What to Do About My Snoring Hubby

Updated on October 17, 2008
J.B. asks from Marrero, LA
45 answers

Hi ladies,
I just wondered if any of you have husbands who snore and what you do about it. My husband doesn't do it all the time, but when he does, it is terrible. I was up until 2am last night. I tried to sleep on the couch but I am longer that the couch so I just couldn't fall asleep. We don't have an extra bed so that was not an option. He was super tired so his snoring was just constant all night. I was thinking of trying earplugs but I don't know how comfortable that would be. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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D.E.

answers from Longview on

Well i have a permanet solution for you. If he snores that bad he needs to go to doctor & arrange a sleep study test. & while he is snoring you should watch him to see if he sort of quits breathing. This is called sleep apnea & can be treated. I myself have had this done, you just make appointment, go up there about 8 or 9 pm & they will hook you up & you go to sleep whenever you want & they record you & will wake you up about 6 or 7 & release him top come home & send the doctor a report.

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M.V.

answers from Houston on

Hi J.! I wanted to let you know there is something called a snore guard that you can get through most dental offices. We have some patients who swear by them. Hope this helps.

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J.H.

answers from Houston on

I sleep with earplugs every night because my husband keeps me awake otherwise...and somehow I can still hear my little one on the monitor (must be selective mommy listening).

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M.S.

answers from San Antonio on

Try Flents Foam ear plugs. They worked the best for me. They are soft and feel comfortable. I had tried several that were uncomfortable and a friend recommended these. If my husband falls asleep before me, I also take a natural supplement that helps me feel calm and relaxed so I fall asleep faster without the use of drugs. It's also a great natural stress reliever.
M.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.D.

answers from Austin on

My husband was an awful snorer until Puresleep. You can order it online. I don't get woken up by his snoring anymore and it started working the first night! Good Luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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C.C.

answers from Austin on

The breath right strips are awesome. The only hard part is getting your hubby to actually wear them. I usually just end up kicking my hubby until he rolls over onto his side. His snoring is worse when he lays on his back.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.T.

answers from Houston on

I sleep with earplugs every night and it works wonderful.

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S.G.

answers from Houston on

Hi J.,

You don't say if your husband is overweight or not. When we first married, I didn't notice my husband snoring loudly. After kids and years of marriage, I started waking up at night because of his snoring. To resolve, I would wear ear plugs to bed. They work for a time but will wiggle out of the ear canal such that I would have to reinsert them during the night. Also, ear plugs are better for higher frequencies and snoring is usually a lower frequency. As my girls left for college, I would resort to getting up and sleeping in their beds. But his snoring could even get so loud that it could be heard in their bedrooms.

I never treated this as his problem as I am not a believer in nagging. Others told me to just keep waking him up to make him roll over but I figured bad enough if one of us is losing sleep so didn't want both of us to lose sleep.

Deep down, I knew the snoring was due to his weight gain as he tended to put the weight on in the middle and this can cause snoring. I wish I had talked to him more about his snoring but I'm still not sure if he would have listened.

He had a heart attack just over 2 years ago and has done a great job following the doctor's advice on diet and exercise. The result, he has lost over 40 lbs in the last 2 years. Better yet, I noticed within 6 months of his losing weight that I was no longer waking up from his snoring. We talk about this and I tell him I wish I had encouraged him more to lose weight. Unfortunately though, most times something major has to happen to get someone to 'wake up' and realize they have a problem.

I know there are many other reasons for snoring but I would encourage you to talk to him if you believe he is snoring due to weight gain.

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E.O.

answers from Victoria on

Hi J., I would advise to use Breathe Rite strips since he doesn't seem to be an everynight snorer. The other issues with snoring, such as sleep apnea and such, usually pertain to constant snorers...so don't start to worry just yet. I hope you get a good night sleep...and just for a side note...my girls now fall asleep faster when their dad is already snoring (not me)...lol...Good Luck.

