Snoring is generally called off by a few jokes and the problem is rested aside. But it is a widespread problem affecting a large set of population and affects the snorer as well as the people nearby or whoever is subjected to it.
During sleep, the muscles at the back of the throat relax. The area sometimes narrows and even shuts off temporarily. While breathing, the air passes through the narrow opening more quickly, causing the surrounding tissue to vibrate. This, in turn, causes the sound of snoring. The narrower the airway, the more the tissue vibrates, and the louder the snoring. Different people who snore have various reasons for the narrowing. The narrowing can be in the nose, mouth, or throat.
Which Yoga Poses Can help Stop Snoring?
Yoga is one of the most effective measures to naturally cure the snoring problem. With regular yoga practice, the impact or the result is clearly visible in the person. The result is quite surprising if yoga is practiced regularly. Yoga asanas help in enhancing of lung capacity, maintain healthy weight and with practice helps in keeping the air passage open which ultimately minimizes snoring problems.
Yoga Poses That Can Help Stop Snoring Are Mentioned Below:
Kapalbhati Pranayama Or Skull Shining Breathing Technique For Snoring
Benefits of practicing Kapalbhati Pranayama or Skull shining breathing technique for Snoring:
- Regular practice of Kapalbhati pranayama helps in improving the sleep which helps stop snoring.
- It also helps in cleaning the cranial sinus which helps in minimizing snoring.
Steps To Practice Kapalbhati Pranayama to Stop Snoring:
- Sit in any comfortable meditation asana like Sukhasana, Padmasana or Siddha yoni asana.
- Make sure you keep your head and spine straight and your hands must rest on the knees in either chin or jnana mudra.
- Close the eyes inhale and exhale deeply and relax the whole body.
- Inhale deeply through both nostrils while expanding the abdomen and exhale with a forceful contraction of the abdominal muscles.
- Do not strain yourself while breathing now.
- Contract the abdominal muscles and be spontaneous with the exhalation. However, the exhalation is forceful; the inhalation does not require any effort while practicing Kapalbhati pranayama.
- Practice 10 rounds of this breathing continuously with a deep inhalation and forceful exhalation. This completes 1 round of Kapalbhati pranayama or Frontal brain cleansing breath.
- Practice up to 3 to 5 rounds of Kapalbhati pranayama daily.
- Once you complete the practice, close your eyes and keep focusing on the eyebrow center and regulate your breath. Feel peace and calmness while your eyes are closed.
Simha Garjasana or The Roaring Lion Pose for Snoring
Benefits Of Practicing Simha Garjasana Or The Roaring Lion Pose For Snoring:
- This pose helps in exercises the tongue and helps in stopping snoring
- Simha garjasana helps in relaxing the neck muscles and helps the person in getting deep sleep.
- It also helps in stimulating the muscle in front of the throat called platysma which helps in getting rid of and preventing sore throat which ultimately prevents snoring.
Steps To Practice Simha Garjasana to Help Stop Snoring:
- Get into Vajrasana or the thunderbolt pose to practice Simha Garjasana.
- Your knees must be a little apart or at some distance from each other.
- Place the palms of the hands on the floor between the knees.
- Make sure that your fingers are pointing towards the body while leaning a little forward.
- From this position, arch the back and gently tilt the head back so that there is a comfortable tension in the neck.
- Also, make sure that you do not strain your neck while practicing this asana.
- Open the eyes and gaze at the eyebrow center or you can concentrate on the eye center while keeping your eyes closed.
- Try to relax the whole body in the final position of the asana and also make sure that you keep the mouth closed.
- At the end of inhalation open the mouth and extend the tongue out as far as possible towards the chin.
- While slowly exhaling, produce a clear, steady ‘aaah’ sound from the throat, keeping the mouth wide open.
- At the end of exhalation, close the mouth and breathe in.
- This completes one round of the asana. Practice this asana for a few minutes every day.
Bhujangasana or the Cobra Pose for Snoring
Benefits Of Practicing Bhujangasana Or The Cobra Pose For Snoring:
- Bhujangasana helps in opening the chest with regular practice and clears the airways which helps in stopping snoring.
- It also helps in improving the flow of oxygenated blood to the organs and improves blood circulation.
Steps to Practice Bhujangasana:
- Lie on your chest on the floor or the yoga mat i.e. on your stomach with the top of your feet and chin resting on the floor.
- Place your palms facing downwards and keep your legs close to each other
- The elbows should be kept parallel to each other and close to the body.
- While inhaling deeply, gently raise your head, chest, and abdomen up while keeping the navel and pelvis touching the floor.
