How to Block Out Snoring When Sleeping With a Snorer
Sleeping with a snorer can be exhausting. In every possible way. You toss and turn, trying to block out the snoring noise but to no avail.
You tried poking, you even tried covering your head with the blanket - but the loud snoring of the person next to you wins. Always.
If this is something that you’re familiar with, don’t despair. There’s hope.
First, you must know that you’re not the only one going through the same situation. According to statistics, about 40% of adult men and 24% of adult women snore.
More than half of the world population deals with snoring at some point in their life. And that’s a lot of people....and a lot of other people that crave for noise reduction.
When you’re sleeping next to someone who snores, and you can’t block the snoring sound, you’ll become sleep deprived. This can result in severe damage to your health.
What is more, it can harm your relationship with that person since you can blame them for things like lack of sleep, headaches, lack of concentration, and so on.
In this article, we’ll examine:
- Why people snore?
- Different ways someone else’s loud snoring noise can affect you and your health
- What you can do to block out snoring and to improve your sleep next to a snorer
Why Do People Snore?
Snoring is the noise that is produced due to obstructed breathing. Your breathing can become obstructed for different reasons, like:- Poor muscle tone
- Long soft palate
- Nasal congestion
- Nasal polyps
- Bulky throat tissue problems
- Deviated septum
- Sleep apnea
- Overweight
- Of a certain age (middle-aged or older men, as well as postmenopausal women, are more likely to begin snoring)
Unfortunately, many different things cause snoring. Even though most of the above-mentioned health conditions are easily treated and don’t pose any immediate threat to your overall health, sleep apnea is a serious risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease.
If the person next to you snores loudly, and their loud snoring is interrupted by breathing and gasps, they should contact a specialist as soon as possible since these can be signs of sleep apnea.
People who suffer from sleep apnea are facing health issues like:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Irregular heartbeat
However, even sleep apnea isn’t a reason for panic. Nowadays, you can find treatment for this condition, and it involves using a special device (continuous positive air pressure or CPAP) that blows air into the throat to keep the airways open.
And now, let’s see how other people’s snoring affects you.
6 Ways in Which Someone Else’s Snoring Affects You
Those who sleep regularly next to someone who snores are usually sleep-deprived. This means restless nights and grumpy day moods. And not only that.
Missing out on the average of eight hours of sleep won’t do much damage to your health if it happens once in a blue moon. But once it becomes a “routine,” your morning sleepiness and grogginess aren’t the only things that you should worry about.
Sleep deprivation brings a series of long-term effects on your body and mind.
1. Decreased Levels of Productivity
No matter if you’re a stay-at-home parent, a student, or a high-ranking CEO of a company, you need sleep in order to function properly. Just like you need air and proper food to function properly, you also need sleep, during which your body regenerates and restores its chemical balance.
If you’re experiencing sleepless nights because the person next to you is snoring, then your body won’t function properly the next day. You just won’t have enough energy.
If this continues to happen over a longer period of time, then you can experience serious loss in levels of productivity, which could result in grave mistakes that might cost you your job.
2. Trouble With Concentration
A similar example as above, only this time, it has more to do with your ability to focus. Actions like reading, writing, or, more importantly, driving will seem too difficult to manage.
For some people, this can be a wake-up call to find a solution. But many decide to move on and not do anything about it, thus increasing the risk of a car accident that puts their and other people’s lives in great danger. Over seven per cent of all car accidents in the USA and 16% of fatal car accidents are caused by driver’s drowsiness.
3. High Blood Pressure
Sleep is important because it directly affects the processes in your body that keep your blood vessels but also your heart healthy. Moreover, sleep has an important role when it comes to your body’s ability to repair any damage made to the heart and blood vessels.
Therefore, without enough sleep, you are at a greater risk of different cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure. Additionally, the risk level of a heart attack and stroke is higher with people who’re sleep deprived.
4. Mood Changes
Due to lack of sleep, you are more likely to experience drastic mood swings over a short period of time.
Life keeps on going, whether you sleep or not. And with each new day come new responsibilities and chores that require a certain level of energy that one can only get from a proper night’s rest.
So, if the person sleeping next to you keeps you awake during the night with their loud snoring, and you become chronically sleep-deprived, your morning grogginess will become your daily bad temper. Unfortunately, it might even develop into anxiety and depression.
5. Weakened Immunity
Not having enough rest at night will weaken your immunity. This means that you’ll become more prone to getting sick and since your immunity won’t function properly against viruses.
6. Possible Weight Gain
Every time we eat, our brain receives a signal that we’re full. When that happens, we stop eating since we no longer feel the need to. Sleep deprivation affects the chemicals that are responsible for this signal. This results in overeating even after you had enough.
6 Things You Can Do to Sleep Better Next to Someone Who Snores
So, we finally come to the part that you’re most interested in. What exactly can you do when your significant other is snoring?
