The One Sleep Position That Every Snorer Should Be Avoiding

According to psychiatrist and sleep expert Nishi Bhopal, M.D., sleeping on your back is a big contributor to snoring. The reason being, when you lie on your back, your tongue and soft palate relax to the back of your throat, causing a vibration (the snoring sound you hear).

As Bhopal explains, if you find yourself snoring while on your back, your best bet is to stay on your side as much as you can. You probably want to avoid sleeping on your stomach, too; it doesn't necessarily cause snoring, but it's very hard on the neck.

"There's an old-fashioned hack that involves attaching a tennis ball(s) to the back of your pajamas to prevent you from rolling onto your back," Bhopal tells mbg. There are even sleep position trainers that vibrate whenever they sense you're sleeping on your back, she adds, should you need the extra nudge.

Aside from your sleep position itself, which is probably the biggest factor to keep in mind, some other ways to mitigate snoring include avoiding inflammatory foods, as well as avoiding eating and drinking alcohol close to bedtime. All of these things can contribute to constricted breathing.

Before bed, you can try doing a facial steam, putting on a nasal strip, and/or using a humidifier, to open up those airways. Another pre-bed ritual to consider is using a sleep-supporting supplement, like mbg's sleep support+, to help you achieve more restorative sleep.* And of course, staying hydrated never hurts to loosen up mucus.