Couples may claim to have excellent understanding and compatibility with each other, but there is a certain issue that brings out the discordant behaviour between the two. While one partner is often blissfully unaware of the cause, the other suffers in silence. This happens when the couple is going through the ‘snoring phase’.
While the snorer does not know of it, the spouse has to bear the brunt of it, not wanting to wake him up as that would mean disturbing the sleep. That is really very good. But, if you want the best of health for your partner and you too, you have to make him aware of the issue and find a solution. While the snoring may be minimal, it could lead to a severe condition if not checked for the root cause. It might not be a major issue, but it is always better to check for one and get the right snore treatment.
If One Suffers, the Other One Does Too
Snoring does not impact one person but two. Along with him, you also are impacted by sleepless nights resulting from snoring. Not getting enough sleep could leave you irritable and angry. This can ultimately lead to a sour relationship. If you do not find a solution, you would end up being distanced from each other, either by arguing or by being forced to sleep separately. Hence, to ensure that your bonding and love are not impacted by the side effects of snoring, find the cause and get a solution.
Understand Each Other’s Problem
An individual typically snores when he is fast asleep and hence has no way of being aware of its existence or the magnitude. Even when you tell him about it, he cannot possibly imagine the impact it has on the other person in the same room. Hearing about his snoring problem could impact him negatively and he might feel humiliated. This might lead to retaliation. On the other hand, he might end up feeling helpless due to his failure in controlling his snoring while his partner suffers for it.
The partner, on the other hand, has to deal with it regularly and suffers as it creates a disturbance in sleep. After falling to sleep with great difficulty, a sudden loud snore could pull you out of the slumber and leave you standing back at square one. Lack of sleep can make the partner suffer from lack of alertness and concentration and leave them irritable and exhausted. This impacts every aspect of their life such as performance at work, relationships, happiness, and safety. Finding the partner relatively more rested and refreshed, unaware of the chaos he has caused could result in a potential relationship problem.
Know the Cause
The first step to saving your relationship from snoring is to understand what causes it. Snoring is the result of vibration of the soft tissue present in the nose, mouth, and throat. The presence of soft tissue could be caused by an allergic reaction or a cold, while the other reasons could be excess weight or improper sleeping position. It could also be because of a structural fault of your tissues and organs such as a loose epiglottis, a narrow throat or maybe an enlarged soft palate.
Excessively loud snoring could be resulting from a condition known as sleep apnea, wherein soft tissues in the nasal cavity might block the trachea, thus cutting off the air supply and preventing breathing as many as 100 times a minute. Each time this happens, the body tries to wake up the individual to gasp and re-open the passage. In this case, the snorer hardly ever gets deep, restful sleep and suffers as much or more than the partner.
Find the Solution
The solution to any problem can be found through communicating. If you wish to discuss about snoring with your partner, choose a time when both of you are relaxed. It should not be early in the morning or late in the night and definitely not just before bedtime. When talking to each other, do not consider only your condition but keep the perspective of your partner in mind as well. You both want to help yourself and each other and hence this is important. Do not judge each other as it is a physical issue and assure each other of your concern.
Cures for Snoring
Waking up the snorer is a very short-term and temporary solution for the problem of snoring as it will resume as soon as he goes back to sleep. With the medical advancements in place, it is possible to find out the cause for snoring and possibly suggest a viable and effective solution. Some of the solutions are:
- Avoid Sleeping Flat on Back
This is the position in which snoring can reach its worst levels as the soft tissues tend to vibrate the most in that position. To reduce snoring, you can elevate the upper body to a slanting position for a more comfortable breathing experience. This can be achieved by adding a couple of pillows behind your back.
- Humidify the Air
If you live in a place with dry climate, this is just right for you. Use a humidifier to prevent the nasal and oral passages from drying up and making it easier to breathe while sleeping and hence avoid snoring
- Use Nasal Spray Before Bedtime
A few pumps of nasal spray in your nostrils till you can feel it in your throat should be good to help both partners sleep through the night. It works by softening the mucous membranes of the nose making it easy to breathe. This helps you by preventing the dryness of the mouth as well.
As a couple, snoring causes both of you to suffer and hence you should work together to find a solution to this issue. You need to be practical and see the problem for what it is and not give it an emotional angle. Finding a solution will help both partners live a healthy life.