BWe’ve all been there: you’re lying comfortably in bed and are about to fall asleep when a loud, persistent noise from the other side of the bed jolts you back into a state of annoyed wakefulness.
Snoring is a common problem. According to the Sleep Health Foundation, about 40% of men and 30% of women saw wood at least a few nights a week. And while it can pose a number of health risks for those who suffer from it, snoring also puts a strain on bed partners, who can barely get a wink of sleep amidst a cacophony of snorting and rumbling.
When chronic snorers seek medical attention, it’s usually at the urging of their partner, says Dr. Megan Durr, associate professor in the department of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. “I see so many patients who end up in different bedrooms than their partners, which affects their relationship and just their quality of life,” says Durr.
The good news is that she and other experts say there are a number of steps people can take to reduce or even eliminate snoring in themselves and their partners during the night, ranging from lifestyle changes to surgical intervention in more extreme cases.
Pay attention to the scale, keep the wine
When we sleep, the muscles in the back of the throat relax. In some people, such as the elderly or overweight, the tissue is more likely to be too relaxed or there is too much tissue in the throat, which can cause the airway to narrow too much during sleep. When the person breathes, the relaxed throat muscles and narrowed airway create vibrations that create the unmistakable snoring sound. Although it can be harmless, snoring can also be a sign of a more serious condition called sleep apnea, which is why many doctors advise people to see a sleep doctor if they are concerned about snoring.
Although it can happen to anyone, snoring becomes more common as people age. When people are overweight or have consumed alcohol, the effects of snoring tend to get worse, says Dr. Michael Howell, division chief of sleep medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
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For people who are overweight or obese, the extra pounds they carry can put more pressure on the airway, which can cause snoring or make an existing problem worse. Losing weight is one of the first things doctors do when a patient seeks help for snoring, as it can be very effective at managing the problem, Howell says. “Even five or 10 pounds can make a difference,” he says.
Avoiding alcohol is also a possible solution. Alcohol can relax the muscles in the throat even more, so it “makes sleep apnea and snoring worse,” says Dr. Virginia Skiba, a sleep medicine specialist at Henry Ford Health in Detroit.
Change your sleeping position
If your partner snores, a simple but effective solution might be to help them sleep on their stomach or side. Sleeping on the back, especially when a person is lying flat, is known to worsen the effects of snoring, Skiba says, so some people have success using foam wedges or similar products to prevent rolling onto their back. Elevating them with pillows can also help, she says.
While there are sleep vests and similar products on the market designed to prevent people from rolling onto their backs while sleeping, Durr has developed a DIY solution for her patients. She advises them to find or buy a T-shirt with a front pocket, put a tennis ball inside, and secure it with a safety pin. The snoring person puts the T-shirt on inside out as they fall asleep, and it automatically prevents them from rolling onto their backs while sleeping.
“The ball will poke you in the back and then turn you onto your side,” she says. “Hopefully, it won’t wake up your bed partner.”
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Durr says there are other things you can try before resorting to the more drastic method of sleeping in a different room from your noisy partner, such as using a white noise machine or wearing earplugs.
“But in the end, the snorer is responsible for it,” she says. “They have to bear the brunt of trying to solve the problem for their bed partner.”
CPAP and surgery
In some cases, snoring is a sign of a more serious condition called sleep apnea, in which breathing stops briefly during sleep. This can lead to fatigue, irritability and dizziness the next day and, over time, increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems.
To find out if a person has sleep apnea, they must undergo a sleep study, in which they are monitored overnight to detect changes in breathing, heart rate, oxygen levels and other health parameters. Sleep studies are usually done in a clinic, but can also be done at home. Howell says a diagnosis isn’t necessary for a person to begin using a CPAP machine or other therapies, but it’s important for doctors and patients to know if snoring is caused by sleep apnea. “Sleep apnea is highly underdiagnosed,” he says.
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There are several treatment options for sleep apnea. One of the first treatments doctors often recommend, says Howell, is an orthodontic device called a mandibular advancement device, which can help keep a person’s airway open while they sleep.
A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is another proven sleep apnea tool that essentially cures snoring by ensuring a person’s airway is fully open, Durr says. However, it can be very challenging for some people and their partners to get used to, and many people just find it too difficult to endure, she says. CPAP machines are notoriously loud, which can be disruptive for both the wearer and their bed partners, and many people find the mask too uncomfortable or wake up with a very dry mouth.
Although it’s fairly rare, some patients with severe snoring problems who have had little success with lifestyle changes or other treatments may need surgery to manage their snoring, such as a minor procedure to remove some of the elongated tissue from the throat, Durr says. However, she says that in most cases, such extreme measures aren’t necessary for people to enjoy a relatively peaceful night in bed.
“The vast majority of people can reduce snoring volume to a level that is acceptable to them and their bed partner by making certain lifestyle changes,” she says.
