How to Stop Snoring - Ways to Help You Sleep Better

Snoring is often depicted in a comedic way when in reality it is anything but, particularly when its regular, which results in poor sleep for the snorer, and poor sleep for whoever shares the bed, room, or in extreme cases, the people next door. Snoring is caused by the relaxation of the muscles in your soft palate (roof of your mouth,) tongue, and throat. The tissues in your throat can get so relaxed that they partially block your airway and vibrate as air rushes past. The narrower your airway, the more intense vibration, and the louder the snore. A number of factors contribute to who snores and why, from your mouth anatomy to alcohol consumption, but home remedies can help without getting a pressurized mask or mouthpiece involved.

1. Utilize a tennis ball

If you happen to be someone who sleeps mostly on their back, try putting a tennis ball in a shirt pocket of an old shirt and sewing it to the mid-back of your pajama top (the top should be one that fits snuggly.) When you roll over, the discomfort from the tennis ball forces you to roll back on your side, without waking you up. It sounds bizarre but if you can sleep through your partner elbowing you, a tennis ball shouldn’t be a problem. You could also try strapping one on somehow-but that isn’t as practical, and won’t be terribly comfortable either.
You will need…
-1 tennis ball
-Shirt pocket of an old shirt
-Scissors
-Needle and thread
Directions
Cut the shirt pocket out of an old shirt, and thread your needle. Sew the pocket into the mid back region of your pajama top. The top should be snug, so that the material doesn’t just shift the ball out of the way as you roll over. Don’t worry if it’s not pretty-nobody is judging your seamstress skills here. Tuck the tennis ball in the pocket before you crawl in bed, and proceed to sleep per usual. Note: If you have a dog that really, really, likes tennis balls…you’ve been warned.

2. Humidify, humidify, humidify

If you sleep in a room with dry air it’s possible that its contributing or causing you to snore. Dry air dries out our throat and nasal membranes and contributes to congestion. This makes it air movement restricted, and will set your tissues vibrating. There are two ways to going about treating your snoring if this is the case-buy a humidifier, or move to an exceptionally exotic tropical location.

3. If you’re overweight, lose weight

If you’re overweight it’s possible that its causing your snoring, or making it worse. When you’re overweight you may have extra tissues in the throat contributing to the noise. The more that blocks your throat the more air is interrupted as it flows over, creating the vibrations that result in the sound of snoring.

4. Raise the head of your bed

You can raise the head of your bed about 4 inches or so, which may help keep your tongue from falling back and blocking your throat, and may help open up your airways a little bit.
You will need…
-Sturdy blocks of wood, about 1-2 inches thick OR books
Directions
If you don’t have wood lying around that you can use, you can pick up some scrap lumber easily at some hardware stores. It should be flat, square, and about 1-2 inches thick. Make sure it is wide enough to thoroughly cover the base of the foot you will be resting on it. Add these blocks 1 by 1 until you’ve reached about 4 inches. If you’d prefer to use books instead, just pop some under the feet at the head of the bed. In both cases, but particularly with books because of their uneven size, make sure the bed it steady and doesn’t wobble.

5. Keep up on housecleaning

As much fun as cleaning is, keeping up on making sure your living quarters are spick and span can pay off in the end. Allergens like pollen, dust, animal dander, and other unseen irritants can cause congestion and irritate your airways, both of which can contribute to snoring. Also make sure you’re changing your air filters on a regular basis.

6. Try to pinpoint why you snore

Figuring out what’s making you snore means you can treat it with much more success than if you’re trying remedies in the dark (even though you will try them in the dark.) Examine your lifestyle and diet-are you overweight? Do you drink alcohol before bedtime? Have your physician check-is the structure of your mouth the culprit? How you sleep when snoring may also indicate the problem. It has been speculated that-
Closed mouth snoring: If your mouth stays shut but you snore on, it may indicate a problem with your tongue/nasal passageways.
Snoring with your mouth wide open: The tissues in your throat may be more likely to be causing you to snore with your mouth open. If your throat is partially obstructed, you’re apt to try to force in more air when you sleep-aka, snore.
Snoring on your back: Often times on our back we breathe through our mouths, which can exacerbate snoring.
Snoring regardless of position: Possibly the sign of a more serious problem, such as sleep apnea-see your doctor if your snoring is loud enough to keep your partner awake or if you wake yourself up.

7. Anti-snoring pills

Herbal pills are available that are aimed at reducing snoring. They’re made up of natural enzymes that target nasal congestion and work to reduce it, which in turn may reduce your snoring. There isn’t a whole lot to back the claims, but its something to look into if you’re feeling up to trying out some different treatment methods.

