It’s 2 am and you have to get up in four short hours- you should be asleep but you’re not. Instead of sleeping soundly, you’re kept awake by the sound of snoring, snorts or whistles coming from the other side of the bed.
Listening to your partner snoring loudly next to you, night after night can breed resentment and bring even the closest of couples to the point of separation. All is not lost though, as some actions can be taken to help alleviate the situation improving your sleep and next-day energy levels as well. How do you block out snoring?
Wear Earplugs
Earplugs are a great way to muffle or eliminate sound of your partner’s snores. They’re made from a soft material that is made to fit in your ear canal. It can be quite difficult to find the right earplugs so you may find yourself having to purchase quite a few, until you find the right set that works for you. Depending on your needs and the volume of snoring you can opt for soft foam ear plugs or silicone noise-reducing ear plugs that are designed to be worn in very noisy environments. If you don’t like feeling something inserted in your ear slip on noise- cancelling headphones.
Listening to white noise
A white noise machine generates a soft steady consistent noise that is soothing to listen to and can block the sound of your partner’s snoring. The only problem you’ll have to train yourself to sleep with the noise, but if it works right you’ll be lulled to sleep. Some machines offer lots of options- you can listen to the sound of ocean waves or rain. There are also smart-phone apps if you don’t want to invest in a separate white noise machine. Keep in mind that white noise could interfere with noises that maybe important to hear like your crying baby.
Get to sleep first
Not all snoring wakes you up and it’s possible that someone who is in a deeper stage of sleep may not be woken up as easily by noises such as snoring. If you’re the type of person who once you drift off you stay asleep, then consider to head to bed first, aiming to be asleep by the time your partner comes to bed. Just make sure your partner is quiet and doesn’t turn on the lights when they eventually come to bed.
Change their sleeping position
Sleeping flat on your back is not an ideal sleeping position for a snorer as cited by experts, because the tongue is more likely to fall back and block the airway which is why you will normally hear a vibrating noise during sleep. If you wake up in the middle of the night to find someone snoring on their backs, try gently nudging or a slight push to make sure your partner returns to a side sleeping position. Sometimes changing position is truly all it takes and depending on how heavy a sleeper they are, you may be able to do this without waking your sleeping partner.
Sleep in another room
When all else fail and you have a spare bed available consider sleeping in another room. Don’t feel sad if you choose this option; consider how disruptive poor sleep is to your life and the resentment it can cause to your relationship. It isn’t a great long term solution but something you can consider doing on occasion.
Try these hacks and find one that works for you. Don’t be afraid to ask your partner for potential solutions too but it’s important to handle the situation sensitively and try to keep in mind that your partner is not keeping you awake on purpose.
