Getting enough and good sleep is essential for physical and mental health. Sharing a bed with a snorer disturbs sleep and may even create some friction in the relationship. Snoring (or snoring) is due to poor air circulation through the nasal cavities which causes surrounding tissues to vibrate, which in turn emit the characteristic sound. To prevent your partner from snoring, you can change the environment in which you sleep, help him change his sleeping habits and suggest something new to his lifestyle, so that both of you can enjoy a good restful sleep.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Changing the Environment
Step 1. Use pillows to lift his head
If the head is raised 10 cm with one or two pillows, then it is easier to breathe because the tongue and jaw move forward. You can purchase special pillows to allow him to keep his neck muscles relaxed and his throat open to reduce the sound of snoring.
Consider that it will not be easy for your partner not to be able to move or not to be able to move during the night; this could cause him to slide off the pillow and return him to a position that causes snoring. You can prevent this from happening by placing a tennis ball on the back of his pajamas. This will cause slight discomfort when turning and will be forced to change positions while sleeping
Step 2. Keep a humidifier in the bedroom
Dry air irritates the nose and throat causing congestion and snoring. If your partner suffers from swollen nasal tissues, then a humidifier will certainly be of great help. A slightly humid environment guarantees both of you a good night's sleep and prevents your partner from snoring.
Step 3. Consider sleeping in a separate room if the noise is too loud
Some couples decide it is better to sleep in separate bedrooms, especially if either one is a chronic problem with snoring. This could be a difficult choice to make, particularly if a member of the couple feels guilty or offended because of continually interrupted sleep. For this reason, take your time to discuss and evaluate this option with your partner.
Explain that you are not getting enough sleep due to his snoring and that it would be better for your sleep / wake rhythm and for your relationship if you slept in separate rooms. Snoring is a physical problem that is often caused by other diseases or disorders in the body. It is your partner's responsibility to find a solution, medical or otherwise, to this problem. However, if any remedy seems ineffective, then resting in separate chambers may be your only option
Part 2 of 3: Changing Your Sleep Habits
Step 1. Suggest a nasal wash before bed
If your partner has a stuffy nose, then they might try a saline rinse before bed so they can breathe better. To clear and rinse the nasal passages, you can use a neti pot or take a decongestant.
Nasal patches can reduce the intensity of snoring by dilating the passages of the nose. However, they are unable to resolve the disorder and are not as effective as nasal washing
Step 2. Advise your partner to sleep on their side and not on their back
If you change posture and rest sideways, rather than prone or supine, it reduces the pressure on your throat and avoids snoring. If he has trouble holding this position overnight, you can sew a rolled up sock or tennis ball to the back of his pajamas. This will cause him slight discomfort when he lies on his back at night and will help him stay on his side.
After a few weeks of sleeping on the side, a habit should develop and you can remove the ball or socks from her pajamas
Step 3. Ask him to go to the dentist to find out about anti-snoring devices
Your doctor may recommend a personalized splint that allows your partner to keep the airway open and push both the tongue and jaw forward during sleep.
These custom devices can be quite expensive, especially if you don't have health insurance that reimburses them. However, your partner can pay a visit to the dentist and find cheaper solutions if needed
Step 4. Ask him to go to the doctor to consider surgical options for snoring
If your partner continues to snore despite all the changes made to his environment and habits, then you should make a doctor's appointment to discuss the possibility of a device or surgical procedure that will fix the problem. Your doctor may offer you some options including:
- A C-PAP tool: This is a machine that blows pressurized air into a nose-to-mouth mask that your partner has to wear at night. The machine helps to keep the airways open.
- The traditional surgical procedure: the aim of the surgery is to increase the size of the air passages by removing some tissue or correcting some anomalies of the nose.
- A laser uvuloplasty procedure: this procedure uses the laser to shorten the uvula, the soft tissue that "dangles" in the back of the throat, and to make small incisions in the soft palate. Over time, the cuts heal, stiffening the surrounding tissue and thus eliminating the vibrations that cause snoring.
Part 3 of 3: Lifestyle Changes
Step 1. Suggest that your partner lose weight by exercising and eating better
If you are overweight or have difficulty keeping fit, you may want to consider losing weight thanks to a healthy, balanced diet combined with daily physical activity. Excess weight increases the amount of tissues around the neck that constrict the air passages; consequently snoring is more intense and persistent.
Step 2. Tell him not to eat or drink alcohol several hours before bedtime
Drinking alcohol a few hours before bedtime relaxes the airways, which vibrate even more during sleep. Likewise, a large meal for dinner causes restless sleep, powerful snoring, and constant changes of position.
Step 3. Offer him daily throat exercises so that he snores less
These aim to strengthen the muscles of the upper respiratory tract, so as to reduce or eliminate nocturnal vibrations. He should do these exercises every day starting with one or two repetitions and then increasing the "training" intensity as time goes on. You can suggest that they do this while they are busy with other activities such as driving, housekeeping, or walking the dog. Here's how to do the throat exercises:
- Repeat each vowel (a-e-i-o-u) out loud for three minutes, several times a day.
- Place the tip of the tongue behind the incisors of the upper arch. Now slide it backwards for three minutes a day.
- Close your mouth and curl your lips. Maintain the position for 30 seconds.
- Open your mouth and move your jaw to the right. Hold the position for 30 seconds and then repeat to the left.
- Open your mouth and contract the muscles of the back of the throat, perform several repetitions for 30 seconds. It is important to look in the mirror and make sure that the uvula (the tissue that dangles in the center of the throat) rises and falls with each contraction.