- Take your shoulders back and down in such a way that the head is tilted backwards, and the chest is opened forward while practicing Bhujangasana.
- Focus your gaze forward or upwards depending upon the flexibility of your neck and spine or till where you can bend backwards.
- Raise your body upwards till your arms become straight on the ground.
- Keep pressing the ground with your pelvis. Also, make sure that you are not putting a lot of tension in your arms.
- At a point where you are comfortable, hold the pose for 20-30 seconds.
- Straighten yourself to a point where you are comfortable. Do not overstretch or exert yourself.
- While exhaling, gently take your body downwards to rest on the floor.
- Relax with your hand stretched outwards and chin touching the floor.
Dhanurasana or The Bow Pose for Snoring
Benefits Of Practicing Dhanurasana Or The Bow Pose For Snoring:
- Dhanurasana helps in regulation of breathing which helps in getting rid of snoring.
- It also helps in opening of chest muscles to allow deeper inhalations and exhalations which helps in stopping snoring.
Steps To Practice Dhanurasana Or The Bow Pose:
- Lie down on your stomach/abdomen with arms along the sides and keep your palms up.
- Inhale deeply and bend your legs backwards, reach back and get hold of both the ankles with the respective hands.
- Raise your torso and thighs while holding the ankles with hands.
- Your body is curved in the shape of a bow in this position.
- Look forward while being in this position and focus on a point.
- In this position, the whole body is resting on the abdomen.
- Maintain your breath while being in Dhanurasana. Continue to take long and deep breaths while being in this position and try to relax in this final position of Dhanurasana.
- Do not overdo or stretch your body excessively. Bend and stretch only till your body permit.
Bhramari Pranayama Or Humming Bee Breath For Snoring
Benefits Of Practicing Bhramari Pranayama Or Humming Bee Breath For Snoring:
- Bhramari pranayama helps in increasing concentration and helps the person get good deep sleep.
- It also helps in relieving anger and tension.
- Regular practice of Bhramari pranayama helps in reducing blood pressure.
Steps to Practice Bhramari Pranayama or Humming Bee Breath to Help Stop Snoring:
- Sit on the floor or on the yoga mat in in a comfortable meditation asana i.e. Sukhasana, Padmasana, Siddha yoni Asana.
- Place the feet flat on the floor with the knees raised with the elbows resting on the knees and keep your spine straight.
- Close the eyes and relax.
- While maintaining the posture, slightly separate your teeth with the lips gently closed. This allows the sound vibration produced while practicing Bhramari pranayama to be heard and felt more clearly in the brain.
- Make sure that the jaws are relaxed while maintaining the posture.
- Now, raise the arms sideways and bend the elbows and bring the hands to the ears.
- From this position, use the index or middle finger to plug both the ears.
- Make sure that you plug your ears by pressing the flaps of your ears with the thumbs. Make sure that you do not insert your fingers inside your ear. Place the fingers on your head.
- When you attain this position, close your eyes and concentrate on the eye center and keep inhaling and exhaling deeply.
- Start inhaling deeply through the nose and exhale slowly and in a controlled manner while making a deep, long and steady humming sound.
- The humming sound coming of throat should be smooth, and it should be produced during the entire time of exhalation.
- This completes one round of the Bhramari pranayama. At the end of each exhalation, breathe in deeply and repeat the process.
Naukasana or The Boat Pose for Snoring
Benefits of Practicing Naukasana or The Boat Pose for Snoring
- Naukasana helps in opening the chest with regular practice and clears the airways which helps in stopping snoring.
- It also helps in improving the flow of oxygenated blood to the organs and improves blood circulation.
Steps to Practice Naukasana to Help Stop Snoring:
- To practice Naukasana or the Boat pose, lie down on the floor or on the yoga mat with your legs straight.
- To get into Nauka Sanchalanasana or Rowing the Boat pose, bring your hands to lie straight in the air over your body.
- From this position, try to get up while lifting your legs from the ground.
- Your torso and legs will be lifted at the same time while the pelvis will act as a fulcrum supporting the body in getting up and back on the ground.
- In the final position, your body will be supported on hips on the ground and your hands will rest in air right in front of your feet.
- Stay in this position for a few breaths.
- Get back to the original position while inhaling.
- Exhale while getting into the pose.
- Keep repeating these two steps to get into the pose and stay in the pose for maximum benefits.
Marjariasana or The Cat Pose for Snoring:
Benefits of Practicing Marjariasana or Cat Pose For Snoring:
- Marjariasana helps in regulation of breathing which helps in getting rid of snoring.
