There is a subset of advice sites out there that will tell you that the main reason why you are snoring, why your airway becomes obstructed at night, is because you are producing too much mucus, which is largely the product of the foods you are eating.
This ranges from relatively mainstream sites with a moderate perspective on the food-snoring connection, to some pretty radical sites that advocate purging your diet of nearly all foods as being mucus-forming.
Overall, there is little evidence to support the fact that certain foods are mucus-producing and may lead to more nasal blockage and snoring.
The Case against Milk
Milk and dairy in general are among the most common targets as being mucus-producing foods. People often blame them for causing excess mucus formation, and they almost always end up on lists of foods that should be avoided to reduce snoring. It makes sense that people would make this connection. After you drink a glass of milk, you can feel it coating your throat, which makes you think it might stimulate mucus production.
However, numerous studies have looked at this question and have determined that milk consumption does not lead to excess mucus production, but people who believe in the connection tend to report more mucus-related symptoms after consuming milk.
This doesn’t completely exonerate milk, though. Instead, it calls attention to a small subset of people who actually are allergic to cow’s milk, and, as a result, can experience swelling of the nostrils and throat, and, yes, even a small amount of additional mucus production.
Identify Food Allergies
Many of us have minor food allergies. These are not adequate to cause a full-blown allergic response, but they can cause a small amount of swelling and production of mucus in response. This can make snoring and even sleep apnea worse, although it’s not likely to be the primary cause.
As with many things, a sleep diary will help you resolve this issue. If you notice certain foods are associated with increased snoring, you might try cutting them out to see if they lead to an improvement in your symptoms.
On the other hand, snoring treatment can usually overcome the effects of minor allergies to reduce or eliminate snoring without having to cut foods out of your diet. To learn more about snoring treatment, please call (402) 493-4175 for an appointment with an Omaha sleep dentist at the Advanced Dental Sleep Treatment Center.
