Snoring is not in itself harmful and nearly all of us snore at some point or another in our lives. When you share a bed with a partner who snores regularly, however, it can affect your quality of sleep or even keep you awake through the night. This can lead to tiredness, irritability and even depression if not remedied. Unless your partner suffers from sleep apnoea there is usually a simple trick to either prevent them from snoring at all or to stop them once they start. As snoring is not an illness there is no cure, but it can be controlled.

Sleep position

The majority of snoring occurs when someone is sleeping on their back. This is because the throat muscles and tongue relax in such a way as to restrict the breathing somewhat. Placing a pillow in the middle of the bed can be enough to prevent a snorer from rolling onto their back. For more severe cases, try sewing half a tennis ball into the back of the snorer’s pyjamas. Every time they try to roll onto their back the lump will wake them slightly and they will roll back.

Decongestants

If the snoring is something which occurs in the aftermath of a cold or allergy outbreak it could be due to congestion. Simply popping a decongestant tablet before bed may well do the trick. Alternatively you could try inhaling mentholated steam for ten minutes or so about half an hour before you go to bed to clear nasal passages.

No alcohol

A lot of people snore after they have been drinking alcohol. Although there is no scientific explanation for why this is true, the fact remains that it is true. Abstaining from alcohol for at least four hours before bed has been shown to have a positive effect in terms of not snoring.

Lose weight

Heavier people are more likely to snore than their lighter counterparts. If you are overweight then losing a few pounds will not only make you snore less but will have a positive effect on your general health as well. On top of this, getting exercise during the day makes for a better night’s sleep.

Buy a new mattress

It could be that the very bed you sleep in is the cause of your snoring. Dust mites may be causing allergies to flare up or you could be sleeping in a strange position because your mattress has collapsed in the middle. Something of the same quality as a hotel mattress could be what is needed to aid you and your long suffering partner in getting a restful, snore-free night.