My husband has had snoring issues for years/decades. Breathing strips worked for a short time, but stopped working. He had a special dental device made to use at night. That worked for a few months and the snoring returned. Finally he had a sleep study and began to use his CPAP. It’s been at least 10 years or so. He has the type that can hold water if needed. To me it sounds much like a white noise machine UNLESS he needs a new mask. Then it will fall off and create quite the rush of air noise.
If the snoring has worsened recently, it maybe due to less humid winter house conditions. (if you live in a cold winter climate). When my son was a toddler we noticed him snoring VERY loudly. We could hear it across the house. During a regular pediatrician visit I asked about it. He immediately had him go to the office next door for an x-ray. Nothing showed up. He sent us to an ENT. I won’t go into detail about what the ENT did, but it cleared up the problem and the snoring immediately. Just a thought.
Tell me about the swimmers ear plugs! I’ve been using the foam ones…with some success. My husband doesn’t snore…but he breathes loud enough to keep me awake.
H found that exercise and losing 10-15lbs made a huge difference in his snoring (He had a sleep study, mild apnea–Never got CPAP). I would try weight loss and/or dental device before CPAP. H’s snoring and gasping used to wake me up…now he barely snores at all. His weight has gone up and down a bit over the years. He seems to have a threshold where the snoring starts. My brother has a CPAP machine. I’ve heard him using it in the next room when we were both staying at our parents’ house. Seems pretty loud/as bad as snoring to me. Yes, my brother really needs to lose weight–but I’ll leave that up to him/his wife.
With the sleep study, they have you sleep in a lab with all sorts of wires connected to you. Then, you’re supposed to go to sleep. (DH did not find that easy!) A fellow monitors you. With DH, the guy woke him half way through the night to have him try some sort of mask. DH said it was awful. He has a beard, and apparently the mask didn’t contain the beard so it kept slipping off his face. He said it was the worst night he’s ever had.
We are still waiting for the follow up appointment for him to get his mask, or whatever they decide he needs.
^^^ Oh no…this won’t be something my husband would willingly agree to do. He already has insomnia and weird sleep cycles. He sleeps even worse away from home than he does at home…
Mack’s earplugs–I find them at Target in the eardrop section. The bright orange ones are for children and are still large and I break some off. The opaque ones are for adults and are very large.
I use mine for a number of nights and then toss–keeping them in a clean case when not in use.
Put in properly I cannot hear much of anything. Sometimes I still “feel” H snoring.
Luckily he snores only when super tired.
I have had two sleep studies that have been inconclusive. Both were at a sleazy hotel our HMO was using (since have built their own sleep lab). I was told to be asleep at 10:00–when my normal time is well after midnight. It was not a good experience and they did not get good information about me.
I changed a few other things and am sleeping better now. I also do not think I could adjust to the mask unless I absolutely had to do so.
I hated my sleep study. Rotten night. I thought I didn’t sleep (an apnea symptom, BTW) but I did long enough for the diagnosis.
Getting awakened for the mask happens if you’re getting a true cpap, which has one pressure setting, and the techie makes adjustments to find the best one.
I use a machine that makes auto adjustments based on measurements of my breathing that it takes on its own, so I did not need to be awakened.
One night sounds bad, but in the end he’ll be grateful. I am.
And yes, new machines are basically white noise. My mask leaks a little some nights, so that’s loud enough to keep you awake, but maybe not loud enough to wake you. Every few weeks/months it jogs loose, and then it’s loud like a dust buster vacuum. Again, small price to pay.
Just want to add, because some people have suggested dental devices or other things, that if it is central apnea, not obstructive, (assuming apnea in the first place) those won’t help. Central apnea is a brain issue. My H unfortunately has both kinds. I’m just glad it got figured out before worse things happened.
My dh has always snored. It took about 15 years of me bugging him to finally agree to a sleep study. His snoring is terrible–he can be heard throughout the house. Unfortunately, his study was inconclusive. The dr said he could TRY a cpap as he they detected mild apnea (he said no) and each possible diagnosis was worse than the next. The worst was a surgery on his tongue that would alter his taste buds affecting his ability to taste food! I understood from this meeting with the dr that there are a variety of reasons why people snore which means the solution (if there is one) is dependent on the cause. This is why the dental appliance/mouth guard works for some, losing weight for others, nose strips and cpap, etc. for others. Unfortunately, my dh was only willing to have surgery (that sounded awful and wasn’t certain to solve the problem, primarily for me since I’m the one disturbed by his snoring). I said no so we’re still in the same position we were 30 years ago. My best shot is falling asleep before him; I seem to have trained myself to sleep through it but trying to fall asleep while he’s snoring is just about impossible.
I’m surprised some posters are willing to put up with years - even decades of subpar sleep in order to continue sharing a bed every night. I get the desire to share a bed with a partner. However, choosing to sleep separately doesn’t have to preclude the intimacy of a relationship.
Of course, getting to the bottom of the issue, especially in the case of serious medical issues, is the best scenario.
They CAN do home sleep studies as well, but most places prefer patients to go to a sleep lab. The one where H, S and D were tested is like a gorgeous hotel, but you do end up wired, which makes sleeping more challenging.
I feel your pain. We had horrible fights about my husband’s snoring. It’s terrible and I’m certain that he has sleep apnea. His Dad and two siblings do, so I’m assuming that he does. He refuses to do anything about it, says it’s my problem not his. I’m a light sleeper and he is a loud snorer - a recipe for disaster. I’ve been sleeping in a separate room for about 20 years. At this point, I don’t think I could share a room with him, he can visit, but not sleep over.
My husband also snores - keeps me up every night, and refuses to do a sleep study because he says he will not use a CPAP machine. He is actively trying to lose weight, which does help a bit. I can’t wear earplugs as I find them very uncomfortable. So, where does one get one of these dental devices? He might be willing to do that
I have mild sleep apnea and snore pretty loudly. I have a CPAP machine but just cannot use it.
I recently purchased a product called Theravent, which you stick on the end of your nose. It allows you to breath in but not out. The positive pressure then allows you to breathe out through your mouth without obstruction. Theravent is for snoring only, but as a practical matter I think it treats mild apnea. The company makes a stronger version which requires a prescription, and the weakest prescription product is equal to Theravent. I tried it once and it made me feel a little short of air (I have mild asthma). But I think it helped a lot on the snoring and will try it again.
^forgot about Provent which takes a prescription. It takes a while to adjust to the feeling but has good reviews.
I tried it (not for snoring but for frequent waking). It was not a bad feeling after a few nights. Inconclusive for me.
Be sure and hold the sticky part on you nose for a few seconds as it needs to adhere to your skin.
Got mine off of Amazon but last I looked they were not carrying them.
The silicon earplugs are near the eardrops at Target–I think the foam ones are there also. I only use the silicon as they warm up and adjust to the shape of your ear.
DH always grumbled that I didn’t go to bed when he did. Reality is that he falls asleep in a couple minutes and then I am wide awake listening to the snoring. When we go camping he doesn’t have his device. Agh! He’s much better with the CPAP, but I still have a different body clock than he does. Sorry!
