About SnoreGym

SnoreGym is an exercise app for snorers. No, we’re not talking pushups and squats – SnoreGym works out your “snoring muscles”.

SnoreGym guides you through a set of clinically studied workouts for your tongue, soft palate, cheeks and jaw – each with instructions, easy-to-follow animations and a rep counter to keep you on track.

By exercising and toning the soft parts of your upper airway you can reduce your snoring, sleep better and even combat sleep apnea.

How to use SnoreGym

SnoreGym will work best if used regularly. We recommend setting aside at least 10 minutes per day. SnoreGym has two workouts – a standard one for 5 minutes or a double workout for 10 minutes.

Everybody’s day is different, but we find our workouts are best done once in the morning and once in the evening before bed. A great way to keep up the regularity is to stick your workout onto an already established routine such as brushing your teeth. This also has the added benefit of a bathroom mirror – ideal for seeing if you are doing the exercises correctly!

Whenever you complete a SnoreGym workout, it is automatically added to your calendar so you can easily keep track of your progress.

Set yourself a daily target and reminders, and in time you should see your snoring improve. Remember you can always monitor your progress with our partner app, SnoreLab, where you can also link the two apps to sync your workouts automatically.

Scientific basis for SnoreGym

The concept of SnoreGym is based on some promising science. Multiple research teams have looked into the effectiveness of using mouth exercises to combat snoring and sleep apnea.

What are the studies?

When designing SnoreGym, we looked at a number of different studies.

Several of the studies compared groups performing the anti-snoring exercises with control groups performing “sham-therapy” as a placebo.

All of the studies evaluated subjects before the exercises and after 3 months performing them regularly.

Whilst most of the studies used sleep studies to objectively measure sleep statistics, research teams also used questionnaires to allow the subjects and their partners to subjectively evaluate their sleep quality and snoring.

You can read more about the individual studies into mouth exercises for snoring and sleep apnea in our dedicated article: The Science Behind SnoreGym.

Where do the exercises come from?

Throughout the published research into mouth exercises and snoring, a standard set of exercises has become established. We have adopted variations of these in SnoreGym.

The exercises have their roots in speech therapy and are designed to work out a diverse range of muscles in the tongue, throat, cheeks and jaw – muscles known to play a role in snoring.

Since the first experiments, the range of exercises has been trimmed down and refined, omitting some exercises. Despite this, results have shown to be consistent. This suggests that extensive exercises performed in excess of 30 minutes a day is not necessary to yield success.

Benefit #1 – Snoring reduction

In one study, after 3 months doing regular mouth exercises, 47% of participants reported not snoring any more [1].

Other studies have produced similar findings, some showing an average of 56% snoring severity reduction and 36% less time spent snoring.

Benefit #2 – Decreased sleep apnea severity

Much of the research into mouth exercises has focussed on people with mild-moderate obstructive sleep apnea.

Results consistently show participants cutting their sleep apnea severity score (AHI) in half, as well as spending less time at dangerous, low oxygen saturations. Many even change their sleep apnea classification for the better.

Benefit #3 – Improved sleep and less tiredness

In most of the research, participants were asked to complete the Epworth Sleepiness Scale before and after the trial. This is the standard way of measuring tiredness linked to sleep deprivation in people with sleep disorders such as sleep apnea.

Studies have demonstrated a consistent halving of the ESS score, as well as 85% of participants reporting feeling less tired.

One study found a 65% increase in the average amount of time spent in deep sleep [2].

Benefit #4 – Lessened partner disturbance

In several studies, objective measurements of snoring volume are backed up by subjective questionnaires – whereby partners of snorers are asked if the snoring is reduced.

Questioned partners report less disturbance thanks to a reduction in snoring and even indicate that fewer conflicts arise as a result of snoring.

References

1. Baz H, et al. The role of oral myofunctional therapy in managing patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. PAN Arab Journal of Rhinology 2012; 2(1): 17-22.
2. Verma RK, et al. Oropharyngeal exercises in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea: our experience. Sleep & Breathing 2016; 20(4); 1193-1201.