceptibility to snoring.
The environment we choose to sleep in has a substantial impact on our sleep quality. This includes factors like the room’s temperature, lighting, and noise levels. Keeping the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet signals to the body that it’s time to wind down. Also, investing in a good quality mattress and pillow can ensure that the spine and neck are properly aligned, reducing the chances of airway obstruction.
Human beings are creatures of habit. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends, sets a biological clock. This regularity reduces the chances of sleep disruptions, which can sometimes be a precursor to snoring.
Electronics, especially screens, emit blue light, which can mess with our body’s production of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone. To maintain solid sleep hygiene, it’s advised to avoid screens at least an hour before bedtime. Reading a book, listening to soft music, or practicing relaxation techniques can be good alternatives.(4)
