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8 Foods that Cause Snoring: Avoid These at All Costs!

Snoring is a huge issue for many people — almost half of the population snores at least occasionally. Most of us would do anything to get rid of this intrusive, annoying condition. Well, there might be a slight chance to improve it, if not completely get rid of it.

Some studies show that certain food groups and groceries can worsen your snoring. Therefore, it’s only logical that by avoiding these foods, you can ease your condition.

What Causes Snoring?

Snoring is caused by airflow that vibrates the loose tissue in our throat. It usually happens during the deep sleep stages of the sleep cycle.

In these stages, the tissues and muscles in our throats are so loose that our nasal passages get constricted. That’s when we start to produce wheezing, and hoarse sounds that annoy the people around us.

Common Causes

A wide variety of factors can influence how often and how loudly we snore. More often than not, it’s caused by your lifestyle or your surroundings. However, there are some medical conditions, like sleep apnea, that you can’t control. Conditions like snoring can be alleviated by avoiding different types of food groups.

Becoming aware of the types of food that can worsen these types of problems (or ease it) is essential.

Are the Types of Foods the Problem?

While it’s true that food, in general, isn’t the sole cause, but some foods can worsen it. For example, some food groups can loosen your muscles even more than the deep sleep does. Given that the loose throat tissue is the primary cause of snoring, you might want to avoid foods that would further loosen these muscles.

Furthermore, some types of food can cause inflammation and increase mucus production, which also irritates things more. Therefore, you should not consume allergens and food that you might be sensitive to right before going to bed.

8 Foods to Avoid Before Bed

To disturb your partner less with your snoring, or just have a peaceful night of sleep, you should definitely avoid the following food groups and types of food and drink. For example, we know it’s hard, but it’s best to resist wheat and alcohol before going to bed.

Here are the eight foods to avoid:

1. Wheat

You might think that avoiding wheat is merely the newest annoying trend. However, it’s true that processed wheat flour isn’t that great for your health. It can cause inflammation and boost the molecules in charge of the mucus production, leaving your nasal passages restricted, and your snoring louder and more frequent than ever.

2. Sugar

We all know that sugar is one of the worst enemies of health. However, it seems as though the consequences are neverending. Sugar can worsen your snoring in the same way that processed wheat does.

Sugar increases the natural production of phlegm and restricts your passages. What’s more, it increases the production of cytokines, another matter that increases inflammation. It seems like a slice of cake before bed is the worst thing you can do if you’re trying to avoid waking your partner up. However, it isn’t just processed sugar that you should worry about.

3. Fruit

Natural sugars can cause the same type of inflammation that processed sugar does. Both processed and natural sugar will spike your energy levels. Therefore, if you eat them right before going to bed, you won’t get a good night’s sleep, and you’ll most likely be restless.

4. Soy

Even though it’s considered to be a highly beneficial food, soy isn’t a good option. Similarly to sugar and wheat, soy can cause inflammation and phlegm that will drip down your throat once you go to bed.

5. High-Fat Meat

High-fat meats like hamburger meat or bacon also cause a lot of inflammation due to the high levels of saturated fat. Therefore, leaner meats, like skinless chicken, might be a better option.

6. Dairy

Dairy causes our bodies to produce mucus that lines the throat and restricts the airway. Dairy is also very hard to digest for most people. Therefore, having a glass of milk before bed can lead to restless nights, rather than a good night’s sleep as the myth would suggest.

7. Alcohol

Alcohol doesn’t cause phlegm production, but it does loosen our muscles. Drinking right before going to bed will most likely cause you to snore. If you’re drinking but don’t want to keep the entire house awake, then make sure you stop consuming alcohol at least three hours before going to bed.

8. Coffee

Coffee not only increases the inflammation in your airways but it also keeps you awake. If you drink coffee, tea, or energy drinks that contain caffeine right before going to bed, you will likely run into problems.

Coffee is an even bigger problem than alcohol when it comes to snoring, and you should avoid it at least 4 hours before going to bed.

References

Clayton Dillon
Clayton, like millions of people, suffers from issues related to sleep. After decades of poor sleep and hundreds of hours of independent research, he decided to create a resource and share his findings with fellow snorers.
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Snoring Source is an opinion-based informational resource for sleep. Snoring Source does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.