How to Cure a Snore

Published July 3, 1980.

QUESTION:  My husband has started snoring, and it is less than romantic to say the least. Any suggestion on how I can get him to stop?

ANSWER: We often think of the husband as the only one who snores, but it is not limited to men. Your question and plight is one that deserves serious consideration, since snoring can disrupt sleep. And tired spouses seldom make good marriage partners.

In his book “How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep,” Richard Trubo notes, “If all the snorers in America were laid end to end, their collective rumbling could shatter the night air from the Atlantic to the Pacific.” Trubo observes that although millions of people snore, no one appreciates having a snorer sleeping within hearing range. Few people remember snoring, and some even become angry when their bed partner complains about their noisy sleep habits.

Snoring is somewhat of a natural phenomenon that is nothing to be concerned about aside from the nuisance it creates. It is caused when inhaled and exhaled air vibrates against the pharynx and soft palate, the closed muscles at the rear of the mouth.

Many anti-snoring devices have been registered with the U.S. Patent Office, most of which have proven to be ineffective or hazardous. Some 300 gadgets include chin straps, splints for the mouth, special adhesive tape, unusual shaped pillows, and even clamps for the lips.

Even when these devices are worn, most snorers still manage to gurgle, wheeze or sputter. If these tools are ineffective, what can be done to cure or at least lessen the intolerable snoring? Trubo gives the following suggestions:

• Some snoring seems to be aggravated by allergies to pollen or air pollution. In this case, prescribed allergy medication may lessen or curtail snoring.  
• Long-term smoking tends to irritate the pharynx or throat muscles, so giving up cigarette smoking may alleviate some snoring problems.
• Heavily salted foods, according to Trubo, can cause nasal edema or swelling of the tissues. Reducing salt intake may eliminate some snoring.
• Surplus body weight will give the body extra fluid which, in turn, can also facilitate snoring. Losing a few pounds may help to overcome some snoring problems.
• Sleeping positions also seem to affect snoring. Most people snore louder on their backs, so a “gentle” push in the back or ribs may turn the snorer over on his/her stomach or side and thereby reduce the snoring.
• Dry or swollen nasal membranes seem to facilitate snoring, so increasing the humidity in the bedroom may decrease the snoring.

If these suggestions do not work, try earplugs or going to sleep a half-hour before the snoring spouse retires. And if nothing else seems to work, you may want to consider sleeping in separate bedrooms. But before you do, discuss in detail the purpose and symbolic meaning behind your decision. It was Anthony Burgess who wrote “Laugh and the world laughs with you; snore and you sleep alone.”

Certainly, a married couple’s well-being is promoted when both husband and wife experience restful sleep, night after snore-free night.