Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Changing your sleeping habits
• Method 2 of 2: Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea
• Tips

If you often wake up with an embarrassing pool of drool that has spread cute on your pillow, you may need to make changes to your sleeping habits. For some people, sleeping on their back may be enough, while others who suffer from sleep apnea may need more drastic treatment. Try some of the suggestions below and possibly see a doctor if you cannot get rid of drooling.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Changing your sleeping habits

1. Sleep on your back. Side sleepers are more likely to drool simply because the relaxation causes your mouth to open. Try sleeping on your back and tucking yourself in so you don't turn on your side during the night.
2. Use a thicker pillow so your head is higher. If you find that you can't sleep without lying on your side, try to get up a bit more so that your mouth closes and you get more air.
3. Breathe through your nose, not your mouth. The main reason people drool is because their nose is blocked. As a result, they start breathing through their mouths and then drool.
   • Try using products like Vick's Vaporub and Tiger Balm to open the airways.
   • Smell essential oils such as Eucalyptus and Rose before going to bed to clear the sinus cavities and lull yourself to sleep.
   • Take a hot, steamy shower before going to bed to make sure your sinuses can get rid of mucus.
4. Treat sinus infections and allergies as soon as possible. Left untreated, they can cause a dripping nose which will definitely keep you awake.
5. Check to see if any medications you're taking can cause you to produce excess mucus. This can be a symptom of various types of medicines. Read the warning on the packaging and ask your doctor about the possible side effects of medicines.

Method 2 of 2: Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea

1. Determining if you have sleep apnea. If you find yourself having trouble sleeping, breathing heavily and snoring or drooling loudly, you may have sleep apnea. This encourages shallow breathing during sleep.
   • Certain behaviors and conditions can increase the risk of sleep apnea.These are: smoking, high blood pressure and people who have an increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
   • Your doctor can determine if you have sleep apnea by doing sleep tests and by your sleep history.
2. Determine if you have blocked airways. Drool is also a symptom of a blocked airway. See an ear, nose, and throat doctor to have this checked.
3. To lose weight. If you are overweight, you have an increased risk of developing sleep apnea. More than half of the 12 million people in the U.S. those who suffer from this are too heavy. Adjust your diet and exercise regularly to achieve a healthy weight so that you can breathe more easily.
4. The usual treatment for sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is treated in a number of different ways, in addition to the recommendation to lose weight. It is usually recommended to avoid alcohol, sleeping pills and sleep deprivation. Simple nose clearing agents can also help.
5. Treatment with a mask. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the first treatment that people with sleep apnea undergo. CPAP indicates that the patient should wear a mask that ensures adequate airway flow during sleep. The idea is to ensure the correct air pressure to prevent the tissue at the top of the larynx from collapsing during sleep.
6. Use a mandibular repair device. These devices prevent the tongue from slipping back into the throat and can stretch the lower jaw so that it is still possible to breathe.
7. A surgical procedure. People who suffer from excess tissue, such as a deviated nasal septum, enlarged tonsils, or an oversized tongue, may be good candidates for certain surgical procedures.
   • Somnoplasty uses radio frequencies to contract the soft palate at the back of the throat and open the airways.
   • Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty or UPPP / UP3, surgically removing soft tissues in the back of the throat to open the airways.
   • Nasal surgery consists of several procedures that repair obstacles or deformities such as a deviated nasal septum.
   • A tonsillectomy can remove oversized tonsils obstructing the airways.
   • Mandibular / maxillary repair surgery consists of placing the jawbone forward to make room in the throat. This is a rather intensive procedure reserved for only the worst cases of sleep apnea.

Tips

• Do not try to sleep with your mouth open and thereby "dry out" the mucus. This is of no use, except that you get a sore throat, especially when the room is cold.
• To help you sleep on your back, you can invest in a good mattress and a pillow that provides good support for your head and neck.