There are several options for perceived noise reduction available to you, and it’s your task to try them all and protect your own physical and mental health.
1. Get Sleep Earbuds and Sleep Mask
If you sleep with a snorer and you’ve tried covering your head with a blanket or a pillow for far too long, you must know by now it doesn’t work.
For those wondering how to block out snoring without hurting the feelings of their significant other, there’s a perfect solution that’s also budget-friendly. Getting sleep earbuds and a sleep mask won’t cost you too much, and it can save your night’s rest in the long run.
For example, Hibermate’s best earbuds for sleeping with a snorer will block out any lsnoring noise due to their sound isolating features. But our ultimate product is the 2-in-1 sleep mask.
The Hibermate noise-blocking sleep mask, besides being super comfortable, also has integrated earmuffs that help with noise reduction. That way, you can get to sleep fast but also stay asleep longer.
2. Listen to ASMR or Relaxing Music
Listening to ASMR or relaxing music can also help. For some people, this method doesn’t work since they need complete silence to fall asleep. There are the people who’ll most likely go for the noise-cancellation earbuds and noise-blocking sleep mask.
But if you’re okay with any other sound other than the sound of snoring, then you should try listening to relaxing music and sounds on your earbuds. Sounds like the falling of rain, waves, and fire crackling help some individuals to fall asleep.
Others listen to classical or jazz music. Low-frequency music is the go-to solution for many people who’re having problems with sleeping.
The most recent solution for those who find some sounds relaxing is ASMR. Certain crackling, tapping, and soft-spoken sounds seem to have a relaxing effect on some people and help them sleep better.
There’re various ASMR artists on YouTube that you can check out at any time.
3. Try Not to Focus on the Sound of Snoring
But if you’re wondering how to block out snoring without earplugs or earbuds, then there’s one thing that you should try. This one might need a bit of effort on your side, but it’s all worth it if it means you’ll finally get some rest.
The mind is a powerful thing, and if you try hard enough, you can ignore the sound of snoring and fall asleep.
Most people manage to do this through meditation, but the most important thing is to try not to focus on the sound that irritates you.
Another option you can try is using white noise to help block out the sound of snoring. White noise is a consistent, low-level sound that can help to mask other environmental sounds (such as loud snoring noise) and create a sense of calm.
There are many ways to create white noise, including using a fan, playing an audio recording of ocean waves, using a white noise machine, or downloading a white noise app.
You can experiment to find the sound that works best for you, and once you find the right one, you may be surprised at how much such a white noise machine can improve your sleep.
4. Change Their Position Without Waking Them Up
According to research, people who sleep on their backs snore louder and longer. So, if you see that your sleeping partner is shifting towards that position, try to stop them without waking them up.
On the other hand, if their snoring wakes you up during the night, one possible solution is to make an agreement to always have an extra sheet underneath them that’ll help you turn the snorer easily to their side.
If you pull the sheet towards you, the person sleeping next to you will start turning to their side, which is a better position for a snorer.
Or if you have strong arms, you can do it by using your hands. Just gently hold their shoulders and start moving them to one side.
Some people also use a tennis ball, which they place in the bed (preferably centered where the back of the snorer would be), and it prevents them from turning on their back.
Moreover, a head-positioning pillow helps align the neck of the person who uses it, so they’re less likely to snore.
This video explains why sleeping on your side can help prevent someone from snoring.
5. Suggest They Should Visit a Specialist
Having THE conversation can be tough, especially with someone who is ashamed of their snoring. Some snorers can even get offended if you suggest their condition is disturbing. But the fact is they need help.
There’s only so much that you can do to block out the sound of snoring. What’s more, your efforts will help only you, and not the snorer.
Try talking to your significant other, and explain how you feel. Make them understand that both your health and their own can improve by visiting a doctor.
6. Change Room
If nothing mentioned above helps, there’s only one more thing left to do. And that is sleeping in another room. You should prioritize your own rest and health, especially if you have been suffering from sleep deprivation for a long time. Even if it means moving to another room to sleep.
A move like this can have a negative impact on your relationship with the snorer, but it will undoubtedly help you re-energize and think clearer.
Remember, there’s nothing as important as your health. You must do everything in your power to keep your body and mind in the best possible condition.
Who knows? Maybe moving to another room can make your significant other reconsider the visit to the specialist after all.
Sleep Right, Sleep Tight and Sleep Quiet...
Sleeping next to a snorer without being able to block out the noise results in sleep deprivation. There are many accompanying health issues that follow, like cardiovascular issues, weight gain, and bad temper.
To preserve your physical and mental health, you must find a way to block snoring at night so you can have plenty of much-needed rest.
Some of the possible solutions include getting a sleep mask and sleep earbuds, meditation, and professional help.
If you’re looking for the best sleep earbuds and noise-blocking mask on the market, you’re welcome to explore Hibermate products, which will help you get everything you need for a long and deep sleep.