Snoring doesn’t just disrupt your sleep but can leave you feeling drained and frustrated day after day. For many people, finding a way to stop snoring feels impossible.
However, there’s growing interest in natural ways to tackle snoring, and breathing exercises are getting more attention than ever. But can breathing exercises help with snoring, and how?
In this article, we’ll discuss why snoring happens, how your breathing habits play a big role, and how Buteyko breathing exercises can help you get better sleep.
Snoring: Causes and Effects
Snoring is the sound created when airflow is partially blocked during sleep, causing the soft tissues of the upper airway to vibrate. It signals that the body is working harder to move air through narrowed breathing passages. It affects nearly half of all men and a quarter of women.
What Causes Snoring?
There are two main reasons people snore. The first is breathing too heavily or noisily during sleep. The second is having narrow upper airways, which can be caused by nasal congestion, mouth breathing, or structural issues such as a deviated septum or enlarged tonsils.
Mouth breathing is a big factor in snoring. When you breathe through your mouth at night, you’re more likely to snore. This is because mouth breathing draws in a larger volume of air, which increases turbulence and vibration in the throat.
Nasal congestion, allergies, or simply the habit of mouth breathing can all make this worse. On the other hand, breathing through your nose helps keep the airways more stable and can reduce snoring.
Other factors that can cause or worsen snoring include being overweight, sleeping on your back, drinking alcohol, taking sedatives, and certain medical conditions. Genetics and age also play a role, as airway muscles can weaken over time.
Effects of Snoring
Snoring disrupts sleep quality, leading to daytime tiredness, poor concentration, morning headaches, and a dry throat. It can also cause distress to partners, leading to relationship strain. If ignored, chronic snoring may contribute to high blood pressure and cardiovascular issues.
The Link Between Breathing and Snoring
Snoring is not just a matter of blocked or narrow airways, but is also strongly influenced by how you breathe. Dysfunctional breathing habits, Mouth breathing, over-breathing, and shallow, rapid breathing all increase the risk of snoring.
Fast or mouth breathing creates greater airflow and turbulence in the upper airway, causing soft tissues to vibrate and produce snoring. In contrast, slow, gentle nasal breathing reduces turbulence and helps maintain airway stability.
While traditional treatments focus on physically widening the airway, they often overlook the crucial role of breathing patterns.
What does the research say?
A 2006 study demonstrated that mouth breathing is a strong predictor of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), even among individuals without nasal obstruction, indicating that how you breathe, especially if you habitually mouth breathe or over breathe, can directly increase the risk of snoring and sleep-disordered breathing.
Further, a 2020 paper in Laryngoscope found that mouth breathing during sleep is associated with more severe OSA and greater oxygen desaturation compared to nasal breathing.
Why does dysfunctional breathing matter?
- Fast, hard breathing translates into similar patterns during sleep, increasing the risk of snoring and airway collapse.
- If you try to snore with your mouth closed, it is nearly impossible. Nasal breathing naturally limits airflow and reduces turbulence.
- Over-breathing causes excessive loss of carbon dioxide, which disrupts oxygen delivery and makes tissues more prone to collapse.
Can Breathing Exercises Help Snoring? (The Buteyko Approach)
Yes, breathing exercises can help reduce snoring. This is because many cases of snoring are caused by dysfunctional breathing patterns that create turbulence in the airway. Retraining your breath to be slower and through the nose can reduce this turbulence and help keep the airway stable even during sleep.
The Buteyko Method is a structured breathing retraining program designed to restore healthy nasal breathing and normalize breathing volume. Developed by Dr. Konstantin Buteyko, this method focuses on three core principles:
- Breathe Light: Corrects over-breathing, ensuring proper oxygen and carbon dioxide balance.
- Breathe Slow: Activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress and calming the mind.
- Breathe Deep: Engages the diaphragm, supporting posture and airway stability.
A 2024 randomized controlled trial in the European Journal of Medical Research found that Buteyko breathing exercises delivered significant clinical and functional improvements for asthma patients, many of whom experience snoring and sleep-disordered breathing.
A 2017 study found that the Buteyko Method improved sleep disorder scores and lung function in children with asthma and mouth breathing, while also reducing school absences.
These studies demonstrate how retraining breathing patterns with Buteyko can positively impact sleep quality and reduce symptoms associated with dysfunctional breathing, such as snoring. Apart from snoring, breathing techniques can also help with insomnia.
Benefits of the Buteyko Method exercises for snoring:
- Promotes full-time nasal breathing, reducing airway resistance and collapse.
- Improves airway muscle tone, reducing the likelihood of upper airway collapse during sleep.
- Supports oxygen and carbon dioxide balance, enhancing oxygen delivery to tissues.
