There are things that can be done, say both Simon and Johal. But first, it is important to distinguish whether your partner is simply snoring, or whether they have sleep apnoea.
“What you don’t want to do is simply make someone quieter at night while potentially missing an underlying sleep-related breathing disorder,” Simon says.
Signs of sleep apnoea, a disorder that causes a person’s breathing to repeatedly stop and start during sleep, include pauses in breathing, choking at night, waking frequently, and suffering from morning headaches.
If this is what you are dealing with, you could be recommended a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, or even surgical treatment in some cases, Simon explains.
For simple snoring, Simon said that lifestyle changes can make a difference, such as losing weight, stopping smoking, reducing alcohol intake before bed, or changing your sleeping position – such as laying on your side rather than your back.
You can also suggest to your partner that they see a GP, who will be able to advise further or refer you to a specialist.
An expert might suggest treating nasal obstruction or allergies, if this is what is causing snoring, or wearing a custom mouthguard to gently push the lower jaw forward and keep the airway open.
Johal says too many couples put up with snoring “for too long”, which impacts their relationships and wellbeing.
“The key thing is that there is help out there, it’s just tapping into it.”
