How To Sleep With A Snorer


Sleeping with a snorer can be annoying. Especially if you have work in the morning and you can’t even get a restful sleep at night.

Everything is normal in your environment. Your sleeping position is correct, you are lying on the softest pillows and mattress; scented candles are glowing on your side table. There is nothing to worry about. You have almost achieved that relaxed mental state.

All of a sudden, the sound you always dread comes from the side.

It’s your partner snoring! Anxiety rips your heart and you regret being in a relationship.

‘You pathetic monster’, grumbling and fumbling, you leave the room with pillows.

If you are facing a marriage crisis due to a loud snoring partner, you are not alone! It wouldn’t come much as a surprise if we tell you that snoring is the third leading cause of divorce in the United States.

Even in the United Kingdom, 80% to 90% of people fail to achieve the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep due to snoring partners.

Simply leaving the partner you love due to snoring can be difficult. But here are some tips that will help you sleep through snoring noise.

How To Sleep With Someone Who Snores

Sleeping next to someone who snores can be very annoying especially if you are trying to fall asleep after a long, tiring day. Some studies even suggest that one in two couples around the world squabble over snoring which makes it hard for them to share the bed with a snoring partner. Here are some solutions that can help you get a good night’s sleep with a loud snorer:

1. Block out snoring completely

The ideal way to comfortably sleep through snoring is to block the noise completely. Snoring is the result of throat muscles being relaxed, partially blocking the airways which create the reverberating sound. To open the air passages, it is helpful to wear a mouth-piece.

An anti-snoring mouthpiece will bring the snorer’s jaw and tongue forward, allowing more space for air to pass through the throat. It is usually more efficient if the mouthpiece keeps both mouth and nasal passages free for air.

These have to be customized by the dentist after determining whether you are a suitable candidate for a mouthpiece or not.

If you can’t visit a dentist, look into companies that sell readymade mouthpieces for snorers.

Customized products like Vital Sleep are popular among snorers which have improved the sleep quality for many. It holds the jaw forward the entire night, creating space in the throat for the air to pass. It works for both nasal passages and mouth.

Be aware of the fact that mouth-piece creates stiffness in the jaw and excessive salivation for the first few nights. If you find any of these symptoms too annoying, speak to your dentist for a workaround.

2. Turn Snorer’s Pillow into an Anti-Snore Pillow

Another great solution to stop your partner from snoring is to get them a device that turns their pillow into an anti-snore pillow.

Smart expanders are put inside the pillowcases that contain sensors which detect the snoring. The sound automatically moves the pillow, stimulating throat muscles which allows the snorer to breathe naturally without any loud sounds.

a) Smart Nora

Smart Nora anti-snore pillow insert

Nora comes with a device that is attached to the expander. You simply have to turn on the device and put the expander in your pillowcase.

Once you turn it on, the device will pick up the snoring sound and gently move the pillow to stimulate the throat muscles, which will open the airways of the snorer.

This will happen so slowly that the snorer wouldn’t even have a clue. You can use this device with just any pillow insert so the sleeping position of your partner doesn’t really matter.

b) Nitetronic

This is a clinically-proven smart anti-snoring solution that can help reduce the snoring of your partner and improve your quality of sleep. As soon as the snoring sound is detected, it turns your head automatically which reduces the sound of snoring as well as promotes better breathing.

The best thing about Nitetronic is that you can transform any pillow into an anti-snore pillow by just inserting this device into it. Nitetronic comes with apps for both iPhone and android that can help you monitor your partner’s sleep efficiency in the morning.

3. Change their sleep position

If you can’t get a hold on snoring products, switching the snorer’s sleeping position might give them some relief.

When they sleep on their back, the base of their tongue and soft palate rests back which blocks the opening of the throat, creating those irritating noises.

Sleeping on the back can also compress their face, head, and neck airways due to the effects of gravity, particularly if they are overweight.

Experts suggest that sleeping on your side can create a dramatically positive effect for people who snore. A full body pillow might make them more comfortable when sleeping in this position.

Although it might not completely eliminate the problem, your partner should give it a try.

4. Make them use a wedge pillow

If your snoring partner or roommate likes to sleep on their back, make them sleep in a slightly elevated position using a wedge pillow. The inclined position helps keep passages wide open by preventing throat muscles and upper airways from collapsing when your partner sleeps.

A wedge pillow will allow your partner to sleep peacefully at night without tossing and turning due to blocked airways.

5. Make Your Partner Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle

healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle can reduce the snoring problem if not fully eliminate it.

If your partner is overweight, making them lose weight might help. The additional fat around the neck exerts pressure on the internal diameter of the throat, creating a narrower passage for air which can lead to snoring. This is why losing weight is important for your partner.

The snorer should not consume alcohol or sedatives before going to bed as these relax the muscles at the back of the throat which will trigger snoring.

