Having a partner who snores can be a nightmare, literally! It can lead to fights between couples and even result in strained relationships to the point of separation. If someone ends up ruining your plans of getting some shut-eye after a long and tiring day at work, then it becomes a serious botheration. And therefore, at the very outset what you need to do is discuss your quandary with your partner and start looking for practical solutions to tackle this menace. Given below are some easy ways to stop snoring:
1.) Get Expert Opinion
Snoring is considered to be a minor social problem although a major marital one. So, one major step to take in this regard would be to prod and persuade your partner to see a sleep specialist so that the cause can be tackled head-on.
2.) Maintain Distance
A rather ridiculous but practical solution would be to consider sleeping separately. It, however, is only a temporary solution to a permanent problem can at best prove to be a stop-gap measure.
3.) Embrace Change
Technically and biologically, snoring happens when air flows through a person’s throat causing vibrations of the soft tissue in the throat. If lying on the back, the tongue can also become a contributory factor by blocking the passage of air through the mouth. Ask your partner to change the position of sleep. Also, there are nasal sprays available that help in combating the problem of snoring quite effectively.
4.) Cultivate Good Pre-Sleep Habits
Make sure your partner doesn’t light up or binge on alcohol before he/she retires for the day. The reason is that while smoking irritates the membranes in the throat by blocking airways, alcohol relaxes throat muscles which can block air passages.
5.) Health is Wealth
Encourage your partner to go healthy. Being obese or overweight can be morose, more so because it increases fat content of throat tissues thus rendering them more susceptible to become causative agents of smoking.
It is thus important that you treat this issue with all the sensitivity and care that it demands. How do you stop snoring is entirely up to you. Make sure you communicate your inconvenience to your partner politely but firmly. This will ensure that you get your point across without much fuss. Happy napping!
Why is my partner snoring?
Your partner might be snoring due to a variety of reasons. The main reason for snoring is when airflow is partially blocked when asleep. That causes throat tissue to vibrate. It is usually due to nasal congestion, alcohol consumption, obesity, allergies and sleeping on the back. Other reasons include an enlarged tonsils or deviated septum that can hinder normal breathing. Oftentimes, snoring is a sign of undiagnosed sleep apnea, which interrupts normal breathing when the individual is asleep. Aging makes the throat muscles lose tone with time and that increases snoring. Lifestyle habits such as smoking, poor sleeping position, alcohol consumption before bedtime, obesity can enhance snoring. Knowing about the underlying cause of your partner’s snoring is important so that the right treatment can be found.
How to sleep with snoring partner?
Although sleeping with a snoring partner is difficult but there are ways to get proper sleep by effective managing the noise. It is important to encourage your partner to have a consistent sleep schedule, avoid alcohol close to bedtime, use a pillow to elevate his/her head for better breathing, and to sleep on his/her side as these tips help reduce snoring. Additionally, you can use earplugs, white noise machine and even noise cancelling headphones to have a better sleep. Occasionally, you can sleep in different bedrooms to catch up on your sleep if the snoring still gets to you. It may be important to visit the doctor to know about the underlying health issues causing the snoring. Whether it is nasal congestion, obesity or sleep apnea, help is available.
Does sleeping with a snoring partner affect health?
It is true that sleeping with a snoring bed partner can affect your sleep and health with time. The noise can disrupt the sleep of the non-snoring partner, leading to sleep deprivation, mood swings and poor alertness levels. If you are constantly sleep deprived, it can cause daytime drowsiness, weak immunity and irritability that can be a bane for a healthy life. It puts you at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, anxiety, stroke and even hypertension. Additionally, it affects your professional and personal relationships. Disruptions ins sleep affects both the partners creating stress, reduces cognitive functions and brain’s ability to recover at night. Addressing the cause of snoring is important for your health.
What else can you try if there’s no treatment that works?
If you have tried treatments but nothing worked, don’t give up hope. Try making lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, exercise if you/your snoring partner is obese, make modifications to your diet by cutting out dairy products, sleep on your side and stay hydrated. Using pillows to elevate the head can reduce snoring. Start using white noise machines, use earplugs and even noise cancelling headphones work for the non-snoring partner. On noisy nights, when the snoring partner is heavily snoring, sleep in another room to get adequate sleep. Open communication, empathy and patience are the keystones to a healthy relationship. If sleep apnea is suspected, see a doctor for further evaluations.
Conclusion
It is not easy to sleep with a snoring partner and that is why to help them stop snoring, you need tow ork as a team, needs a proactive approach and patience. You’ll need to find the underlying case of snoring to ensure the right treatment can be found. The cause can range from sleep apnea, nasal congestion, lifestyle habits or even wring sleep position. You can encourage your partner to start making lifestyle changes – quit smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and losing weight. Additionally, it helps to reduce snoring if you elevate the head using pillows, use mouthpieces, chin straps, nasal strips and sprays, to reduce nasal congestion and ease airflow. Understanding, consistent efforts, and mutual support can help to reduce snoring, improving you and your partner’s sleep and well-being.
FAQs
Why is my partner snoring so loudly at night?
Your partner might be snoring loudly at night due to allergies, nasal congestion, alcohol consumption close to bedtime, smoking or even due to sleeping on their back. All of these create inflammation or partial blockage in the airways, leading to snoring. Snoring is a sign of sleep apnea, which causes pauses in breathing when asleep. That needs to be evaluated by a doctor.
How can I sleep better when my partner snores?
To get a good night’s sleep when you have snoring partner can be challenging. You can use earplugs and a white noise machine to mask the snoring noises. You may encourage them to use nasal strips, mouthguards and sleep on their side to snore less. It is important to have a sleep schedule while you can always occasionally spend a night in separate sleeping spaces to catch up on sleep, if snoring gets to you.
Is it unhealthy to sleep with a snoring partner?
Yes, sleeping with a snoring partner can be unhealthy if the snoring is disrupting your sleep. If you are waking up oftentimes during the night due to loud snoring, it can lead to sleep deprivation, fatigue, reduced alertness and decline in cognitive abilities. It puts your health at risk and can developing heart diseases, stroke, diabetes and even hypertension.
What can I do if nothing helps my partner’s snoring?
If nothing has helped your partner’s snoring, it might be important to get him/her consult a sleep expert to evaluate sleep apnea. You can ensure that your partner sleeps on the side, makes lifestyle changes and use anti-snoring devices. Separate sleeping spaces can be used occasionally to catch up on the sleep. That improves relationships and health so it is good to prioritize treatment.