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L.H.

answers from Killeen on

Hi J.,,,
Get him to try the BReath easy nose band aids what can it hurt
good luck L.

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C.L.

answers from San Antonio on

I bought a floor fan (the cheap kind because they are noisier) and sleep with it right next to the bed. It goes everywhere with us.

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K.A.

answers from Austin on

Hi J. - Yep, earplugs help! I also have a sound machine that you can purchase at Brookstone and I sleep with it under my pillow. Sometimes I take benadryl. All these things will help you to not hear the snoring. Another option is to keep poking him - eventually he will either roll over or go somewhere else to sleep because he will find himself unable to sleep! If nothing else, both of you will be continually awaken and he will see it as just as big of a problem as you do and will decide to do something about it so it isn't just your problem!

Good Luck -

K.

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A.K.

answers from Houston on

My MOL has slept with earplugs for about 10 years now. She gets the soft squishy ones that my daughter loves to play with! Hope this helps.

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M.L.

answers from Houston on

Wow...I cannot believe this, but I just saw an episode concerning snoring on "The Doctors." It is a new show during the day with real doctors that address medical issues. An ENT had a new procedure for snoring. He says the soft part of the pallet at the roof of your mouth moves around during sleep and creates the snoring sound. He inserts about 4 rods into the area to stiffen that area so it does not have the freedom to move up and down at night. It stays firm. It is a simple procedure that I believe can be done in the docs office. I saved this episode because I have this in my family as well and plan on contacting my family doc. It has a 90% success rate on folks with soft palletes. I wish I remember the name of the procedure. If u really want to know more about it I am planning on re-watching it anyway for my family member. Let me know.

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H.H.

answers from Houston on

Breathe Right strips often work for my DH. I'd be afraid to wear earplugs because of the baby.

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O.C.

answers from Austin on

J.,
I had that problem with my hubby, I used to go to the other side of the house, the first Living Room and I could still hear him. He was loud, I thought the neighbors were going to complain.
He tried everything the nose patch, the sleeping with 2 pillows, nothing had work, until he starting drinking the Xanthones, then all of a sudden within months, his snoring went away and I was able to sleep in the same bed.

His snoring is normal as can be, but not loud that wakes me up,
I love those xanthones,
www.pubmed.gov is the National Library of Medicines, research it.

thanks,
Oly

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S.H.

answers from San Antonio on

Hi J.,

I know this sounds strange but I just responded to Angie that has a child that grinds her teeth just like I had a son that would grind. Well, I just read you request and see you have a husband like I do that snores, well I use an essential oil Thyme. It really works! feel free to contact me if you would like more info.

K.N.

answers from Austin on

Hey J.: Here's some articles...

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/snoring
http://www.helpguide.org/life/snoring.htm

Is you hubby perhaps a touch over-weight? This can contribute to the occurrence and duration of snoring. Beow is a particularly relevant section from one of the websites...
Good luck!

What Snoring Treatments Are Available?

If you occasionally snore, you can try the following behavior changes to help treat the problem:

- Lose weight and improve your eating habits.
- Avoid tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and antihistamines before you go to bed.
- Avoid alcohol, heavy meals, or snacks at least four hours before you sleep.
- Establish regular sleeping patterns. For example, try to go to bed at the same time every night.
- Sleep on your side rather than on your back.
- Tilt the head of your bed up four inches.

If none of the above mentioned behavioral changes help snoring, talk to your doctor. Otolaryngologists (ear, nose, and throat doctors) offer a variety of treatment options that may reduce or eliminate snoring or sleep apnea.