8. Freshen up the humidifier

If dry air and congestion are making you snore, try adding various oils to the vaporizer or humidifier. Some, such as peppermint, can help open up airways and clear out your sinuses while you sleep.
You will need…
-a humidifier or vaporizer
-Several drops of peppermint OR eucalyptus oil
Directions
About 30 minutes before you crawl into bed, add 3-5 drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil into your humidifier or vaporizer. If you wish to add more, do so after you try starting with less. You don’t want to create a scent that’s too overwhelming.

9. Adjust your pillows

Elevating your head can help open up airways and make breathing easier-but if your head is too high, your airways can get constricted and that may cause your to snore. If you have a pillow that is too thick, or you sleep on multiple pillows, try adjusting the height. Not too fluffy and not too flat is important when it comes to what you rest your head on. Finding a pillow that keeps your head and neck in a proper position is worth taking the time to do to help you breathe right.

10. Practice Pranayama

Pranayama is a type of yoga exercise dedicated to learning how to control your breathing. You master taking deep, slow, breaths and get the most out of the oxygen around you. It aids in the delivery of blood to the brain and overall increases circulation. It is also an incredible technique for relaxation. Pranayama has been used to relieve various sleep disorders, including sleep apnea. Look into some classes or practice at home to possibly reduce or eliminate your snoring. You will feel rested, rejuvenated, and energized as a result.

11. Exercise your tongue and throat

Making the muscles in your tongue and throat stronger can help reduce snoring because it decreases the chance of them slipping limply backwards when you rest. As we age we tend to snore more as well, because our tissues are losing strength and elasticity, which means they Fill up your airways more than they once did. There are a number of different exercises you can try, many being adopted from speech pathologists or doctors who use them to help patients who have trouble swallowing.
Ideas for exercises
-Try to protrude the lower jaw over the upper jaw with your teeth showing while you count slowly to ten. Repeat 5-10 times a day.
-Give your tongue a work out by saying this phrase at least 10-20 times before going to sleep “The lips, the teeth, the tip of the tongue.”
-Put your tongue out perfectly straight as far as you can. Move it left, then right, touching the corner of your lips but making sure it stays straight. Do this in front of a mirror twice a day.

12. Avoid alcohol and sedatives

Don’t drink alcoholic beverages or use sedatives at least two hours before bedtime. Both alcohol and sedatives can relax you’re the tissue in your throat, making it expand and block off the airways, which then results in snoring.
Snoring is a tricky condition because there really isn’t a “cure.” To naturally stop or lessen your snoring, lifestyle changes are key. Exercise, weight loss, managing allergies, and changing sleeping positions are the types of things that seem to really work for some people but, like any remedy, may not do anything for another person. Try to figure out what’s causing your snoring so you can treat your snoring as effectively as possible.

How to Stop Hiccups - How to Get Rid of Hiccups Fast

No one knows what causes hiccups, but the little diaphragm contractions can certainly be annoying. Here's how to get rid of them fast.

Hiccups can come at the most inconvenient times–just before you have to give an after-dinner toast or address the town planning commission, for instance. When you’re in public, you might have to use some very subtle methods to control the hiccuping. Some methods involve gentle pressure; others, a glass of water. And, if you have a high threshold of embarrassment–or you can hide somewhere–there are wonderfully strange contortions that hiccup-prone people have devised to cure the contractions. Do whatever works for you.

Emergency action in public places

• Press the palm of your hand with the thumb of your other hand. The harder, the better. Alternatively, you can squeeze the ball of your left thumb between the thumb and forefinger of the right. The discomfort is a distraction that affects your nervous system and may put an end to the hiccups. (And you can do it under the table, without anyone staring at you.)

• Take a deep breath and then hold it for a while. When there’s a buildup of carbon dioxide in your lungs, your diaphragm relaxes.

• If you can retire from public view for a few minutes (‘Sorry–have to visit the restroom!’), stick your fingers in your ears for twenty or thirty seconds. Or press the soft areas behind your earlobes, just below the base of the skull. That sends a ‘relax’ signal through the vagus nerve, which connects to the diaphragm area.

• As long as you’re out of sight, stick out your tongue. This rude-looking exercise is done by singers and actors because it stimulates the opening between the vocal cords (the glottis). You breathe more smoothly, quelling the spasms that cause hiccups.

• Cup your hands around your nose and mouth, but continue breathing normally. You’ll get relief from the extra dose of carbon dioxide.

