Once I understood that
snoring was an airway problem, I couldn't unsee it, and I started noticing it everywhere.
Because just like the menopause "solutions" I'd already tried, most
snoring remedies weren't addressing the real issue either.
Take nose strips and nasal sprays. They may help open your nostrils, but
snoring usually isn't happening in your nose. It's happening farther down in your throat.
Then there were
humidifiers. They might make the air feel more comfortable, but they can't stop your airway from narrowing while you sleep.
And don't get me started on
special pillows…
I tried sleeping on my side. I tried propping myself up. I tried practically building a pillow fort around my head.
Maybe it made the snoring a little quieter.
Maybe.
But the second I fell asleep, I was right back where I started.
I also tried the drugstore
mouthguards. But they're big, rigid, and uncomfortable, so I usually took it out in the middle of the night. Plus they're mostly designed to protect your teeth, not open your airway.
I even
blamed my weight for a while because that's what everyone seems to blame.
But the more I researched, the more I learned that plenty of
thin women snore too. Weight can sometimes make the problem worse, but it doesn't explain why so many otherwise healthy women struggle with it.
That's when it finally clicked.
Every solution I'd tried was aimed at
managing the noise.
Not one of them addressed what was
actually happening in my airway while I slept.