Up to half of adults snore at some point, with about one in four snoring regularly. Some people only snore in certain sleeping positions or after consuming alcohol, and snoring frequency tends to increase with age.
While snoring may seem like a harmless quirk (or maybe not so much to your bed partner), it could actually be a sign of a serious underlying health problem. If you or a loved one snore regularly, it’s worth talking to your doctor. It may also be time to invest in a better bed.
In this guide, we’ll reveal common causes for snoring and discuss whether adjustable beds can help with snoring. Let’s get started!
What Causes Snoring?
Snoring is the sound produced when the tissues in the back of your throat vibrate as you inhale. It’s typically a sign that air isn’t flowing freely through your nose or mouth, which could be related to any number of factors.
Some of the most common risk factors for snoring include:
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Airway obstruction - Certain anatomical features may obstruct your airway, like having a narrow throat, elongated soft palate, enlarged tonsils, or a large tongue.
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Obesity - Having excess fat around your neck can put pressure on your airway, causing it to narrow or collapse during sleep.
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Respiratory ailments - Having a deviated septum, chronic congestion, or allergies which force you to breathe through your mouth can cause snoring.
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Alcohol and medication - Drinking alcohol and taking sedatives or muscle relaxants before bed may cause the throat muscles to relax during sleep.
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Sleeping position - If you sleep on your back, it may allow your tongue to fall backward into your throat and obstruct your airway.
Any of the above can cause mild or occasional snoring. If you snore loudly or frequently, however, it could be a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In addition to loud snoring, people with OSA often exhibit gasping or choking during sleep as well as repeated pauses in breathing and daytime sleepiness.
Do Adjustable Beds Really Stop Snoring?
Many things can be resolved with a good night’s sleep and sometimes getting better sleep involves changing your bed. When it comes to snoring, however, upgrading to a higher quality mattress might not do the trick. It’s all about head elevation.
Raising the head of your bed could be the solution to your snoring, and swapping out your static bed frame for an adjustable model might be the best way to do it.
An adjustable bed enables you to raise the head of your bed at the touch of a button. Individual needs vary, but many people find that an angle of 20 to 30 degrees helps to significantly reduce snoring. Why? Because it helps keep your airways open, enabling you to breathe more easily during sleep.
What Is the Best Bed to Stop Snoring?
If you’re hesitant to change your sleep setup, think about this: you spend roughly one-third of your life sleeping and the quality of sleep you get has a significant impact on your health and wellness. Snoring isn’t an indication of quality sleep. In fact, it’s usually the opposite.
And if you think putting blocks under the legs at the head of your bed will do the trick, you may run into the following challenges:
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It may reduce the stability and safety of your bed, potentially damaging the frame or causing it to collapse.
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Elevating one end of the frame leads to increased pressure on the other legs, which can cause the mattress to sag in the middle.
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You may end up sliding down during the night or develop neck pain from sleeping at an angle that’s too steep for comfort.
To put it simply, the best bed to stop snoring is an adjustable bed. These are beds designed specifically to enable incremental adjustments without compromising the overall stability of the bed.
Depending on the model, an adjustable bed may offer separate head and foot articulation. This means you can raise or lower both the head and foot of the bed separately, which makes it easy to find a position that’s comfortable for you to sleep in AND that stops your snoring. If you have back pain, consider a model with a zero gravity preset that puts your body in a neutral position to improve circulation and reduce pressure on your spine.
And if you sleep with a partner, definitely look into an adjustable bed with anti-snore technology. Integrated anti-snore features detect snoring using smart sensors and automatically raise the head of the bed for you.
Sleep Soundly with ErgoMotion
If you snore regularly, check in with your doctor to determine the underlying cause. Whether it’s a matter of habit or health, your doctor can also help you decide whether upgrading to an adjustable bed might be beneficial.
You may not even need to buy a new mattress! As long as your current mattress is flexible (not a stiff innerspring mattress), it should be compatible with an adjustable bed frame.
If you’re ready to start shopping for an adjustable bed, check out the selection at Ergomotion.