Drinkable cures

• Take nine or 10 quick sips in a row from a glass. When you’re gulping a drink, rhythmic contractions of the esophagus override spasms of the diaphragm.

• If you can block your ears when you drink, all the better. Stick your fingers in your ears and sip through a straw. You’re pressing on the vagus nerve while also getting the benefits of steady swallowing.

• Place a single layer of paper towel over the top of the glass, then drink through the towel. You’ll have to ‘pull’ harder with your diaphragm to suck up the water, and concentrated gulping counteracts spasmodic muscle movements.

Edible remedies

• Put one teaspoon of sugar or honey, stirred in warm water, on the back of your tongue, and swallow it.

• The sharp surprise of something sour can pucker lips and lick the hiccups. Cut a slice of lemon and suck on it.

• Swallow a teaspoon of cider vinegar. This is a challenge, but if you cope with the assault on the taste buds, it’s a quick cure. (Another vinegary method is to suck on a dill pickle.)

Take a time-out

• Sometimes relaxation is the key. Lie on a bed, stomach down, with head turned and arms hanging over the side. Take a deep breath, hold it for 10 to 15 seconds, exhale slowly. After a few repeats, rest for several minutes before you get up.

• If you can elicit the help of your partner, stand against the wall and ask your partner to place a fist lightly in the soft area just under your breastbone. Take a few deep breaths, and on the last one, exhale completely. Your partner should then press gently but firmly to help expel air from your lungs.

• A long, passionate kiss has been known to work. (And if it doesn’t? Well, no harm done.) Needless to say, it’s important to choose the right partner for this remedy.

Cures for kids

• Offer one big teaspoon of peanut butter. In the process of chewing and getting it off the tongue and teeth, swallowing and breathing patterns are interrupted.

• With a scoop of ice cream, the cure becomes a treat. The chill of the ice cream, steady swallowing, and a pleasurable distraction all add up to calming the diaphragm.

The power of prevention

• Avoid beer or carbonated soda, especially if they’re cold. The low temperature, combined with the bubbles, creates a medley of irritations that could set off your diaphragm.

• When you eat, slow down. Eating quickly, you swallow more air, and that can cause hiccups as well as burping.

• A few medications such as diazepam have been known to contribute to more frequent hiccups. If you suspect a prescription drug is the problem, talk to your doctor about taking an alternative.

• If a baby has hiccups, it could be because he or she swallowed too much air while feeding. So perform the same ritual you would for burping: Hold the baby against your shoulder and pat gently on the back. That can bring up the air and stop the hiccups. Also check the nipple of the baby bottle to see if it is allowing the right amount of fluid to flow out. Turn a full bottle upside down; you should get a regular dripping that slows and eventually stops. If too much or too little liquid comes out, that could be contributing to the hiccups.

How to Stop Hair Fall - Top 10 Home Remedies for Hair Loss.

There is nothing more attractive than a thick head of hair that glimmers with natural health. But hair loss is a problem that many people suffer from.

There can be several factors behind hair loss such as environmental effects, aging, too much stress, excessive smoking, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalance, genetic factors, scalp infections, use of wrong or chemically enriched hair products, certain medicines and medical conditions like thyroid disorder, autoimmune diseases, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), iron-deficiency anemia, and chronic illnesses.

There are about 100,000 strands of hair on your scalp and it is considered very normal to lose 50 to 100 strands a day. But when you start losing more than that, it’s time for you to take some action so it doesn’t progress to baldness or bald spots. Many readily available ingredients can be used to treat hair loss at home.

Here are the top 10 home remedies for hair loss.

1. Hair Oil Massage

The first step that you can take to reduce hair loss is to massage your scalp with appropriate hair oil. Proper hair and scalp massage will increase blood flow to the hair follicles, condition the scalp, and enhance the strength of your hair’s roots. It will also promote relaxation and reduce feelings of stress.

You can use hair oils like coconut or almond oil, olive oil, castor oil, amla oil, or others. Add a few drops of rosemary essential oil to the base oil for better and faster results. Other types of oil that you can use are emu oil, argan oil, and wheat germ oil.

1. Massage any of the hair oils mentioned above onto your hair and scalp by applying light pressure with your fingertips.
2. Do this at least once a week.

2. Indian Gooseberry

For natural and fast hair growth, you can use Indian gooseberry, also known as amla. Indian gooseberry is rich in vitamin C, of which a deficiency in the body can cause hair loss.

The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and the exfoliating properties present in Indian gooseberry can help maintain a healthy scalp and promote hair growth.

 Mix one tablespoon each of Indian gooseberry or amla pulp and lemon juice.