There are more than 300 devices on the market to help prevent snoring; however, none of these devices address all of the underlying anatomical problems that cause snoring (such as nasal obstruction and being overweight). Surgery may be needed to correct physical problems. Snoring and sleep apnea surgeries include:

- Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP): A surgical treatment that tightens and restructures the flabby tissues in the throat and palate. This is often prescribed for people who have moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea.
- Laser-assisted uvula palatoplasty (LAUP): A laser procedure removes the airway obstruction. This treatment is performed under local anesthesia in a doctor's office and is intended for snorers and for people with mild obstructive sleep apnea.
- Somnoplasty: This is a minimally invasive procedure that uses radio frequency energy to shrink excessive tissue in the palate, uvula, and tongue tissue. This treatment can also be used to relieve nasal obstruction.
- Genioglossus and hyoid advancement: This is a surgical treatment for sleep apnea which prevents the collapse of the lower throat by pulling the tongue forward.
Septoplasty and turbinate surgery: This is a surgical treatment to reduce the resistance to the flow of air through the nose.
- Tonsillectomy: Removing the tonsils and adenoids may be needed to prevent snoring, particularly in children.

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C.M.

answers from Houston on

If it's not chronic, wake him up and have him take an antihistamine when it happens.

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K.G.

answers from Austin on

I have been going through the same thing for 5 years. My husband finally got a device called pure sleep. It works like a charm and I can finally sleep through the night. He said that it was uncomfortable at first, but is getting used to it and he is happy that I am not being woken up by him anymore. You can get one at www.puresleep.com and it has a 30 day money back guarantee.

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M.W.

answers from Sherman on

Things that need to be known first -
1) Does he snore only on his back?
2) Does he sleep with PJs or a shirt on?

If Te answer is yes to both, sew a tenis ball into the back of his top. When he rolls onto his back, the tennis ball will be uncomfortable and he'll roll back to his side or stomach.

You can also go buy the nose strips that open his nasal passages.

You can also go buy a mouth guard to open his mouth which opens his airways.

These things are cheaper to try than a doctor's visit. If all else fails - go there.

Good luck - I understand your "pain".

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C.F.

answers from Brownsville on

I had to just get use to wearing ear plugs. I now sleep through it.

C.

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J.S.

answers from Austin on

I have a couple of tactics. I roll him over onto his side or I shut his mouth if it is open or I pinch his nose closed if his mouth is shut. All three options usually wake him up slightly, but he is never too grumpy about it. I find that I'm ok with the snoring as long as I can fall asleep first. If he gets there first, he falls asleep in 10 seconds and I'm left trying to doze off while listening to a chainsaw.

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J.H.

answers from Houston on

Has he tried the strips that go across the bridge of the nose? They work.

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J.K.

answers from Austin on

Go buy some of the nose strips and make him wear them, the work very well.. They open the airways in the nose...

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S.O.

answers from San Antonio on

Same problem. My parents eventually got separate beds. When they built their new house, they made adjoining bedrooms with the bathroom in the middle. I've tried everything and I'm tired of sleeping on the couch. It looks like we're going to buy another bed and put it in the office, as my parents did when I was small. I know my sister sleeps with a certain soft type of headphones on. She says it works.

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V.B.

answers from Houston on

My husband snores also. He was actually diagnosed with sleep apnea and they gave him a breathing machine to wear at night, but he refuses to use it. We've had the arguments over and over about it because he says he can't sleep well with it on and I tell him that I can't sleep at all with him snoring all night. I just have to keep kicking him until he turns over and if it's a really bad night, I make him leave the room. I used to leave and sleep on the couch (even while I was pregnant), but I finally put my foot down because I feel like the doctors gave him a remedy for it and he just won't do it, so why should I suffer by sleeping on the couch? I have an almost 3 year old and a 4 1/2 month old, so earplugs are not an option since I have to be able to hear them. I haven't had him try the breathe right strips, so I don't know if those work, but I've heard good things about them, so you might want to try that. If he's overweight at all, losing weight can help (my husband isn't overweight, so they don't really know why he has the apnea). You can always send him in for a sleep study if you're really concerned about it, but he has to be willing to do the treatments if they prescribe something.

Anyway, I wish you luck. I hope you get some rest!

