A snoring problem is not just a nuisance in the night, but can also ruin a marriage, disrupt an entire household, and indicate that a serious health condition is lurking in the shadows. Affecting millions of individuals, snoring ranges from light wheezing to loud, boisterous interludes. Nearly half of all adults snore at least occasionally due to anything from extreme fatigue to uncomfortable pillows to medical issues.  Try the following preventive measures to reduce or eliminate snoring. Changing your sleeping position may be all it takes, but a larger project – namely, losing weight – is often the real ticket to tranquil nights.

Snoring

1) Buy yourself a few extra pillows and prop yourself up in bed, rather than lying flat on your back. You’ll prevent the tissues in your throat from falling into your air passages.

2) Elevate the head of your bed. An easy way to do it is to place several flat boards under the legs at the top end of the bed. A couple of short lengths of two-by-eights or two-by-tens under each leg should raise the bed enough to do the trick.

3) Sleep on your side. Of course, there’s no guarantee you’ll stay in that position, but at least start on your side with your arms wrapped around a pillow. There’s a good reason you don’t want to sleep on your back: In that position, your tongue and soft palate rest against the back of your throat, blocking the airway.

4) If hugging a pillow doesn’t help, you can ace the problem with service from a sewn-in tennis ball. Here’s how: Sew a little pouch on the back of your pajama top and tuck a tennis ball inside. At night, if you start to roll on your back while you’re sleeping, you’ll get a nudge from that tennis ball, prompting you to get back on your side.

5) If nasal congestion is causing your snoring, take a decongestant or antihistamine before you turn in.

6) Tape your nose open with nasal strips, available at most drugstores. They may look odd, but who’s watching? Following the directions on the package, tape one of the strips to the outside of your nose before you fall asleep. They’ll lift and open your nostrils to increase airflow.

7) Gargle with a peppermint mouthwash to shrink the lining of your nose and throat. This is especially effective if your snoring is a temporary condition caused by a head cold or an allergy. To mix up the herbal gargle, add one drop of peppermint oil to a glass of cold water. (But only gargle – do not swallow.)

8) It sounds extreme, but some people have used a neck brace – the kind people with whiplash wear – to stop their snoring. It works by keeping your chin extended so your throat doesn’t bend and your airway stays open. You don’t have to use a stiff plastic brace, however. A soft foam one, available at drugstores or medical supply stores, is less restraining and will work just as well.