1. Massage your scalp with the mixture thoroughly. Cover your hair with a shower cap.
2. Leave it on overnight and shampoo your hair in the morning.

3. Fenugreek

Fenugreek, also known as methi, is highly effective in treating hair loss. Fenugreek seeds contain hormone antecedents that enhance hair growth and help rebuild hair follicles. They also contain proteins and nicotinic acid that stimulate hair growth.

1. Soak one cup of fenugreek seeds in water overnight.
2. In the morning, grind them to make a paste.
3. Apply the paste to your hair and cover with a shower cap. After about 40 minutes, rinse your hair.
4. Follow this remedy every morning for a month.

4. Onion Juice

Onion juice helps treat hair loss due to its high sulfur content, which helps improve blood circulation to the hair follicles, regenerate hair follicles and reduce inflammation.

The antibacterial properties in onion juice also help kill germs and parasites, and treat scalp infections that can cause hair loss.

In a 2002 study published in the Journal of Dermatology, almost 74 percent of the study participants who applied onion juice on the scalp experienced significant hair regrowth.

• Extract the juice of one onion by grating it and then strain it. Apply the juice directly onto the scalp. Leave it on for about 30 minutes, and then wash it off. Finally, shampoo your hair.
• Mix together three tablespoons of onion juice and two tablespoons of aloe vera gel. You can also add one tablespoon of olive oil. Apply this mixture onto your scalp and leave it on for at least 30 minutes before rinsing it off and shampooing your hair.

Repeat either of these remedies two or three times a week for several weeks.

5. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera contains enzymes that directly promote healthy hair growth. Also, its alkalizing properties can help bring the scalp and hair’s pH to a more desirable level, which can greatly promote hair growth.

Regular use can also relieve scalp itching, reduce scalp redness and inflammation, add strength and luster to hair, and alleviate dandruff. Both aloe vera gel and juice will work.

1. Apply aloe vera gel or juice onto the scalp.
2. Leave it on for a few hours and then wash it off with lukewarm water.
3. Repeat the process three to four times a week.

You can also consume one tablespoon of aloe vera juice daily on an empty stomach to enjoy better hair growth.

6. Licorice Root

Licorice root is another herb that prevents hair loss and further damage to the hair.

The mollifying properties of licorice roots open the pores, soothe the scalp and help get rid of irritations like dry flakes. This remedy is good for dandruff, hair loss and baldness.

1. Add one tablespoon of ground licorice root to one cup milk with a quarter teaspoon saffron. Mix it thoroughly.
2. Apply the paste on bald patches at bedtime and leave it on overnight.
3. In the morning, wash your hair.
4. Follow this remedy once or twice a week.

You can also take licorice internally in the form of licorice tea three times a day.

7. Chinese Hibiscus

The Chinese hibiscus flower has many natural properties that can help in treating hair loss. In addition to promoting hair growth, this flower can also be used to cure dandruff, prevent split ends, thicken hair and prevent premature graying. To treat hair loss:

1. Add 10 Chinese Hibiscus flowers to two cups of coconut oil.
2. Heat the solution until charred. Strain it to collect the oil.
3. Apply the oil on your hair before going to bed. Wash your hair in the morning.
4. Repeat this a few times a week.

You can also make tea with this flower and use it as a rinse for your hair to encourage proper growth.

8. Beetroot

Beetroot juice contains carbohydrates, protein, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and vitamins B and C. All these nutrients are essential for healthy hair growth.

• Include fresh beetroot juice in your diet. In addition to that, spinach juice, alfalfa juice, lettuce juice, or carrot juice will help keep your hair healthy.
• Alternatively, grind a few beetroot leaves (boiled in water) along with henna and apply the paste on your scalp. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing it out. Repeat several times a week.

9. Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids that can prevent further hair loss and encourage hair growth.

• To manage hair loss, consume one tablespoon of freshly ground flaxseeds with a glass of water daily in the morning. You can also add flaxseeds to your salads, soups, smoothies, and other dishes.
• You can also simply take flaxseed oil, or apply it onto your hair. When used as hair oil, flaxseed oil can help prevent hair loss as well as strengthen your hair.

10. Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is rich in protein and essential fats that promote hair growth and prevent hair loss. When applied to the hair, coconut milk provides quick results.

1. You can make fresh coconut milk at home by adding a freshly grated coconut to a pan of water.
2. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Then strain it.
3. Once cool, apply the milk thoroughly onto the scalp and into your hair. Leave it on for about 20 minutes and then shampoo your hair.

To make the treatment more effective, you can mix black pepper and powdered fenugreek seeds to the coconut milk before using it.