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J.T.

answers from Austin on

My husband uses Breathe Right strips, which help, but the biggest thing that reduces his snoring is exercise -- if he exercises 30 minutes a day, the snoring is reduced significantly in a week or two. Allergy season, for various allergens, really don't help things, though, and a lot of people are having problems with allergies right now. Try the Breathe Right strips and allergy medicine as an immediate fix, and encourage him to exercise. Oh, and if it is allergies, showering right before bed, or at least cleaning his face thoroughly, may help a little with that, and you putting clean pillowcases on his pillows probably won't hurt.

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H.P.

answers from Corpus Christi on

I don't know if you ever learned CPR but there's a technique called the "head-tilt-chin-lift." What you do is try to put your hubby's head into a "sniffing" position. Put your palm on his forehead and 2-3 fingers under his jaw and tilt his headback and gently lift the jaw foward. It opens up his airway and should alliviate the snoring. But if he's a light sleeper it might wake him up. But that will stop the snoring too! Good luck I hate snoring too.

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R.

answers from San Antonio on

My husband snores terribly, especially during allergy season. First, I make sure he takes his allergy meds and uses his nasal spray before bed. My husband snores mostly when he rolls onto his back, so I make sure he starts off asleep on his side, but am frequently trying to roll him back to his side or stomach when he starts snoring. This can be tough because he is a big guy and he is usually very sound asleep when he is snoring. I have tried ear plugs, but it makes me nervous because I worry I will not hear my children call for me if they need me in the night. Hope this helps:)

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T.S.

answers from Austin on

My husband had the same problem. I mean it was LOUD! I also noticed (while I was awake during the night) that he was struggling to breathe at certain times, and would seem to hold his breath occasionally. He tried the nose strips, they didn't work. He lost some weight, that didn't help. He felt like he wasn't rested, even after 8 hours of sleep. He talked to his doctor about it, and was referred to a sleep clinic. He did a sleep study -- spent the night at the clinic while they recorded what was going on all night -- and it turned out he had sleep apnea. Snoring can often be a sign of sleep apnea, and it's a serious problem that has been associated with higher rates of heart attacks and strokes. He was put on a CPAP machine, which stopped the snoring, but he really didn't like wearing it. So, he had throat surgery, where the doctor goes in and lasers away excess tissue in the throat, including the uvula. Ever since, he sleeps completely silently, and his sleep apnea is gone. He feels so much better, and everyone sleeps better. I would have your husband go to the doctor. This could be a bigger issue than just noisy sleeping. Also, I wouldn't use earplugs -- you need to be able to hear your baby during the night. Good luck!

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S.F.

answers from San Antonio on

I come from a long line of snorers. My mom got a cpap machine a couple years ago, and encouraged me to get a sleep study, too. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, and got my own c-pap. It took about six months for me to get used to sleeping with it (I would take it off in my sleep), but now that I'm used to it, it has changed my life (and my husband's)!

I have so much more energy in the day. My blood pressure has gone WAY down. My cholesterol has gone down. I'm not sick nearly as much. I used to have mild depression, now I don't. I feel like such a better mom! I don't have to take a nap during the day. Plus, my husband sleeps so much better! Not only do I not snore, I don't toss and turn as much, which also woke him up.

I know it sounds too good to be true, but for me it is! I didn't realize how bad it was until I got a good night's sleep.

Of course, not every snorer has sleep apnea. But if he does, a cpap is the way to go. Just make sure he sticks with it through the adjustment phase. It's so worth it!

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J.H.

answers from Austin on

Sexy CPAP partnership is what me and my hubby have now that I also discovered that my sleep apnea was severe enough to keep my oxygen saturation as low as 84% during the night periods when I was caught not breathing. (Oxygen needs to be over 90% to keep our blood levels healthy)

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T.S.

answers from Austin on

My husband snores too.... I bought a sound machine - I put it on ocean and it works like a charm.

T.M.

answers from Houston on

I have the same problem with my husband. So i just went to walmart got ear plugs and now i sleep just fine. I was a little worried about using them since i have a 9 month baby and we use a monitor for him, but for some reason i can sleep thru my husbands snoring, but if the baby wakes up and is crying i can still hear him. At first they were a little uncomfortable, but now i can't sleep without them. Hope this helps.

