stop snoring

[sararie]

sorry if this isn't in quite the right area..but, how do you get someone to stop snoring? within the past month, my hubby has started waking the house. I am not sure how to help him. He has always been a snotty guy, and he would occasionally snore. I would just smack him and he would roll over and quit. now he can even snore sleeping on his belly! I cut out all dairy about two weeks ago. I figured that might help with the snot, but, it was about that time that the snoring got really bad. He could only be consuming dairy away from the house. He does still eat meat. Umm..are there any suggestions to help him (and me)?? as comfy as our sofa is, he is starting to wake the kids up w/the noise. thanks much!

[Ayrlin]

Has he gained weight recently?
Loud persistant snoreing is often a sign of a sleeping disorder.

My husband had to have surgery to correct his snoreing and had to cut all wheat based foods out of his diet.

[berrykat]

does he have allergies? My snoring gets really bad during allergy season. Also get him checked for sleep apnea.

[Dirty Martini]

Sleep apnea has to do with irregular breathing (and cessation of breathing), not snoring in general.

Losing weight will help
Breathe Right strips may help
Sometimes surgery can help, though that might be extreme

[sararie]

he hasn't gained weight that i know of. his pants have actually been looser. he has pretty bad allergies in that he takes benadryl all the time. i guess we prob should try those strips again. His sister had that deviated septum (sp?) and had surgery for that. I just know there has to be something going on..his sinuses never quite clear and we even had to go to a spec guy to have his wisdom teeth removed bc of it. i thought about having him do a saline type thing to clear out his sinuses and hope that will work. will try to make an appt for him too, though it may be a bit. *sigh* I do worry about the sleep apnea bc there are times where the snoring will stop and you can hear him gasp or make another odd noise. thanks all!

[Dirty Martini]

ok THAT sounds like sleep apnea!!

Definitely get him checked if he is gasping or stopping at all.
It can lead to pretty serious health problems (such as stroke) if gone unchecked.

[sararie]

i just asked him and he says he wants to try the strips and some spray for a week before i call the doc. we'll see what they say. thanks all!

[delicious]

I know someone with sleep apnea and they have to sleep with some type of machine beside their bed.

[Dirty Martini]

yes. It's called a cpap ("see pap") machine. It regulates your breathing, and forces air into your lungs if you stop breathing.

My mom has moderate sleep apnea and it's scary. I've slept in her house and would hear her snoring (before she got the machine) get louder & louder, then stop for about 15 seconds. Then would start all over again.

She finally went to the doctor because she was tired all the time (and her sister and I kept telling her to go), and he said he was glad she came in because her apnea was pretty severe. Now with the machine, she sleeps well and isn't always exhausted.

[IamJen]

In my case, it's my dad with the apnea. When I'm at their house, I'm often sleeping in the living room, and can hear him through his bedroom wall. Scary as hell. Waiting a week isn't so bad, but yeah, I'd definitely go see the doc if it doesn't stop quickly. Sleep apnea can have some serious associated symptoms (like death).

[Lothar M Kirsch]

Jen, that's really a serious symptom - I mean death! But you're right sleep apnea is dangerous, even if it isn't death, the brain suffers (in the long run) because of the phases with low oxygenization of the blood.
And I agree with waiting a week won't hurt; sararie's husband needs a polysomnography (appointments in Germany at least aren't so easy because of the high demand).

[IamJen]

Yeah, perhaps I was a bit dramatic with the death card there. :p My pop did say though that he's at a higher risk of stroke and heart attack b/c of the apnea (at least if it's untreated).

Hate hate hate that gasping for air sound.