Yoga Poses To Prevent Snoring

Snoring occurs when one’s breathing is partially obstructed. While occasional snoring is not a very serious issue, apart from the fact that you are disturbing your partner, habitual snoring is a matter of concern. It does not just disrupt your sleep quality but also indicates a serious health concern, which you may be ignoring.

Snoring is caused due to clogged nasal airways, consuming alcohol before going to bed, obesity, deviated nasal septum, or a poor muscle tone in the throat and tongue.

Pranayama, the yoga of breath, is the solution to overcome snoring. This patterned breathing helps you gain control over your sleep.

Yoga Poses To Prevent Snoring

1. Bhramari Pranayama (The Humming Bee Pose)

1. Sit cross-legged with your back straight (lotus pose) and eyes closed.
2. Place your thumbs on the ears, index fingers on the eyes, middle fingers on the nose, ring fingers on the upper lip, and your little fingers between your chin and lower lip.
3. Inhale a deep breath and exhale in a controlled manner while making a humming sound.
4. This technique ensures a free flow of air to the nasal passages, helping overcome snoring. It also improves concentration power and brings in relaxation.

[Read More: Other Natural Ways To Reduce Snoring]

2. Kapalbhati

This technique utilizes forceful inhalation and exhalation to improve the function of the cranial sinus.

1. Sit comfortably with your spine fully erect. Let your palms be open and facing the sky while placing them on the knees.
2. Inhale deeply.
3. While you exhale, pull your navel back towards your spine. The exhalation should be forceful like you are trying to push the breath out of the body.
4. As you begin this breathing practice, you can place your right hand on your abdominal muscles to feel them contract. This also helps you focus better.
5. Relax your abdomen and release your navel, which automatically causes the next inhalation.
6. 20 counts of these constitute one round.
7. You can notice the gush of blood throughout your upper body as you finish one round.
8. Repeat for 2 more rounds and keep increasing the count every week.

3. Nadi Shodhan Pranayama

1. Sit comfortably with your spine erect.
2. Place your left hand in your lap and your right hand in front of your face.
3. Place your index and middle finger of the right hand between your eyebrows. Ring and little finger on your left nostril, and thumb on the right nostril.
4. With closed eyes, inhale deeply.
5. Use the right thumb to gently close the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril.
6. Now, inhale through the left nostril, close the left nostril using the ring and little fingers and exhale through your right nostril after releasing the thumb.
7. Continue breathing in through your right nostril and breathing out through your left.
8. This completes one round of Nadi shodhan pranayama.
9. Continue for 9 more rounds.

4. Bhastrika

1. Sit in a comfortable position and relax your shoulders. Take a few breaths in and out through your nose.
2. The inhales and exhales in this technique are forceful.
3. With each inhale, expand your stomach as fully as you can.
4. Exhale forcefully through your nose.
5. Next, inhale forcefully for 1 second.
6. Continue this forceful inhalation and exhalation of one second each for at least 10 times.
7. Pause for a few seconds in between to feel the tingling sensation and repeat for 20 more times.
8. You can increase the counts every day to see the difference.

5. Ujjayi Pranayama

1. Sit in a comfortable position with your spine erect and eyes closed.
2. Inhale slowly through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Produce the sound “Hhiiss” while exhaling.
3. Continue doing the same but with your mouth closed while exhaling. Continue making the “Hhisss” sound which arises from the throat.
4. In both the cases, make sure the sound originates from your throat and not from your nose.
5. This technique humidifies the air you breathe and subtly vibrates your bronchi. This removes the dust particles from the lungs.