How to Help My Husband Who Snores

Most people snore every now and then with the most common causes being poor sleep position and abnormalities in throat tissue, says a 2011 Helpguide website article. Excess weight, age and gender can all influence whether a person snores. Sleeping with a serial snorer is frustrating and usually leads to regular sleep disturbances for the non-snorer. There are a number of ways your husband can reduce his chances of snoring; however, the most effective solutions involve changes in lifestyle.

Instructions

• 1

  Understand that your husband cannot help the fact he snores. Therefore, try and avoid taking your frustration out on him. He may feel embarrassed about his snoring and guilty that he's disrupting your sleep. It's important you approach the problem together to avoid the issue's having a negative impact on your relationship. Although tempting, avoid sleeping apart; this will only isolate your husband and may even lead to intimacy issues. He'll be much more open to suggestions about how to help stop his snoring if he believes you're supportive.

• 2

  Try to establish a good sleep routine for you both. If your husband isn't getting enough sleep or is letting himself get overtired before bedtime, his chances of snoring will increase. This is because his muscles will become tired and loose, causing him to fall into a deep sleep and snore, according to a 2010 WebMD website article. A regular bedtime, at a reasonable hour each night, will ensure you both get a good amount of sleep.

• 3

  Stop your husband from sleeping on his back. Instead, encourage him to sleep on his side. When a person sleeps on his back, the cleft palate and tongue collapse, causing snoring, says WebMD. A well-known remedy to stop him from turning on to his back while asleep involves putting a tennis ball in a sock and sewing it into the top of his nightwear. Simple yet effective, the ball will serve as an uncomfortable reminder that he needs to stay on his side.

• 4

  Encourage him to reduce his alcohol intake and give up smoking. Alcohol relaxes the muscles, causing your husband to fall into a deep sleep, which can lead to snoring. If he does plan to have a drink, when possible, he should leave at least four hours between his last drink and going to bed, says a Good Housekeeping website article. Smoking cigarettes will irritate your husband's airways causing, among other things, snoring.

• 5

  Address his weight issues. People who are overweight are more likely to snore because of increased fatty tissue in the throat, states HelpGuide. If your husband is overweight, a healthful diet and regular exercise will help him lose weight and reduce his snoring.