Snoring...

[Liriel]

Any ideas on how to deal with snoring? I'm a light sleeper and my SO is driving me insane with all these sleepless nights I'm having...

[Death, your friend the Reaper]

Leave subtle hints to him, like stuffing his nose or mouth with foam, leave pictures of Snorlax around, put on big ear muffs before sleeping.

There also may be some medical way:smalltongue:

[YPU]

There are nose strap thingies that hold open the nose when used. It sounds and looks weird but I hear its one of the few remedies that actually does something.

[TwoBitWriter]

I do the same thing to my wife. I have a bad snoring problem. We solved it by going to bed at the same time (or her just a little bit earlier) because its only a problem when she is trying to fall asleep.

If I do happen to wake her up by snoring, she just kinda shakes me a bit and I stop long enough for her to sleep more.

I also take allergy medicine every night and make sure I blow my nose. I only snore when I roll unto my back, so I try to sleep on my stomach.

This link (http://www.professorshouse.com/family/health/snoring-treatments.aspx) may help.

[Lord Herman]

If it gets really bad, your SO could ask the doctor if there's anything he can do about it. In some cases, it can be fixed with surgery.

[TwoBitWriter]

Does he ever seem to stop breathing while snoring for several seconds at a time?

That's Sleep Apnea and that is a critically dangerous condition.

I would recommend he see a doctor about it if the problem is chronic.

[ghost_warlock]

Does he ever seem to stop breathing while snoring for several seconds at a time?

That's Sleep Apnea and that is a critically dangerous condition.

I would recommend he see a doctor about it if the problem is chronic.

*nod nod nod*

My gf does that and it scares the **** out of me. :smalleek: Fortunately, we seem to have pretty much solved the problem by getting her better neck support while sleeping.

[Liriel]

No, no Sleep Apnea to worry about. (Glad your gf figured out how to deal with hers, Ghost. *Comfs*)

And thanks for the tips thus far. ;-)

[Charity]

Ear plugs works for my wife.

[ghost_warlock]

That website had some good information, but snoring can also be caused by a blocked or restricted airway. The wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snoring) also has some helpful advice on some sometimes-effective home remedies for opening the airway.

Specifically, this was exceptionally helpful for my gf and her sleep apnea-caused snoring:

Anti Snore Pillows
Specially designed pillows have been created to resolve snoring problems caused by sleep positioning. These pillows are specially shaped to help open the airway passages of the throat and nose. This allows air to flow more freely during sleep, which reduces the vibration of surrounding tissue. Anti snore pillows have a unique, wedge-shaped design with added head and neck support. This helps elevate the sleeper’s upper body and open the air passage of the throat.

[Bor the Barbarian Monk]

As an option during an MRI years ago, I was offered foam earplugs. Because my roommate at the boarding house I was living in sbored so loud it sounded like bears fighting for territory, I asked for extras to bring home, which the tech gladly handed over. It may be the only reason I slept...while he was alive. :smalleek:

[Ashtar]

My brother snored so loud that you could hear it in the street outside the house. It would rattle the window panes. And I'm talking about a real brick and mortar master farm house, 200 years old!

He got an operation and all better! I snore louder than he does now (and only when drunk). :smalltongue:

[Kcalehc]

My wife found that a sharp elbow jab to my ribs solves my snoring problem. At least for long enough for her to go back to sleep anyways.

However, the dog snoring wakes us both up; breatheright strips probably won't fit there... :smallbiggrin:

[rayne_dragon]

If you can, sleep in a different room when you really need to sleep. =P

I'm such a light sleeper that I need to do this with people who don't snore.

[Oregano]

Apparently learning to play the didgeridoo(no idea how it's spelt) and practising every night helps as it strengthens the muscles in the airways.

[Telonius]

I've heard that cutting back on alcohol can help people snore less.

[some_other_dave]

Losing weight can help, if one is overweight.

Aging tends to make you snore more; if you could turn back the clock you would likely snore less. (And be a gazillionaire for figuring out how to do that!)

I have a CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) device. It fixes the snoring, but I find it difficult to sleep with it on. :(

-soD

[snoopy13a]

I've heard that cutting back on alcohol can help people snore less.

People do snore more when they are drunk.

To the OP, if your SO's snoring just prevents you from going to sleep and doesn't wake you up then you can always go to sleep first. Earplugs may work. Sleeping in different rooms also works but that is basically the last resort option.

[Krytha]

Argh I can't stand snoring. But, when I was a kid, I saw this french movie where two guys had to share a bed and one of them snored really loudly. The other guy's remedy was the bang on something or whistle loudly enough to rouse the person from their slumber into a state of sleep which had them breathing normally. And it WORKS. For 5 seconds before they pass out again and snore...

I've also woken some people up completely this way and I get vaguely conscious "huh whats going on" looks before they go back to sleep.

Another method was employed by a friend of mine - her roommate in university snored, so she got up and started poking her nose with a pencil to see if there was any way to turn the speakers off. I don't think it worked, but it was very funny.

[Extra_Crispy]

My father snores very loudly. He has tried the nasal strips and that helps a little, he even tried surgery, that did not change a thing. My mother has given up some, on the nights he snores the worse she sleeps in a different room.

The real bad thing is I am just like him, I snore some and real bad when I am very tired, or if I am sitting up. Only thing I have found that helps is if my nose is cloggeds some I use some Afrin nasal spray. Also I dont have a SO so I dont worry about it much.

[Liriel]

Thanks guys. Alcohol isn't a big issue - neither one of us drink excessively. Average weight. I've thought about earplugs, but wondered how effective and comfortable they'd be. (And worried if they were too effective.)

[valadil]

I had my tonsils come out due to sleep apnea and haven't snored since. My GF snores but only as she goes to bed. I go to bed 30 minutes after her so it isn't a problem.

Pay attention to when your SO snores. Some positions are more conducive to noise than others. If he only snores on his back for instance, flip him over.

[mathemagician]

If they snore primarily while they are on their back, it may be a mild form of positional sleep apnea, largely corrected by not letting them sleep on their back. A common solution is to sew a pocket onto the back of a larger T-shirt, and put a tennis ball (or large foam ball from a craft store) into the pocket. It worked very well for me.

As far as earplugs...you never know until you try, but I suspect you can get used to them fairly quickly. I've slept with earbud-headphones when trapped with loud snorers before, and I got used to that pretty quickly.

Good luck.

[golentan]

Depending on how deep a sleeper they are, something to make them shift position often works. My roommates would shine a flashlight at my face, or make a loud bump (kick the bed or something). Not enough to wake me, but enough that I'd roll over and stop snoring long enough for them to fall asleep.

[Coidzor]

Nah, my g/f could tell I was talking to her when she was wearing ear plugs, it just muffles the sound rather than eliminating it completely.

Say, taking the snoring down from gun-shot to... buzzy-bee level?