Snoring is a large problem for many people, although it is often one that people are reluctant to admit to. There seems to be a bit of an embarrassment in saying that you snore heavily and it causes you problems. For others it may seem like it is too trivial to go and see the doctor about and besides fitting you with a cumbersome mask that you have to wear every night, what can a doctor do? Well, there is always surgery, but that is not particularly effective and can have painful recovery periods. It can also be very expensive as many health insurance companies do not consider snoring a medical problem. So what is the alternative?
Snoring Remedies That Do Work (For Some People)
One of the most effective ways to reduce or even stop snoring is a change of lifestyle. The 3 best methods, that do work for some people are:
- Lose weight
- Stop smoking
- Reduce alcohol consumption
These will actually be very effective for many people. For others, for whom the cause of snoring is different they won’t be effective for reducing your snoring but they will help your general health. However, speaking from personal experience, that is easier said than done.
What to Look For When Buying an Anti-Snoring Remedy
Firstly there are 1,000s of anti-snoring devices for sale on the internet, some are very effective at stopping snoring; others not so much. Firstly, regardless of what any advertiser claims, no product will cure snoring. The only thing that an anti-snoring device will do is stop you from snoring while you are using it.
Secondly, what is the science behind their remedy that make it stop people snoring? People snore through a problem with their airways being blocked, usually by their tongue relaxing and blocking the air from passing through freely. It is the air forcing its way past the blockage that causes the vibrations that we call snoring. Unless you are one of the small number of people that suffer from nasal snoring, something that opens your nasal passages (or purports to) is not going to prevent your tongue blocking your air way.
Thirdly, who is the remedy suitable for? Mandibular adjustment devices are an effective method of stopping snoring but they are not suitable for everyone. In fact they can cause damage if used by a person for whom a MAD is not suitable. If a MAD (like the ZQuiet) is not suitable for you there are other devices that you can use, such as Tongue Retaining Devices (there aren’t many of these: see my Good Morning Snore Solution Review).
What is the device made of? Let’s be honest, if you are going to have something stuck in your mouth you want to know what materials are used and are they safe. More to the point, even if the manufacturer claims to use safe materials, such as medical grade silicon and BPA free plastics, do you have faith in that manufacturer to use exactly what they claim to use. A good quality mouth piece, made of quality materials, should last between 3 to 6 months before it need replacing.
When is An Anti-Snoring Device Not An Anti-Snoring Device?
Looking on some auction sites there are many devices that purport to be anti-snoring mouth pieces such as MADs when in fact, although they look similar, they are not. A MAD works by the mouthpiece holding the lower jaw slightly in advance of the upper jaw. This also pulls the tongue slightly forward and helps prevent the blockage of the airway. It is air forcing its way past this blockage that causes the vibrations that result in snoring.
Some MADs look very similar to mouth guards that are solely for the purpose of preventing teeth grinding when asleep. It is very tempting to buy these are they are very inexpensive. So inexpensive that one has to question how they can be manufactured and sold that cheaply, especially considering the cost of medical grade silicone.
Remember
No matter how effective an anti-snoring device is, most reputable companies will suggest that it will only be effective for 85% to 95% of people. So even if the anti-snoring device is the best one on the market it may not work for you. A similar device but of a slightly different design could well be effective in stopping you snoring.
Any snoring remedy can take several days before the effectiveness can be seen so, even though some people will get immediate relief from snoring, you should expect to have to use the remedy or device over several nights.
Most reputable companies will offer a money back satisfaction guarantee. This can vary between 30 to 60 days. Some companies even have an offer where you pay the freight charges and don’t pay the full amount until you are satisfied with the product.
Some of the less reputable companies will also offer what appears to be money back guarantees but the terms are so onerous that it is actually very difficult to get your money back without spending more than the device costs.
No anti-snoring remedy will ‘cure’ snoring; it will just stop it while the remedy is being used.
Before you consider buying any anti-snoring device, do a little research so that you know what to look for and what to expect. With some foreknowledge you will firstly notice that some of the people selling the cheaper anti-snoring devices don’t know what they are talking about and you will be in a better position to spot many purported anti-snoring mouth pieces that are not what they say they are.
As a Matter of Interest
Have you ever wondered where all these anti-snoring mouth pieces that hundreds of sellers sell on auction sites come from? Take a look at this link or this one – many of them are made by a sports safety company, primarily as boxing mouth guards with ‘˜Snoring Stop Mouthpiece’ tagged on as an afterthought. Then take a look at this and this– looks very familiar doesn’t it? A little more research can find many others.
There are snoring remedies that work but, unfortunately, there are many so-called remedies that are supposed to stop snoring that do not. Whilst nothing should be rejected because it is inexpensive, there are some item that are too cheap to actually be what they say they are. Conversely, just because an item is expensive doesn’t mean that it is better.
I tried Zen Sleep. After trying this system, I requested a refund. I asked for the RMA and they told me to try it longer. Eventually they sent a RMA but haven’t sent me a refund. I’m contesting this through PayPal. They are a rip off. The BBB lists hundreds of similar complaints. No refunds.