If you are struggling to get to sleep at night because your partner is snoring, then you are probably looking for ways to stop this from happening. Nobody wants to be kept up all night with the same repetitive noises over and over again. Even when you do manage to get to sleep, you get woken up again, and this is not an ideal situation at all. 

Interestingly, this is not an uncommon situation. Around 45% of adults will snore at least on occasion, and a good percentage of these people will snore often enough for it to become annoying. If this is something that you are being affected by, then you have come to the right place.

In this article, we are going to share some helpful solutions to your problem, so you can try and get back to getting a peaceful night’s sleep each night as soon as possible. There are so many things that you can try, and we will list as many of them as we can here for you.




Why Do People Snore?

People will snore when the air is unable to move freely from the nose and throat while someone is asleep. This leads to vibrations, which will cause the snoring sound. However, it isn’t always as simple as this, as quite a few things can cause snoring.

What Causes People to Snore?

In order to find the best solution to the snoring issue at hand, it is important to first determine what type of snorer they are. The majority of snoring sounds come from the nose and throat, but it can also be caused by other factors, like the tongue and soft palate. There are 5 main types of snorers, and we will explain each of them below.

Nose Snorers – The cause of nose snoring is a blocked nasal passage or collapsing nostrils that lead to mouth breathing.

Mouth Snorers – This type of snoring is caused by the mouth falling open and a relaxed jaw. 

Tongue Snorers – This is when the tongue is being dropped to the back of the mouth and obstructing the airways.

Palatal Flutterer – The cause of this type of snoring is the soft palate and uvula vibrating.

Multifactorial Snorer – This is when the snoring is caused by a combination of the above causes.

Is It Possible to Cure Snoring?

There are lots of ways in which we can prevent snoring, and these are things that a person can do either before falling asleep, or that you can do when a person is already asleep. However, the solution to the problem will all depend on the individual person and what type of snorer they are.

Things You Can Do At Home to Stop Snoring

If you are someone that snores, there are some things that you can do to stop this from happening. Alternatively, if you sleep next to someone that snores, you can get them to try some of these things.

Lose Weight

If you are someone that is overweight, then losing weight will help to reduce the amount of tissue that is in the throat. This is what might be causing your snoring. There are lots of different methods of losing weight, but you can go to see your doctor or a nutritionist for help and advice.

Try Sleeping On Your Side

When you sleep on your back, it can cause your tongue to move to the back of your throat. This can block the flow of air to your throat. If you sleep on your side instead, it can help to stop or reduce your snoring.

Raise Your Head

If you were to elevate your head by around 4 inches when you are sleeping, then it can help to keep your airways open and reduce your snoring. 

Avoid Alcohol Before Bed

You should also try to avoid drinking alcohol at least two hours before it is time to go to bed, as alcohol can relax your throat muscles and lead to snoring.

Stop Smoking

We all know that smoking is an unhealthy habit, but it can also make your snoring much worse. Stopping smoking can help with your snoring.

Make Sure That You Are Getting Enough Sleep

Something that is really important to do is ensure that you are getting enough sleep. It is recommended to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.

Aids to Help Someone to Stop Snoring

If your partner is a nose snorer, then they could try things like nasal strips, nasal dilators, nasal sprays, and other similar products. These will help to widen the nasal passages and help to reduce the vibration that causes the snoring.

If they are a mouth breather, then you might want to try products such as chin-up strips, oral shields, mouth sprays, and similar products. These types of products will help to prevent snoring in different ways. Chin straps will close your mouth, oral shields will block the passage of air, and mouth sprays will help to relax your muscles. All of these things can help to reduce the vibration that causes someone to snore.

For tongue snorers, you might want to try using a Mandibular Advancement Device, or MAD, which will work to hold your lower jaw and tongue forward. This will help to create more space for you to breathe, which can help to prevent you from snoring.

Palatal flutterer snorers should try using chin-up strips or mouth sprays, as this will either keep your mouth closed or relax your muscles, which can limit the vibrations that cause snoring.

Multifactorial snorers can try various different things, like nasal strips, a nasal dilator, a mouth and nasal spray, chin-up strips, an oral shield, or an MAD. Each device will work differently, but it is all about trying to find the right balance between effectiveness and comfort for you.




Medical Solutions to Stop Someone From Snoring

Treat chronic allergies – Allergies can reduce the airflow through your nose, forcing you to breathe through your mouth, which can make you more likely to snore.

Correct structural problems in your nose – Some people can be born with or experience an injury that gives them a deviated septum. This is something that can restrict airflow and cause snoring.

Use a CPAP machine – If you are someone that suffers from obstructive sleep apnoea, then you might want to consider trying out a continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine. This involves wearing a pressurized air mask when you sleep to help to keep your airway open

Radiofrequency tissue ablation (somnoplasty) – A treatment that uses low-intensity radio waves to shrink the tissue on your soft palate and reduce snoring.

How to Stop Someone From Snoring When They Are Asleep

If you sleep next to someone that snores, and they are snoring away next to you, then you could try:

  • Lying them on their side – Sleeping on your side avoids squashed airways
  • Placing extra pillows under their head
  • Using a Humidifier – A lack of moisture in the air can cause snoring

How to Get to Sleep When Someone is Snoring

If you have tried everything that you could think of, and your partner is still snoring, then it might be time for you to try and find some things that will help you to sleep. We are going to leave a list of things that can help you get to sleep when someone is snoring below.

Adjust Your Sleeping Pattern

Going to bed before your partner does will mean that you will be asleep by the time that they come to bed. This means that you will be more likely to get to sleep in the first place, and if you stay asleep, then it is a bonus. Although, this might not be so helpful if your partner’s snoring wakes you up throughout the night.

Try Not to Focus on the Sound of Snoring

This is something that is often easier said than done, but it can help for some people. To try to distract yourself from the sound of the snoring, you could try meditation, listening to a podcast, listening to calm music, or listening to meditation or mindfulness meditation. 

Wear Ear Plugs

One quick and easy solution would be to wear earplugs, so you can either eliminate or muffle the sound of the snoring. There are lots of different types and brands of earplugs to choose from, depending on your needs.

Listen to Music or White Noise

There are lots of people that find listening to calm music or white noise to be very relaxing when they are going to bed. Who knows, you might just be one of these people, so why not give it a try? Although, if you are someone that needs complete silence to sleep, then this might not work for you.

Sleep in Separate Bedrooms

Did you know that 1 in 4 couples sleep in separate bedrooms? It is actually more common than you might have thought. If you have tried absolutely everything possible to stop their snoring, and you have tried all of these methods of getting to sleep, then it might be time to consider sleeping in separate bedrooms.