Snoring Husband - I Need Sleep!

Updated on May 14, 2012
P.G. asks from Durham, NC
16 answers

Hello all - Any advice about a husband who snores? We've been married for almost 8 years. He has always snored, but not as consistent as he has lately. Not really sure what to do. We've been taking turns lately sleeping in separate rooms just so we can both sleep, but that's not healthy for a marriage. It doesn't matter what position he sleeps in. He's not overweight and does not smoke, drinks rarely. I don't really think it's nasal, maybe coming from throat/tongue? He needs to see a doctor, but getting him there is the challenge. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

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K.M.

answers from Denver on

Yeah, I would say sleep study too. He could have sleep apnea, which if it goes on for a long time could be dangerous.

1 mom found this helpful

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

I agree -- he must see a doctor ASAP about a sleep study and possible apnea. If it's bad enough apnea can be very serious or even fatal. Please get him checked out. It sounds from your post as if he might be resistant to going to a doctor but sit him down and say that YOUR daily life is now seriously negatively affected and he may have a medical condition that is fixable for both your sakes. Good luck.

2 moms found this helpful
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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

Ear plugs and a sleep study

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K.F.

answers from New York on

My hubby snores too. I almost swear there are times the bed shakes and windows rattle from the sound. I exaggerate.

If I can fall asleep before him, I'm good but if her falls asleep first, I'm not going to have a good night. I can get him to roll over easily and that will stop it sometimes. The more tired he is the louder the snoring.

Try the nasal strips, then the spray, then it may be time for a sleep study.

Hang in there though and see if falling asleep first will help while you work on encouraging him to get himself checked out.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have sleep apnea. I have been snoring since about puberty. I was very slim and trim when I started to snore. My dad snored. My grand dad snored.

I went to a sleep study back in 1992 when it was still experimental. I can't remember what the exact statistics are, but the doctor said about 80% of those that snore have sleep apnea. More heavy people snore than skinny people, but its the snoring that needs to be corrected. Being over weight is just one of the problems that seems to go with sleep apnea.

Have him do a sleep study. I wear my sleep apnea mas every night and it has improved my sleeping tremendously and it has stopped my snoring completely.

Good luck to you and yours.

ETA: I forgot. My sleep doctor said I could go in for throat surgery and they would open the throat so there is no snoring. The doctor said some people they can help this way and some they can't. I never went to be checked because I can't bare to go under the knife. But that operation is an alternative IF his throat is such that they can operate.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.S.

answers from Portland on

I continuously roll mine over and over and it drives him nuts, but we get sleep (usually) that way. A sleep study really does sound like the best thing. Maybe explain the implications of sleep apnea to him, it can hurt all kinds of things.

Updated

I continuously roll mine over and over and it drives him nuts, but we get sleep (usually) that way. A sleep study really does sound like the best thing. Maybe explain the implications of sleep apnea to him, it can hurt all kinds of things.

1 mom found this helpful
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H.D.

answers from Dallas on

Oh my have I been there!! My hubby saw an infomercial one evening for this http://www.sonapillow.com/ and I MADE him order it. It actually totally worked!! I totaly recommend trying this stupid looking pillow!

1 mom found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Jacksonville on

I agree he may need a sleep study. Even if he isn't obese there may be something that is obstructing his air pathways. My dad has sleep apnea and is on a machine at night.

Question, has he been more tired lately? Had an increase in appetite? Those are both symptoms that he might have sleep apnea. The doctors told my dad that if he was snoring he wasn't really reaching REM sleep and that he wasn't getting the rest he needed. Your body needs fuel and it gets it through rest and food. With my dad, he wasn't getting what he needed from sleep so he was increasing his food intake, which made him heavier, which made the sleep apnea worse. It was an ugly cycle.

He would fall asleep all the time. In the middle of sentences, watching TV, and a couple times driving! After his first night on the machine, he felt like a whole new person.

1 mom found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

Yep, I have been a snoring since I was a teen. Skinny, active.. but always snored.

Married 30 years, snoring.. and it got so bad, I started gasping at night. Became so ill last spring.. I went to the hospital.. Tests, half dozen doctors.. Everything was caused by sleep apnea.. I am now on a CPAP.. it has changed my life.

I have good insurance, but it did not cover everything, but was able to write off the extra medical bills on my taxes.

Please, please.. force him, beg him, drag him to see a doctor. This is a dangerous way for both of you to be living.

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L.C.

answers from Chicago on

Good luck. My husband did all the tests and all that, got the mask, and wont wear it. It makes me crazy. He does spend many nights on the couch, especially when i was pregnant. if your hubby will go to the dr and follow through with directions, that will work. If not, prepare to sleep seperately or get used to noise all night. I know it sucks. Some nights i wake him up and tell him to go to the couch cause i cant stand it, and other nights, i tolerate it. Get it fixed if you can, if not, good luck sleeping.

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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Ooooooooh! Get him O. of those plastic mouth guards!
If he'll use it, they DO work!
Good luck!

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K.D.

answers from Raleigh on

Actually, it is healthy to sleep apart according to this study - http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/0...

The modern tradition of the marital bed only began with the industrial revolution, when people moving to overcrowded towns and cities found themselves short of living space. Before the Victorian era it was not uncommon for married couples to sleep apart.

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A.F.

answers from Fargo on

Does your husband have allergies? Even mild allergies will cause snoring. My husband only snores when he is really tired or getting a cold but we (um *I*) went through 3 weeks of sheer misery when he was snoring continually. FINALLY he used a neti pot to do a nasal rinse and it took care of the problem.

If you think it could possibly help, go to Target or your local drugstore and look for a NeilMed Neti Pot or sinus rinse kit.

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J.W.

answers from Lexington on

My pillow was not a SonaPillow (Sunny D's post), but it is similar in shape, and it really does help - not just with the snoring, but also with shoulder and neck pain. I got it at my chiropractor's office years ago, so I don't know what it is called. I had already spent many hundreds of dollars over the years trying different pillows.

BUT... I still had a mild problem - and I indeed had mild apnea even with the pillow. It wasn't bad enough to bother my husband, but it did take a toll on my energy level, and I eventually got an CPAP-autopap.

I understand why many people won't wear them, and sometimes, although I am as compliant as I can be, I find it OFF me when I wake up.

IF he can train himself to breather through his nose, there is another solution (also by prescription) a much less obtrusive device called a Provent, which I have not yet tried, but want to try.

In any case, this snoring is not just disrupting your sleep, which is slowly eroding your health, but it is doing the same to his health - weraing away at his heart and cardiovascular system, and even raising blood glucose level. I was "pre-diabetes" in spite of a healthy diet with no processed foods... and had no idea apnea could do that! It was one of the reasons the doctor had me sleep tested.

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E.M.

answers from Louisville on

i got my hubby to do a sleep test he only has mind apnea so or course he didnt get the cpap sooo the snoring is still a problem... we tried the mouth guard, spray, kicking him every few mins lol and the breeth right strips.... none worked so we just live with it and many nights he or i just go to the couch. not a huge deal since we both end up getting sleep.

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❤.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Try propping him up w/an extra pillow.

That will elevate him more & keep his airway passage open if it's coming
from his nose/throat.

Not sure if he can sleep that way. Some people can't.

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