Snoring Spouse

Updated on September 09, 2010
R.D. asks from Three Rivers, TX
17 answers

My husband's snoring has gotten worse and I am not getting any sleep. He does not want to get a c-pap machine. Does anyone have any suggestions? I heard on the news about maybe noise cancelling headphones.

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So What Happened?

Thank you for all the responses. This is affecting both of ours health(sleep deprivation) so now I am resolved to really force him to see another doctor about the cpap. When he asked one doctor, he just gave him an Rx for it with no sleep study and told him to buy it off Ebay. He won't change doctors cause he's used that one for 20+ yrs!! We agreed this week to start sleeping in different rooms since our teen moved to college but I didn't think this was the answer and really didn't want to do that. Will respond after we see the doctor!!

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C.B.

answers from Austin on

Send the dear man off to get a sleep study. There are other situations besides the c-pap, but he needs to be diagnosed. (My hubby does have a c-pap...sleeping next to Darth Vader.)

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M.B.

answers from Austin on

It is sad that so many people resist the c-pap machine. Maybe I am lucky, but I had no problems adjusting to it, and absolutely love it!

I was chasing my hubby out of the bed with my snoring, when he told me it sounded like I might have sleep apnea... I went to the doc, got scheduled for a sleep study, and two months later, had my c-pap machine. I love that I wake up feeling so refreshed!

As others said, it really affects overall health.... he can even fall asleep driving and cause accidents.

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K.H.

answers from Naples on

My husband did the same as Tracy's. Best thing that ever happened to me.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.J.

answers from Chicago on

I had horrible sleep apnea and I'm a young female. My hubby and I tried all sorts of things...sleeping on my side, pinning a sock with a tennis ball inside it to my back (so I won't sleep on my back -- which is when snoring gets the loudest)...anyway, long story short, I finally saw the neurologist and CPAP was recommended...I balked at the idea of wearing it. But I told myself I'll try it for a WEEK and see. 6 yrs later, I am wearing it every night and always, always wake up so refreshed. I need less sleep than I did when I didn't wear one.
Sure, a lot of people hate wearing a CPAP..but did u know that untreated sleep apnea can lead to myriads of health problems? High blood pressure, heart enlargment, stroke, etc? The low oxygen levels at nightttime and your body's nightly struggles to get enough oxygen eventually takes a toll on the body, especially the cardiovascular system. So please remind your husband that snoring is not all that benign as it seems to be. He will develope problems down the road.

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A.A.

answers from Waco on

Have your husband read up on the complications from sleep apnea. I am sorry... this may sound very harsh, but noise cancelling headphones may help you get some sleep at night, but they aren't going to prevent him from dying. Again, I know that might sound harsh, but I once had a coworker who had terrible sleep apnea. I witnessed him have a stroke and die. He, like your husband, refused to acknowledge he had a problem. I am sure his family desperately wishes he would have gotten help. He was only 40 when he died. At a bare minimum, your husband should have a sleep study done to find out the severity.

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C.B.

answers from Tampa on

Try the breathe right nasal strips - they worked for my husband. Also, maybe have him use a SALINE nasal spray - his sinuses could need flushing and that will help.

T.M.

answers from College Station on

I can empathize with you. Mine is the same way but refuses to go consult with a doctor about it. I've even printed out info about it on the internet and gave it to him to read. He doesn't seem to think that SNORING is a problem. Very frustrating!

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J.P.

answers from Boise on

Have you tried the breathright strips? poking him in the back to make him roll over? Just plain ear plugs?

B.B.

answers from Houston on

I had the same problem for years. Finally, I put a small round black fan on my night stand next to my bed. The noise of the fan drowns out my husband's snoring. I paid $20 for the fan at Walmart and it was the best $20 I've ever spent! Good luck and sweet dreams!

J.B.

answers from Houston on

Well the thing that gets my man snoring is added weight. Don't know of course if you guy could lose a few pounds or not, but as soon as my husband drops weight, the snoring stops! I have another friend that had the same thing. As soon as her hubby dropped weight, the snoring left. So if he is really against the dr options, maybe he could try and lose a little, if that is applicable to him. Of course the sleep study is for sure a better option if he will do it!! Good luck!

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M.R.

answers from Columbus on

Oh, I can so relate!

The noise cancelling headphones won't do it, you can still hear the noises around you, it filters out the static and junk so that you can hear the snoring with more clarity! Earplugs would be better, and smaller, letting you sleep.

To get a cpap, he has to have a sleep study and have apnea. If he has apnea, it really is about his health, not about what he wants. My husband could not keep it on, and felt like he could not breathe and was gulping air that made him really misserable. He ended up having surgery, which was not an easy surgury at all, but after all the tires to treat his apnea, it was the only way. He seldom makes a noise now, and he feels much better. He could hardly get up in the morning without a great deal of struggle before, and now, he is able to wake rested and feeling good.

M.

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J.T.

answers from Victoria on

my husband has sleep apthena and has had it since he was college age. he went years with out treating it and recently had to have heart surgery because of the stress on his heart durring sleep and his inability to breath. the c-pap machine isnt a big deal and some nights i have to tell him to put it on because he is snoring and had pulled it off his face. other than that i suggest some white noise or ear plugs for you.* my husband used those nasel sprays before his cpap. i saw on dr. oz where the sprays will actually lead to worse breathing. the spray numbs or makes the blood vessils smaller (restricting them). then once the spray wears off (in the middle of the night) the blood vessiles are larger than they were before the spray making it worse than you started out with. not good.

R.G.

answers from Dallas on

I sleep with ear plugs.

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S.B.

answers from Kansas City on

I sleep on the couch if it gets too bad. Usually if I fall asleep first, I'll stay asleep, but sometimes if i wake up to pee or whatever, I end up finishing the night on the couch.

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T.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

My husband had his tonsils/adenoids out for tonsil stones. He has not snored since. It was a positive surprise. I know this is probably going too far for just snoring...wanted to share though.

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T.F.

answers from Philadelphia on

My husband also snores heavily. I have tried earplugs, which work, but then I am afraid I wouldn't hear my 3 year old if she needed me at night. We tried using a cold air humidifier, which also helped a little. Good Luck and lots of rest.

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T.S.

answers from Austin on

Has he checked to see if he's a candidate for the surgery?

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