Does A Humidifier Help with Snoring? (Our Best Expert’s Take)

Snoring is a hoarse and harsh sound that we make while sleeping when our breathing is partially obstructed. It is not a disease, it can be a disorder, but it is curable at home.

There is no need to embarrass if you snore. Rather you should search for remedies. If you’re reading this, then I am pre-assuming that you already own a humidifier. So does a humidifier help with snoring? That we will know here.

There can be many reasons that could be possible for snoring. And there is always a spot for remedy or home treatment to help you prevent snoring.

We will discuss different causes of snoring, and how to stop snoring at home and whether a humidifier helps stop snoring or not? 

First of all, We will discuss some common causes for snoring.

Some primary and common causes of snoring are discussed below:

Respiratory Illness: 

Snoring happens when the inhaled air does not get enough space to be exhaled, due to which when you put more force while sleeping. Without your knowledge, it becomes snoring. There are some reasons why inhaled air is not getting enough space. These are:

• Having a soft, thick, soft palate or elongated palate can obstruct the air passage. This is a common reason for overweight people. Because they can have extra tissues near the palate.

• Chronic nasal congestion or crooked nasal partition can also cause snoring.

Sleeping Position:

Sleeping on the back can also cause snoring due to gravity action.

Unhealthy Lifestyle Choices: 

• Alcohol relaxes throat muscles and decreases your natural defenses against airway obstruction, which can also be a reason for snoring. Consuming alcohol before going to sleep can be a reason for that. Try avoiding it.

• People who are obese are prone to snore more than people with a healthy weight.

Dry Air Condition/Humidity Levels in your Rooms:

Dry air can cause irritation in the nasal passage that can worsen your snoring situation. So, try to grease your nasal passage with oil to decrease your snoring.

These are some common causes that can cause snoring. Now, We will discuss the humidifier and how it helps in preventing snoring.

A humidifier is an electrical appliance that is used to increase humidity in the air using water.

Humidifiers are of different kinds. These can also come in-built in home heating and air conditioning systems. Using a humidifier is easy.

Humidifiers work on a basic system of Evaporation. Evaporation is converting liquid water into water vapors by boiling the water to a specific temperature. These water vapors go up in the air and are carried by air, which increases the humidity in the atmosphere.

Humidifiers are of many types, such as Steamer or Vaporizer, Impeller, etc. These all work on the same concept of Evaporation. How wonderful it is that a simple environmental process can also help us in our daily lives.

There is a straightforward process to check moisture level. Place about three or four ice cubes in a glass. Now, add water into the glass of the ice cube and stir. Wait for about five minutes. If moisture does not set on the outer surface of the glass, then the air is too dry. 

A hygrometer is an instrument used to measure the amount of water vapor in closed spaces. 30% to 50% water in the air is the ideal humidity level in a room.

Now let’s answer the question, does a humidifier help with snoring?

Air-conditioned air can dry out your sinuses, nasal passages, and throat when you sleep. This leads to inflammation and swelling of the sensitive tissues. Using a humidifier while you sleep can help ease these symptoms of dry air, as well as seasonal allergies.

So the answer is yes, humidifier does help with snoring. It increase the humidity level in a room or surrounding. Low humidity areas are a reason that can cause snoring.

And increasing humidity levels can help us prevent snoring. Humidifiers can help in preventing snoring. But humidifiers only help snorers snore due to dry air conditions and dry nasal passage.

Consider a humidifier if you use an air conditioner without an in-built humidifier to match the ideal humidity levels in your room.

Properly using a humidifier is necessary to get the sound effects. Humidifiers do not guarantee to stop snoring, but they can help to a considerable extent.

The right way to use a humidifier is to turn it on at least an hour before sleeping and keep it turned on for the whole night. Place the humidifier under five feet from your bed. The humidifier needs to be turned on for the whole night to maintain the level of humidity.

Using a humidifier of suitable size is essential, in accordance to the size of your room. A big one can make the room feel hot and humid and make it uncomfortable to sleep in a peaceful state.

According to the size of your room, a small humidifier can not work to the extent you might want it to work.

Using a humidifier is necessary where the atmosphere is usually dry on an everyday basis. It can prove to be a terrible idea to use a humidifier at places where the weather usually remains humid and full of moisture. Like where it rains frequently.

So, choose and use humidifiers wisely.

Choosing the right humidifier is as important as using it correctly before considering buying a humidifier. It’s clear that humidifiers do not provide assurance to cure your snoring problem.

So, diagnose yourself personally about your possible reasons for snoring. If you do not have any other reason to consider other than the more minor humidity point. Then this guide will tell you how you can find your possible options for humidifiers.

First of all, consider the size of the humidifier according to the size of your room. Then you should think if you want a portable humidifier or a non-portable one.

A portable one can be a better option to consider as it can be easily carried if you visit someplace.

If you have kids in your family, then consider buying an ultrasonic humidifier. They are kid-friendly.

After considering all the points, price and power consumption should also be essential points to consider. These points can not be overlooked.

• When water is evaporated, its minerals often fall as white dust, potentially harmful for health.

• Humidifiers are not self-regulated, which can be a problem if it increases the room’s humidity to a greater extent than needed.

• More humidity can even attract mold and mildew. Tanks and filters of humidifiers need to be regularly cleaned or changed to avoid this.

• Humidifiers that make sounds can make your sleep uncomfortable. For a temporary solution, you may use a wet towel covered over the radiators. For a permanent solution, you can switch to ultrasonic models. Ultrasonic models don’t make sound.

Sometimes if you feel that you cannot breathe while sleeping. You should consider seeking help from a doctor to check if you suffer from sleeping apnea.

If you are obese, then a humidifier might not help you from snoring. And you should consider seeing a dietician or someone who can help you with obesity.

Conclusion

The above description helps to conclude that a humidifier can be an option to help you from preventing snoring. But no humidifier can guarantee that it will prevent snoring.

If you are considering buying a humidifier, then Levoit cool mist ultrasonic humidifier is an excellent option to consider. This is a child-friendly cool mist ultrasonic humidifier that can meet all your needs.

Hope that you find this article helpful.