- It also helps in opening up of chest muscles to allow deeper inhalations and exhalations which helps in stopping snoring.
Steps to Practice Marjariasana to Stop Snoring:
- Get into Vajrasana or The Thunderbolt Pose.
- Raise the buttocks and stand on the knees and lean forward and place the hands flat on the floor beneath the shoulders with the fingers facing forward while getting into Marjariasana or The Cat Scratch Pose.
- Inhale deeply while raising the head and depressing the spine in such a way that the back becomes concave while practicing Marjariasana or The Cat Scratch Pose.
- Expand the abdomen fully and fill the lungs with the maximum amount of air while practicing Marjariasana or The Cat Scratch Pose.
- Hold the breath in this position for 3 – 4 seconds.
- Exhale deeply while lowering the head and stretching the spine upward while practicing Marjariasana or The Cat Scratch Pose.
Viparita Karni or Half Shoulder Stand For Snoring
Benefits Of Practicing Viparita Karni Or Half Shoulder Stand For Snoring:
- Viparita karni calms the mind and improves proper circulation of the blood in the entire body
- It helps in regulating the secretion of the thyroid hormones which is helpful in getting rid of thyroid disorders.
- It prevents tonsillitis and removes blockage in the nostrils which helps in preventing and getting rid of Snoring.
Steps To Practice Viparita Karni Or Half Shoulder Stand to Stop Snoring:
- Viparita karani is an inversion pose and helps in treating many disorders, hence people with back, knee or other problems can use props like yoga strap, yoga blocks or blankets.
- To practice this asana, sit down around an open space near the wall.
- Sit in a way that your legs are straight in front of you and the left side of your body touches the wall.
- If you are practicing the supported version, you can sit on the floor against the wall.
- Gently turn your body to the left and bring your legs up onto the wall. You can use your hands for balance as you shift your weight.
- Bring your buttocks to touch the wall. In this position your heels will face the ceiling.
- Lower your back to the floor and remain in this position comfortably.
- Bring your shoulders and head to rest on the floor.
- Let the leg muscles relax while maintaining this position while practicing Viparati Karni or Legs up the wall pose.
- Hold this position for a few minutes or for as long as you are comfortable.
- To release the pose, come back by rolling both legs to any side and lie in Shavasana after the practice.
Ustrasana Or The Camel Pose For Snoring
Benefits Of Practicing Ustrasana Or The Camel Pose For Snoring:
- This pose stimulates the kidneys, pancreas and thyroids and helps in getting rid of specific problems.
- It clears the breathing passage and the upper respiratory tract thereby helping in getting rid of snoring.
Steps To Practice Ustrasana Or The Camel Pose to Stop Snoring:
- Get in to Vajrasana on the floor or on the yoga mat.
- Stand on your knees with the hands on your sides.
- Keep a little distance between both knees and both feet depending upon your comfort.
- Lean a little backwards in this position while practicing Ushtasana in such a way that your right hand grasps your right ankle and the left hand grasps your left ankle.
- Try to push your abdomen forward while keeping your thighs vertical or straight and tilt your head and neck backwards.
- Take your head and neck as backwards as you can.
- Try to relax your body and all the back muscles while being in this pose.
- The entire body weight will be supported by your arms and legs simultaneously.
- The shoulders are stretched and supported by your arms in this pose. The shoulders and arms help in maintain arch of the back in this position.
- This is the final Ushtrasana pose. Stay in this pose for as long as you feel comfortable or for a few breaths.
- Release the pose by leaving the grasp of the ankles one at a time. Leave the right ankle and then the left ankle and come back to your knees.
Simhasana Or The Lion’s Pose For Snoring:
Benefits of Practicing Simhasana or Lion Pose for Snoring:
- It keeps the muscles of the face relaxed which prevents breathing.
- It also stimulates the nerves and detoxifies the body which helps in getting rid of snoring.
Steps To Practice Simhasana to Help Stop Snoring:
- Sit in Vajrasana on the floor or on yoga mat.
- Bring your palms to rest on your knees and keep your back straight.
- Now spread the fingers of your hands on your knees and try to keep your tailbone erect.
- Do not bend your arms and in this position, bring your tongue out to touch your chin.
- Now, exhale deeply while making a deep ‘haaaa’ sound from the throat. This sound should be audible. Take your eyebrows up and focus on the eye center while exhaling and making the sound.
- Return to the normal position and normalize the facial expressions and inhale deeply.
- This completes one round of Simhasana. Practice 8 such rounds for maximum benefits.