In summary, can breathing exercises help with snoring? Yes, evidence and clinical experience indicate that breathing exercises, such as the Buteyko breathing method, can help reduce snoring and improve sleep quality.
Retraining dysfunctional breathing patterns, encouraging nasal breathing, and promoting slower, lighter breaths through the Buteyko Method provides a natural and evidence-based solution for addressing snoring at its source.
Buteyko Breathing Exercises to Help with Snoring (How-To & Routine)
Breathing exercises to help with snoring are a proven, natural approach, and the Buteyko Method stands out for its effectiveness. Unlike traditional deep breathing exercises for snoring that encourage large inhalations,
Buteyko’s anti-snoring breathing exercises train you to breathe more lightly, slowly, and exclusively through your nose. This approach reduces airway turbulence, which is a key cause of snoring.
Here’s how to get started with Buteyko breathing exercises to help stop snoring and improve your nightly routine.
1. The Control Pause (Breath-Hold After Exhale)
The Control Pause is a cornerstone of the Buteyko Method. It measures how long you can comfortably hold your breath after a normal exhale. This exercise helps you assess your breathing efficiency and track your progress as your breathing patterns improve.
How to practice the Control Pause:
- Sit upright and relax, breathing calmly through your nose for a few minutes.
- Take a normal breath in and out through your nose.
- Pinch your nose and hold your breath at the end of the exhale.
- Hold until you first feel the urge to breathe, then release your nose and resume gentle nasal breathing.
- Record the number of seconds you held your breath. This is your Control Pause score.
- Practice this exercise several times each day. A Control Pause over 20 seconds indicates more stable breathing and a lower risk of snoring.
2. Nasal Breathing Drills (Keeping the Mouth Closed)
Nasal breathing is essential for preventing snoring. Training yourself to keep your mouth closed and breathe only through your nose, both during the day and at night, significantly reduces airway turbulence and supports healthy breathing patterns.
How to practice nasal breathing:
- Throughout the day, keep your lips together and breathe only through your nose.
- If you experience nasal congestion, use the Nose Unblocking Exercise:
- Take a normal breath in and out through your nose.
- Pinch your nose and hold your breath.
- Gently nod your head up and down until you feel a moderate air hunger.
- Release your nose and resume gentle nasal breathing.
- Repeat this exercise as needed to clear your nasal passages.
- At night, consider using mouth tape like MyoTape to encourage nasal breathing while you sleep.
3. Relaxation and Slow Breathing (Breathe Light and Breathe Slow)
Buteyko’s anti-snoring breathing exercises focus on breathing less, not more. Light and slow breathing reduces the speed and volume of airflow, which helps prevent the turbulence that causes snoring.
Breathe Light:
- Sit comfortably, placing one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.
- Breathe gently and quietly through your nose, reducing the speed and volume of each breath.
- Aim to create a slight feeling of air hunger, breathing less than you normally would.
- Practice this exercise for 4 to 5 minutes, several times a day, and always before bedtime.
Breathe Slow:
- Sit upright and rest your hands on your lower ribs.
- Inhale gently through your nose for four seconds, then exhale softly through your nose for six seconds.
- Maintain a calm, steady rhythm, aiming for about six breaths per minute.
- Practice for four to five minutes, especially as part of your bedtime routine.
Building Buteyko Breathing into Your Daily Routine
Consistency is essential for success. Practice these breathing exercises daily, both during the day and before bed, to help alleviate snoring. Commit to nasal breathing at all times, using mouth tape if needed.
Monitor your Control Pause score regularly to track your progress. Combine these exercises with lifestyle changes such as optimizing your sleeping posture and performing facial or tongue exercises to further support your airway health.
Tips for Best Results
- Give yourself time to adjust. Retraining your breathing patterns is a process, but the benefits for snoring and sleep quality are well worth the effort.
- Start with short sessions and gradually increase the duration as your comfort grows.
- Use the nose-unblocking exercise regularly if you experience congestion, and consult a specialist if nasal obstruction persists.
- Focus on lighter, slower nasal breathing rather than hard, forceful breaths.
You Can Overcome Snoring with the Buteyko Method
As you have learned, snoring is often a sign of unhealthy breathing habits that disrupt sleep and well-being. The Buteyko Method provides a proven approach to addressing snoring at its source by retraining your breathing habits and promoting healthy nasal breathing for quieter nights and improved overall health.
What should you do next? Get your complete Buteyko Snoring Guide and transform your sleep with our comprehensive online course. You’ll receive streaming video lessons, scientific explanations, the “Sleep with Buteyko” eBook, and tips on using the Buteyko belt for improved breathing.
Start your journey to better sleep and health with the Buteyko Clinic today.
