Women whose husbands snore may joke about it with their friends, but a snoring bed mate is no laughing matter. Disrupted sleep leads to frayed tempers, and in some cases, separate bedrooms. You can try waking him up, usually by nudging or poking him and saying, "You're snoring," or by rolling him, if you can, on his side. The latter sometimes works, but it's vital to identify the cause of snoring before you try to tackle it. There are some tests he can do to determine the cause.
Causes
Step 1
Look in a mirror, close his mouth, and press one nostril closed. Your husband should breathe in and out and see if the open nostril sinks in. If it does, get him to prop it open with a matchstick. Repeat with other nostril. If your husband breathes more easily with the nostril propped open, he could buy nasal strips that keep the nostrils open.
Step 2
Breathe with his mouth closed. If he has trouble breathing and does not have a cold, he might have an allergy. To find out what your husband is allergic to, it is best to consult a professional allergist. Do eliminate obvious possibilities, such as feather pillows, pet hairs, perfumes or seasonal allergies, such as pollen.
Step 3
Open his mouth and make a snoring noise. Then, close his mouth and ask him to make the same noise. If he can't, he's probably a mouth breather. There are chin strip devices that encourage nose breathing, but check whether he can actually breathe through his nose at all.
Step 4
Stick the tongue out as far as it will go and hold his tongue between his teeth. Tell him to make the snoring noise again. If the snoring is softer, he is probably a tongue snorer. The cure for this is a Mandibular Advancement device, which holds the lower jaw and tongue forward.
Step 5
Purchase a chin strap if your husband passes all the tests. He might just have a soft palate and uvula, which vibrate when he sleeps. Chin strips can help with this, but there are also nose and throat sprays that tighten up the soft palate.
Tips and Warnings
- If self help measures do not work, seek professional help. Snoring may be, but rarely is, a matter for surgery. Get him to improve his lifestyle and health habits in general. Drinking too much, being overweight, and smoking all contribute to snoring.
