Yoga and exercise for snoring

Exercise and breathing practices can reduce snoring, mainly by lowering weight, improving nasal breathing and toning the muscles of the upper airway. They work best for simple snoring and as support alongside medical treatment.

Helpful activities

• Regular aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, cycling or swimming on most days; it reduces weight and improves sleep quality.
• Throat and tongue exercises (oropharyngeal exercises): pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth, tongue slides, and repeating vowel sounds, done daily for several weeks. Studies show these can reduce snoring frequency and loudness.
• Singing or playing wind instruments, which train the same muscles.

Yoga and pranayama

• Gentle asanas such as cat-cow, cobra, bridge and child's pose to open the chest and relax before bed.
• Bhramari (humming bee breath) may help nasal and throat tone.
• Anulom Vilom (alternate nostril breathing) supports calm nasal breathing.
• Jala neti (saline nasal wash) is traditionally used to clear the nose; use clean, properly prepared water.

How to practise

• Ten to fifteen minutes daily is a good start.
• Practise breathing exercises gently, without long breath holds.
• Avoid vigorous exercise within two to three hours of bedtime.

What they cannot do Yoga cannot fix a deviated septum, large tonsils or sleep apnea. Loud snoring with pauses needs a sleep test and medical treatment.