Health
4 ways to help your partner stop snoring
Many of us are looking for ways to help stop snoring at night. In fact, a survey by And So To Bed has revealed nearly a quarter (23%) of Brits are kept awake at night by a snoring partner.
When asked how they tackle their partner’s snoring, 54% admitted to spending nights on the sofa, while 15% prefer to kick the offending partner out of bed instead. Other sleep-preserving strategies included recording snoring as evidence (23%), jabbing their partner under the sheets (22%) and even considering ending the relationship altogether (6%).
Sleep expert, Dr Lindsay Browning, shares her tips on how to solve a snoring problem and get some much-needed rest.
4 ways to help stop snoring
Try a different sleeping positing
Snoring will likely be worse if your partner is sleeping on their back, says Lindsay.
‘If they wake you up and they’re on their back, give them a gentle nudge or tap to encourage them to sleep on their side instead,’ she advises.
Support a lifestyle change
‘Reducing alcohol consumption and losing some weight can reduce or even prevent snoring altogether,’ says Lindsay.
‘Try a healthier lifestyle together, so as not to make it seem like you are ganging up on them.’
Remove potential allergens
‘If your partner suffers from night-time congestion, it may be that they are allergic to the feathers in your pillows or the dog on your bed,’ says Lindsay.
Changing your pillows, encouraging pets to sleep on the floor or in another room, or taking an antihistamine may help to reduce their snoring if this is the case.
Get help from your GP
If snoring is broken by periods where breathing stops and starts, this might be a sign of obstructive sleep apnoea.
‘Sleep apnoea is where your throat closes up during the night so much that the airway is completely blocked and air cannot flow at all,’ Lindsay explains. ‘After a while of not breathing, your brain will send a surge of adrenaline to wake you up in order for you to breathe again, then you will likely fall straight back to sleep. These awakenings can happen repeatedly through the night, causing both you and your partner to have significantly disrupted sleep.’
Other signs of sleep apnoea include waking with a choking sensation, or feeling chronically tired during the day, despite a good night’s rest.
‘If you suspect your partner may have sleep apnoea then it’s very important that they speak to a GP about the snoring,’ says Lindsay. ‘There are significant health implications to untreated sleep apnoea.’
