Having problems sleeping because wife snores. Can't change wife because it would be costly and not ozbargain way. Anyone had any good /bad experience with snoring nasal drops or any other methods. I am asking about over the counter medicines and not prescription ones. Hope this is not against rules.
Snoring problem
expertreader on 11/04/2014 - 11:08
Comments
Separate bedrooms works an absolute treat. I couldn't go back to sharing a bed again.
If her snoring is really bad and she wakes up tired, she should be checked out for sleep apnea.
Otherwise, earplugs for you are the go. Here's the really comfortable ones;
http://earplugsonline.comSome people have success with pills, specially designed pillows, etc. but most don't.
Another one to try: Howard Leight Max-1 Earplugs
Box of 200 around $60 will last a whileCan sometimes take a week or so to get used to sleeping with earplugs but, after that, life is sweet
@Daabido, great reviews on the earplugs you mentioned - just bought a set to try for myself
Earplugs all the way for you. For her, she needs to have it looked at. We had a mate who snored very loudly - diagnosed with speep apnea and now he's a different man. If she is overweight, this might contribute. Good luck!
Sleeping pills - for yourself.
Best nights sleep you'll ever have. Find a natural pill that works for you.If it is really bad get her to get a referral for sleep apnoea testing.
My husband has this and had to buy the machine/mask etc (way cheaper if you buy from the US).
I normally spend the 2nd part of each night on the couch, once my husbands snoring wakes me up. Just used to it now, part of life. Even if I wake up and he isn't snoring, I will still go to the couch LOL!!
Are you able to provide websites that the machines can be purchased from. I am about to get one but they are so expensive here.
Oh gee, I don't remember, it was a few years ago. I remember how we found it though. There is a huge CPAP machine thread on whirlpool - if you go through all of that (I think it is broken up into numerous sections) you will find it.
The machine my husband chose is a Resmed (and he tried all of them here first, you can rent them from sleep clinics) and it's the same Resmed machine that the majority of people who wrote in this whirlpool thread bought.
Everyone seems to buy that one as it is the best and is a great price.
But you will want to try various machines and various masks here first, you just rent them for a few weeks each until you are comfortable with the mask you want. I think he bought the mask here, but the machine from overseas. Once you know the mask type your prefer, then you can order the mask from overseas too. I think you are supposed to get a new mask every 2 years or so.
Thanks for the info.
Do you get the electricity discount for using one of those?
I had to google this as I had never heard of it. I'm in QLD and a discount isn't provided (http://www.originenergy.com.au/4001/Life-support-registratio…) but other states seem to provide a discount.
Yes but its not much. If you didn't have medicare it wouldn't be worth the doctors fee.
There are a few places in the USA that will export CPAP machines to Australia. Ironic given that Resmed is based in Bella Vista, Sydney, and much of their gear is actually made here, but is hideously expensive.
I bought my second machine, a new Resmed S9 Autoset from http://secondwindcpap.com/ Secondwind and I, like many others, have nothing but praise for Mark and his staff there in Tracy MN.
By way of comparison when I bought mine, it was $2450 at my local Sleep Apnea shop. Last October (Aussie dollar about US$0.94) it cost me $890 delivered. Remember though you'll need a mask too.
You might like to read through this thread on Whirlpool, where I am an active member http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2111551&p…
Cheerz Wabster.
Yep, exactly same machine and place we bought it from. Thanks for the reminder.
Dayam. Wish i had known that when i forked out that much for my S9 last year :(
At least the misses is happy though.
+1 for sleep apnoea testing +CPAP
You'll get better sleep in the long run and so will she.
Also no easy way to put it but tell her to lose some weight.
Tell her lose to lose weight. Find your behind on the curb.
You don't know women
Better an angry wife then a dead wife…
Said no man ever :)
Agree with this 100%
I used to snore very badly, used to wake myself up in my sleep and most other people within earshot. Tried drops, through sprays etc, nothing worked.
In the end I went on a diet, lost 30kg and now I do not snore at all!
Definitely agree with getting your wife into a Sleep Clinic. Not sure which state you're in but I was referred to the Sleep Clinic at St Vincent's Public Hospital in Melbourne got in within a couple of weeks and had 2 sleep studies done within a matter of two months (Very impressed given it is a public hospital).
The important thing to note is if she does have sleep apnoea it does increase her chances of more serious conditions due to the oxygen deprivation at night, so best to get it checked out. They may or may not prescribe a CPAP machine but I wouldn't go out and just buy one unless she has been diagnosed as it may be a waste of money if she doesn't have true sleep apnoea.
Good luck!
