Snoring affects millions of Americans every day, so if you are dealing with a snorer, then you certainly aren’t alone! Partners and roommates of snorers may find that lack of sleep is affecting their overall quality of life in a frustrating and even health threatening way. Lack of sleep can lead to problems with fatigue, memory loss, daytime sleepiness, poor job or school performance, and even weight gain. Not only that, but the frustration that comes with a snoring partner can create stress, increased blood pressure, resentment, and other unhealthy relationship issues.
How to Sleep When Someone Snores
If you have a snoring partner, roommate, or family member, then you may be suffering from desperation and lost sleep! Here are some tips to help you be able to sleep soundly, even if another person is making a bunch of snoring noise.
Go to Sleep First
If you can get to sleep in the evening prior to your snoring spouse, this may actually help you because you aren’t as likely to notice snoring when it starts after you are already asleep. If your spouse normally falls asleep before you do, drink a cup of chamomile tea, diffuse some lavender essential oils, and ask him or her to give you a few minutes head start before joining you. This could make all the difference.
Use a White Noise Machine or Music
Some people find that the white noise from a fan or specialized machine may help to drown out the noise of a snorer and restore proper sleep. If you use music, be sure that it is relaxing and doesn’t have significant changes in beat or volume that could actually do more harm than good by waking you up in the middle of a song.
Wear Ear Plugs
Many people find that investing in a good set of earplugs is worth it to get a good night’s sleep. Earplugs may be made of disposable foam or a more durable, reusable rubber material. Although ear plugs are not likely to drown out the noise of snoring entirely, it may be enough to get you to be able to drift off to sleep without too much trouble.
Phone Apps
Some smartphone apps contain programs that are intended to help you sleep in a variety of ways. Using your headphones, apps may offer meditative practices that help you ignore your snoring partner. Other apps may even promote hypnosis-like restorative sleep so that you become desensitized to the sound of your partner’s sleep breathing.
Leave the Bedroom
Although this might not be an option for everyone, there’s nothing wrong with heading to the sofa or spare bedroom in order to be able to really catch some z’s. In fact, it might even be better for your relationship if you can get a good night’s sleep, since you can possibly be less resentful and a bit nicer than you would if you were sleep deprived.
How to Sleep with a Snoring Partner
If you are going to be able to sleep with a snoring partner, you may want to consider trying to limit their tendency to snore. While you might not be able to stop the snoring completely, you might be able to offer some tools for you to encourage your roomie to use that can help to reduce the amount of snoring.
Anti-Snoring Pillow
Some people find that the use of an anti-snoring pillow can help to prop up the head, keep the jaw from going lax, and limit the amount of snoring during sleep breathing. A wedge at the top of the mattress may work in the same way.
Body Position
Nudging your partner when they are snoring may help to keep them turning over from the back onto the front. People who sleep on their backs are more likely to snore, so encouraging a side sleeping position may help. Some people have gone so far as to sew a tennis ball into the back of their partners’ pajamas in order to keep them from turning over onto their backs and snoring!
Healthy Lifestyle
If you care about your partner, then you’ll care about more than just the fact that the snoring keeps you awake. Snoring can be a sign of underlying health problems including sleep apnea, obesity, and other issues. Changing your lifestyle can significantly reduce not only the snoring but health risks as well. Losing weight is often a great start in reducing the amount of snoring a person does.
Quitting smoking and reducing the amount of alcohol intake can help to reduce snoring and keep you sleeping better at night. Eating meals earlier in the evening rather than later may also reduce the tendency for a person to snore. Of course, people who snore may also need to see a medical professional to be sure their sleep is not related to an underlying health condition that could be risky.
Lower the Bedroom Temperature
People who are sleeping in a hot room may not sleep as well and could begin to snore. The ideal room temperature for a person to sleep well is between 60 and 65 degrees. Keep the bedroom cooler so that you can sleep better, whether that means opening a window, turning down the heat, or making use of a cooling fan. A fan may work as white noise to drown out the sound of some snoring. Changing to lighter weight bedding may also help.
Conclusion
Many people might think that complaining about a snoring spouse is silly and give you an eye roll. But a person who has tried night after night to get rest and can’t because of snoring understands. Getting rid of snoring is obviously an ideal goal, but that may not be very realistic in some cases. Try these tips and tricks to see if you can get a better night’s sleep which will lead to a better quality of life!
