People snore because they’ve lost throat muscle tone, says Dr. Mike Dilkes, an ear, nose and throat surgeon in London. In an interview with CBC, he offers an exercise to rebuild your throat muscles:
MD: There’s a quick [exercise] you can do: Opening your mouth as wide as you can. Poking your tongue out as far as it’ll go, so it hurts. You got to really strain your tongue out. Then you touch tip of your nose with your tongue. Then go south and touch your chin with your tongue. Then go side to side as far as you can. Then, as you’re doing this, in a loud voice, sing something familiar like your national anthem.
CO: So if someone does this workout, four or five minutes a day, they’ll stop snoring?
MD: If there’s no other mechanical obstruction i.e. it’s just an age-related problem, then yes — this is a good treatment.