Make them avoid smoking as it harms their breathing quality, creating congestion in the throat and worsening the snoring.

If they are allergic to something, visit a doctor to get a lifestyle plan which eliminates all the allergens. Use clean bed sheets, pillows, and mattresses if they are allergic to dust.

Being tired only makes the snoring worse. Make sure your partner practices good sleeping hygiene and is getting good hours of sleep..

6. Go to Sleep Before Your Snoring Partner

It is nice to take care of your partner’s snoring problem. But as a victim of their constant rumble, you have to maintain your own sanity.

A good way to tackle this is to hit the bed a few hours before they do so you have more chances of completing your sleep cycle. It might sound hard to do at first but if you and your partner come to a commitment, it can be easily done.

By going to bed a couple of hours before them, you won’t get frustrated for not getting adequate sleep. This also gives you a headstart with your sleep in case you are unable to sleep when your partner joins you.

7. Use Ear Plugs

There are always smart solutions to big problems.

If you are unable to stop your partner from snoring, get yourself some earplugs. This is a cheap and effective solution to a serious problem.

The earplugs might be made out of foam, rubber, or plastic. Make sure to read the instructions to place them correctly and safely. You should not insert it too closely to ear wax or block your ears from hearing smoke alarms.

If you are prone to infections, talk to a doctor before using earplugs. Also, make sure to clean earplugs regularly and always store them in a bacteria-free box.

8. Record Your Partner Snoring

Some snorers can be in denial and hard to deal with. Even if it is wrecking your marriage and giving you an existential crisis, they wouldn’t listen or accept the fact that they snore.

To make them believe and convince them to seek help, you can record while your partner is snoring. This idea might sound ridiculous but it does work to give your snoring partner a reality check and make them understand the victim’s feelings.

9. Make Your Partner See a Sleep Doctor

Snoring is more troublesome and life-risking for the snorer than the person hearing it. If you have exhausted all snoring remedies and still can’t find relief, it’s time you make them see a doctor.

Snoring may appear to be a common problem but it could be the effect of an underlying condition that can only be examined by a medical expert. The ideal treatment for obstructive sleep apnea or snoring is to treat the underlying medical condition.

For instance, if the snorer’s nasal passage stays blocked all the time due to allergies, the doctor might prescribe medicines and exercises to free their nasal passages which can reduce the snoring.

If snoring is not properly treated, your partner will have a bad sleep quality and breathing difficulty which can lead to coronary artery disease, hypertension, increased chance of heart and brain stroke, and can also lead to the development of diabetes.

woman sleeping with her snoring partner

How To Deal With A Snoring Partner Who Refuses To Get Help?

A snoring partner can give you a tough time by not understanding the problem.

The snorer often feels that snoring is not under their control and is something they have developed without a reason. In this scenario, a good way is to educate them.

Make sure you don’t start an argument in the middle of the night.

Rather take your time to come up with facts and figures associated with snoring in a very calm manner. Make them see the bigger picture without embarrassing them or triggering a self-defense argument.

Record them snoring if they are in denial and don’t believe you, play those recordings at night and ask if they are comfortable sleeping with this loud snoring noise. Convey your emotions clearly and the way it is affecting your marriage or relationship.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my husband snore?

Your husband snores because of an underlying condition. Snoring occurs when throat passages are too narrow to allow smooth flow of the air.  The throat passages can get narrow due to tonsils or soft palate blocking the passage. Snoring can also happen due to nasal passage obstruction, alcoholism, tiredness, obesity, or aging.

Can snoring ruin a relationship?

Snoring can ruin the most perfect relationship in no time. Most partners end up sleeping in different rooms or simply hate them for being too noisy. It can make partners irritable, more defensive, and less considerate of each other’s emotional needs. To keep your nerves calm, some experts advise that when you hear your partner snoring, think that they are simply breathing. Since breathing is essential for living, the thought might comfort your agitation.

Can too much sugar cause snore?

Too much sugar can cause snoring because it can harm the throat tissues and produce more phlegm that can narrow the nasal passages eventually restricting the airflow.

How do you deal with a snoring husband?

Dealing with a snoring husband can become easy if you make them understand the underlying causes and possible health risks of snoring. Most of the snorers wake up cranky and irritated because of their bad sleep quality but instead of arguing, educate them about anti-snoring devices, exercises, dietary tips, techniques and lifestyle changes to help them be more in control of their sleep.

Is it bad to wake up a snoring person?

It isn’t bad to wake up a snoring person but you can solve the problem by simply stroking them on the shoulder, asking them to change the side which will reduce the snoring.

Why has my husband started snoring?

Since snoring happens as a result of narrowing upper airways due to conditions such as deviated Septum, a large tongue, allergies, weight gain or aging, it is important to speak to sleep doctor or an ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) specialist.

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