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W.B.

answers from Austin on

My husband doesn't snore everynight, but when he is congested it gets much worse. I gently rub his back and it helps relax him and he usually moves enough to change position which causes the snoring to stop.
Good luck, I hope you find something that works, I know my mom has had to sleep in another bed on occasion b/c my dad snores.

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M.M.

answers from Houston on

My husband snored (like a bear) too,and all his friends warned me before we got married. When we had our little one, he started falling asleep while driving in the morning (yet he had "slept" all night). He went to the Dr. who immediately sent him for a sleep study. They found out he had the worst sleep apnea they had ever seen! Do have him talk to the Dr. The C-pap machine he sleeps w/ really helps!

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S.B.

answers from Houston on

I am a light sleeper and used a sound machine that blows white noise for awhile to drown out noises. That worked for me until I starting traveling a lot in foreign countries. At that point I went to ear plugs. They take a little bit of getting used to, but I've been using them for about 10 years now, and they are wonderful. Now that I am married, I have the same problem as you. My husband goes through seasons of snoring. If I'm already asleep, the ear plugs help me stay asleep. But if he falls asleep before me, I still hear him through my ear plugs. I have a little one at home and have used them since she was born. I can hear her no matter what. Anyway, hope this helps, and good luck to you!

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D.A.

answers from Austin on

Hi J.,

I would se if your husband was open to a sleep study. Chronic snoring can be a symptom of sleep apnea- which is where the brain is not getting enough oxygen.

It could also be inflamed tonsils. My husband had his out and he has not snored since. It has been wonderful!

An ear, nose and throat specialist would be the first place to look, and they may refer you to a sleep study. Your PCP can do this as well. And if this doesn't help, check into seeing an allergist. Sometimes sleeping/breathing congestion and troubles are from allergies- and we have a ton of them here!

Good luck-
D. ;)

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M.H.

answers from San Antonio on

Try sending him to the doctor to request a sleep study. It took me over 5 years to get my husband diagnosed with sleep apnea. He uses a C-PAP now, but the machine is much more pleasant than the snoring. Kinda like sleeping next to Darth Vader. :)

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J.T.

answers from Victoria on

My husband has sleep athimnia ( spelled wrong ) and he has to have a breathing machien. My father also had this. They both stop breathing all together. I suggest a sleep study. You could also get a recliner, or a fold out couch. Good luck

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M.B.

answers from Beaumont on

Hi J.,
I have the same problem with my husband and I am always the last one asleep. I either turn on the dishwasher, washing machine or dryer as I am going to bed. That way, the noise from the machines distracts me from the sound of his snoring. I am also considering getting a sleep meditation cd to turn on at night to take my focus away from his snoring.
Good Luck! Good night sleep is super important!

R.W.

answers from San Antonio on

My husband snores also. Some nights are louder than others. I tell him nicely that I can't sleep because he's snoring too LOUD. He lays on his stomach, and that seems to help.

You might want to try some Breathe Right strips. You can purchase these at your local grocery store.

Good Luck.

Rosie

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C.T.

answers from Houston on

Hi J.

Believe me I feel your pain. My daughters father snores just like a lion. The only things I can recommend are those breathing strips they sell in the store that you put on your nose to clear the nasal passage or perhaps you can take a sleeping pill so that hopefully if you fall asleep before him you can sleep all night without his noise bothering ypu. Hope this helps

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S.J.

answers from San Antonio on

I got used my hubby's snoring that it doesn't bother me anymore. Thank goodness! I don't like to push drugs, but have you tried using an allergy medicine like Benedryl. Sometimes, that'll help you have a good night sleep and maybe you'll sleep through all the snoring.

But, before that you should ask your husband if he's open to using the snoring strips. They sell them in the pharmacy area and they stick on the bridge of his nose and it's suppose to open up the nasal passage and reduce snoring.

Good Luck!

S..
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