Snoring can turn every night into a frustrating experience, especially for the partners of snorers who find themselves lying awake and struggling to sleep through the noise.
People might snore for all sorts of reasons such as relaxed throat muscles, blocked nasal passages, or even sleep apnea.
When left unmanaged, snoring can seriously reduce the quality of your sleep and even put a big strain on relationships.
Luckily, several remedies can help to stop snoring. In this article, we’ll walk you through quick fixes and preventive measures that help get to the root causes of snoring.
How To Sleep Despite A Snoring Partner
Even if you can’t instantly stop your partner from snoring, you can improve your sleep quality. Here are five practical tips to help you cope better with the sound of snoring.
1. Wear Earplugs
Earplugs are a simple but effective way to block out snoring sounds. Choose noise-canceling earplugs that are soft and comfortable enough for overnight use.
Foam or silicone types are both great options as they mold to the shape of your ear, creating more of an air-tight fit for better noise reduction.
Using earplugs regularly can make you less likely to wake up when the snoring starts. This solution also works well if your partner’s snoring is inconsistent, and it can be a really big help to eliminate snoring-induced sleep interruptions.
2. Use a White Noise Machine
A white noise machine generates ambient sounds that can help to drown out disruptive noises, including snoring. These devices produce soothing sounds, like rain or ocean waves, to help mask the sound of snoring and other sounds from the environment (such as sirens and traffic).
Placing one of these machines near your bed can create a relaxing environment that can support a better night of sleep.
Even research suggests that white noise improves sleep quality by reducing interruptions, which might make it easier to sleep through the night despite snoring sounds in the background. (1)
3. Go to Sleep Before Your Partner
Some people find that if they go to bed before their partner and are already asleep by the time their partner starts snoring they’re less likely to be interrupted by the sound.
This is because you’ll already be in a deep sleep before they begin snoring, so it might not wake you up or prevent you from falling asleep.
Try to arrange your sleep schedules to see if this makes a difference!
How To Prevent Your Partner From Snoring
Preventing snoring before it begins is the key to uninterrupted sleep! Here are some proven solutions to help your partner stop snoring and breathe better throughout the night.
1. Mouth Tape to Stop Snoring
Mouth taping encourages nasal breathing and prevents mouth breathing (a common cause of snoring), which helps reduce snoring by keeping your airway open.
You see, when you breathe through your nose, it improves airflow and reduces the likelihood of airway obstruction that can cause the tissues in your throat to vibrate leading to that familiar snoring sound.
Using mouth tape promotes quiet breathing and also supports deeper REM sleep, which is crucial for rest and recovery. (2) Learn more about the benefits of mouth tape for sleep.
If you’re interested in trying mouth tape, it’s essential to choose a high-quality option such as Dream Recovery.
Considered the best mouth tape for sleeping, Dream Recovery is made from organic bamboo silk for luxurious comfort and a hypoallergenic adhesive that is both gentle on the skin yet strong enough to stay on all night.
Try Dream Recovery Mouth Tape now!
2. Switch Sleep Positions
Sleep position matters, a lot! Sleeping on your back increases the likelihood of snoring because gravity can cause your tongue and soft palate can block your airway.
So, encourage your partner to sleep on their side instead, since side sleeping may reduce or even eliminate snoring and improve sleep quality for both of you.
Using a body pillow or placing a pillow behind their back can prevent them from rolling over during sleep.
For persistent snorers, there’s something called the "tennis ball trick”. This involves sewing a tennis ball into the back of a pajama top, making it super uncomfortable (and pretty impossible!) for a snorer to sleep on their back.
3. Use Nasal Passage Dilators or Nasal Strips
Nasal strips can help open nasal passages and increase airflow, making them an effective way to reduce snoring when the root cause is nasal obstructions. They are adhesive strips worn on the nose that lift the nostrils and promote easier breathing.
On the other hand, nasal dilators are devices worn inside the nostrils to widen the nasal passages from within.
Both of these solutions can be helpful for those with nasal congestion or a deviated septum, as it reduces airway resistance and makes breathing easier.
Learn more here about nasal strips vs nasal dilators.
4. CPAP Therapy
If snoring is caused by the sleep disorder obstructive sleep apnea, CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy may be recommended since the American Academy of Sleep Medicine endorses CPAP as the gold standard treatment for sleep apnea.
A CPAP machine delivers a steady stream of air to keep the upper airway open during sleep. This can help to eliminate snoring and support uninterrupted breathing, improving overall sleep quality.
Consult with a sleep medicine specialist to determine if CPAP therapy is the right option for you or your partner.
Learn more here about CPAP alternatives for sleep apnea.
5. Chin Straps
A chin strap helps keep the mouth closed during sleep, promoting nasal breathing and preventing snoring.
It’s especially helpful for people who snore with their mouths open. Chin straps are adjustable bands that fit comfortably around the head, gently encouraging the jaw to stay in place.
This can reduce snoring caused by a relaxed jaw and support better nasal breathing. Chin straps can also be used alongside other remedies, such as nasal strips or CPAP therapy.
While chin straps can help to prevent mouth breathing they’re not totally effective since the mouth can still be opened. Therefore, mouth tape is the better option and is also more comfortable compared to the bulkiness of chin straps.
Learn more here about chin straps vs mouth tape.
6. Mouthguards
Mouth guards, also known as mandibular advancement devices (MADs), are designed to reduce snoring by repositioning the jaw to keep the airway open.
These devices are designed to help prevent the tongue and soft palate from blocking the back of the throat, ensuring better airflow.
Custom-fitted mouthguards are usually more effective - but there are also affordable over-the-counter options available too.
Learn more here with our article: Do Mouthguards Help With Snoring?
7. Avoid Alcohol Before Bed
Alcohol acts as a sedative, causing muscles in the throat to relax, which can contribute to snoring by partially obstructing the airway.
To help prevent snoring, alcohol should be avoided at least 3-4 hours before bedtime. Even occasional drinking can worsen snoring by making it more likely for the airway to become obstructed while sleeping.
FAQ
How to stop someone snoring without waking them up?
You can stop someone snoring without waking them up by gently shifting their sleeping position. Try to encourage them to turn over onto their side by giving them a gentle nudge or pulling on their shoulder to help them move into a better position.
How to stop snoring naturally?
You can stop snoring naturally by using aids like mouth tape and chin straps to prevent mouth breathing, nasal strips or dilators to improve nasal breathing, mouthguards, or changing sleep positions.
Final Thoughts
Snoring can disrupt sleep and strain relationships, but that doesn’t always need to be the case!
From easy snoring remedies like mouth tape, nasal strips, side-sleeping, and earplugs to medical solutions like CPAP therapy, there are plenty of ways to help stop yourself or your partner’s snoring from affecting your sleep.
If snoring continues, consider consulting a doctor to explore the root cause of the snoring and get access to more advanced treatment options.
Say goodbye to snoring with Dream Recovery Mouth Tape.
References:
- Ebben, M. R., Yan, P., & Krieger, A. C. (2021). The effects of white noise on sleep and duration in individuals living in a high noise environment in New York City. Sleep medicine, 83, 256–259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2021.03.031
- Allen, Ruth. (2015) The health benefits of nose breathing. Nursing in general practice.