If your partner snores, you probably feel exhausted and frustrated. Snoring sometimes has a bigger impact on the partner than on the snorer, and waking up frequently every night can be terrible for your health. You don’t have to be stuck getting poor sleep, though. There are lots of strategies and treatments you can try either to stop your partner’s snoring or to improve your sleep. Here are six tips to help you sleep with a snorer:
Record Them Snoring
Your partner is asleep when they snore, so they probably won’t realize the severity of the problem until you make them aware. Take a video or audio recording of their snoring, and play it back for them in the morning. Hopefully, they’ll take you seriously when you show them how loud the snoring can be.
Keep in mind that many people are embarrassed about their snoring problem, so you should be gentle and supportive when you talk about it. Remember that they don’t snore on purpose and that getting angry at them will only make them feel defensive.
Roll Them onto Their Side
If your partner usually sleeps on their back, rolling them over may be one of the easiest natural remedies for their snoring. Lying on your back increases the pressure on your throat, which can make the tissues collapse and block the airway. Whenever you wake up to your partner snoring, remind them to roll over onto their side. If possible, you can even try to roll them over yourself without waking them up.
Make Lifestyle Changes Together
Lifestyle changes can sometimes decrease or eliminate snoring, and making these changes alongside your partner will motivate them. If your partner is overweight or obese, the excess weight on their neck could contribute to their snoring. Make a plan to exercise and follow a healthy diet together, so you can encourage each other to stay on track.
Drinking alcohol before going to sleep can cause snoring as well. Alcohol causes the muscles in the throat to relax excessively, which may make them block the airway. If you and your partner are both in the habit of having a few drinks before bed, consider stopping and encouraging your partner to do the same.
Encourage Them to Try Treatments
There are a wide variety of snoring treatments available, from natural remedies to surgery. If your partner doesn’t have much luck with lifestyle or sleeping habit changes, look into oral devices that treat snoring. These devices position the mouth and jaw in ways that keep the airway open and prevent the tissues from collapsing and vibrating. Some of the most popular devices include tongue retaining devices, mandibular advancement devices, and chin straps. One that we found particularly good reviews about is the Good Morning Snore Solution device.
Other tools and devices can treat snoring as well. Body pillows will help your partner lie on their side all night, and wedge pillows will let them sleep with their head propped up, which will reduce the pressure on their throat.
Consider your partner’s circumstances when researching snoring solutions, and find two or three treatments that you think will work best for them. Inform them of these treatments and encourage them to try one for a week or two to see how it feels.
Use Sound Blocking Devices
If the snoring solutions you’ve suggested don’t work out, you can also try blocking out the sound. This won’t solve your partner’s snoring problem, but it will help you get enough sleep. You can buy earplugs that are specially designed to block out snoring sounds, or you can use a fan or white noise machine to drown out the snores.
Invest in Blackout Curtains or a New Mattress
When you sleep with a snorer, it’s important to make your sleeping environment as comfortable as possible. This will let you get plenty of deep sleep despite the snoring interruptions. Blackout curtains will keep your room dark, which will help you stay asleep as the sun comes up.
If you sleep on an old, broken, or uncomfortable mattress, you should consider getting a new one. When you’re comfortable, you’re less likely to be woken up by snoring or other sounds. A good mattress will help you achieve great, restful sleep, and it may help your partner stop snoring.