Stop Snoring with Essential Oils
Any way you look at it snoring is annoying to the non-snoring party. Snoring can be caused by a number of reasons such as a deviated septum, receding chin, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, sleep apnea, smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity or the airway may be blocked or narrowed during sleep because the throat muscles are more relaxed. Other reasons would also include colds, allergies, and nasal congestion.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a dangerous condition that only occurs during sleep and often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Sleep apnea causes the airway to become blocked or collapse causing the breathing to completely or partially stop, and the lack of oxygen will usually lead to a loud snort which will awake the sleeper and anyone else in the room. This leads to shallow breathing or pauses in breath that can range from a few seconds to minutes. When air is pushed through the airway, a loud snoring sound usually occurs.
Obviously, the snoring party is usually unaware they snore, and often relies upon the non-snoring party to advise them of it. Some symptoms of snoring or sleep apnea would normally include headaches in the morning, excessive tiredness, changes in attention or focus, weight gain and not feeling rested after a night’s sleep.
Several treatments have been introduced over the years to assist with snoring. The most common include changes to your lifestyle, avoiding alcohol consumption at least four hours before bed, and changing sleep positions. For cases of sleep apnea, a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine may be recommended. CPAP machines re-direct air to the back of the throat to prevent it from collapsing during sleep, thereby eliminating snoring. If you don’t have insurance coverage, a CPAP machine can be quite costly depending on the size and functionality of the unit.
The good news is that, for the most part, you can soothe and even prevent snoring with essential oils. It’s important to remember that essential oils do not cure snoring, but they can make it easier to breathe, and they can boost the function of the respiratory system. Essential oils can help to relax throat muscles and decongest the blood vessels; which leads to less blood accumulation in the nasal and throat tissues. Essential oils also assist with relaxation and better sleep; you will feel more rested in the morning.
Our top three picks for reducing or eliminating snoring are Pine, Lemon and Eucalyptus essential oils.
It’s important to remember to use high quality pure essential oils that are unadulterated to achieve optimal results.
Helps to regulate excessive mucus, thereby clearing out and calming respiratory passages. Pine has anti-inflammatory and anti-septic properties. Also, beneficial when suffering from allergies or the common cold. A great refreshing scent will make you feel well rested invigorated and will improve your mood.
Lemon oil has been known to treat throat infections with great results. It has wonderful anti-spasmodic properties that will help lubricate the tissues in the back of the throat.
Known to be a natural decongestant and life-saver during times of colds, flus, acute bronchitis, respiratory infections and nasal congestion, it also works wonders on snoring, which often times can cause snoring and sleep apnea. Eucalyptus is also a great anti-spasmodic, analgesic and anti-septic. Eucalyptus will assist in clearing the respiratory tract leading to less snoring.
There are more essential oils that help with snoring. Do your homework and try a few different variations or try a blend.
Other essential oils known to help with snoring and sleep apnea include:
Peppermint, Clove Bud, Cedarwood, Sage, Thyme, Lavender, Pink Grapefruit and Tea Tree.
Serenity Aroma’s Anti-Snoring Blend
4 drops Peppermint essential oil
4 drops Pink Grapefruit essential oil
2 drops Eucalyptus essential oil
Pour into your diffuser and run at least 20 minutes before bed, and through the night.
How do you use essential oils to help with snoring?
You can use them topically by mixing them with a carrier oil such as avocado or grapeseed oil. Every night before bed, massage some oil onto your chest, neck and soles of your feet.
A steam bath will also do wonders. Try adding 3–4 drops of the essential oil into a pot of very hot water, cover your head with a towel above the pot of water and inhale deeply for 10 minutes.
Our favourite recommendation is by using a diffuser and running it all night long. Add approximately 10–15 drops of essential oil into your diffuser, fill with water and turn on. If you have a nebulizer, that works great too, and you don’t need to add water. Being that you are not diluting with water, you need to add less drops of oil than you would with a diffuser. Keep in mind that running a nebulizer typically wouldn’t run all night long.
We suggest to never ingest essential oils, and always use caution around children.
Have questions?
Marian Grande is a Certified Clinical Aromatologist with the Canadian Federation of Aromatherapists, in good standing.
Please visit us at www.serenityaroma.ca or email us at: serenityaromawellness@gmail.com
© 2016, Serenity Aroma