Get a futon, those couches that fold out make awesome beds. They are great for nights in front of the TV with the partner as well, hopefully they'll fall asleep (as they are probably tired from sub-standard sleep), and you can sleep in the bed!
I tend to stay away from earplugs because it runs the risk of not hearing things that go bump in the night.
What'd I'd suggest is to simply adopt a thumb-to-index pincer stance with your dominant hand and carefully pinch her two nostrils together.
The result in decibel loss will occur immediately, causing your wife to abruptly stop her snoring.
As an advocate of pinchy pinchy, I look forward to seeing you report back here, with results.
Not sure if this is in jest but that's actually quite dangerous, especially if she does have sleep apnoea.
I thought the pinchy pinchy would have given it away as me making light of the situation. If the above comment does offend you, or anyone else for that matter please do contact the mods and ask them to remove it - The timer for me to manually alter it has now expired.
Yes it was pretty obviously a joke. As if your going to be able to pinch someone's nose all night. If I was to wake up to someone pinching my nose they are getting kicked
@bossmode - I understood your comment was satirical as pinchy on partner's nose during the night is clearly not good ozbargainer judgement.
She could try Buteyego Breathing
Buteyko
Breath right nose plaster, put one on before you go to bed, more air and thus less noise…
Snoring is 100% food related. Radically change what she eats, particularly in her evening meals, and she'll change immediately. No medical fix is required.
So what foods to eat and which to avoid ?
Have you a link for this ?- That sounds ridiculous.
- You aren't helping it sound any less ridiculous since you haven't even bothered giving any examples of these evil snore-causing foods.
Oh wait, you're the same person who told someone in another thread that their sensitive teeth is caused by: *"You prob also have a dietary deficiency of Magnesium Phosphate. Take simple cell salt tablets & flick the Sensodyne."
Cell salt tablets? Seriously?
And now snoring is a diet related issue.
righteo.
epilepsy is caused by too much broccoli.
Please avoid posting ignorant statements like this. If a person with sleep apnoea doesn't seek professional help and decides to change their diet instead, there is a significant risk of sudden cardiac arrest.
Definitely seek medical help if there you are concerned about snoring, especially if its a regular occurrence and has been going on for years.
Baysew: Cheers for the salient question. The offending food literally varies dramatically for every person. We're all unique - there is no one magical food to just avoid. It ain't that easy. Anything substantial rarely is.
waterloogedturnip: Yes - you certainly are. Sorry my suggestion doesn't match your current knowledge base. Perhaps 20 years from now you'll have caught up.
altomic: That's superb!Good luck OP. A logical approach I hope you at least consider: Keep an accurate dairy of the dates she snores, and the specifics of what she eats/drinks in the 8 hours before bed that particular night. If a pattern starts to emerge, it won't take a genius to figure out what's triggering her reactions. There's no harm in observation, and as per OzBargain ethos - it's free!
Cat- thanks for your answer. Could you also answer my second question? Could you provide a link so that I can explore this further. Is there any facts on this ? I would like to update my current knowledge base now, not in 20 years.
Sorry Baysew, I don't know of any links, as I don't have to go looking for the info these days, but a Google search will reveal all sorts of environmental medicine info, I'm sure. The easiest learning experiment is to drop something obvious from your own diet that is your 'favourite food' - something you literally eat loads of every day, and likely, if you stay entirely without it for two weeks - don't cheat once, you almost always notice a change, sometimes drastic, that clearly indicates a built-up intolerance to that product, that can then be treated just by elimination. It's a great alternative to med treatments to consider because; it's free - it's easy - it's non-invasive - no harsh chemicals, medications or surgery are required. It's just elimination logic. If it doesn't help, as it sometimes won't, then sure - go the usual meds. The biggest problem by far, as has been borne out in the comments I expected to get here from others, is that you have to stay open-minded to do it, while fending off jibes from all the armchair med experts that don't understand what you're suggesting at all, but somehow they're still experts on it. I've practised it all my life - I'm old, super-healthy, slim, and I don't do anything but constantly rotate my food groups - even the bad ones! Meantime, my 6 family members I grew up with started with the same metabolism as me, but have all eaten the usual fatty Western diets, and are now all chronically ill with modern-day illnesses. They take the usual Western medical approach - just treat the symptoms with pills and surgery, rather than arresting the initial cause, and none of them will hit 70. How many news stories of massive diabetes rises do we have to hear, before people accept the food link - too much sugar-based food intake for example. You are what you eat. Anyway, all cool - hope this helps. If not, hey, just go the pills!
You idiot. If someone suffered from diagnosed sleep apnoea, I wouldn't tell them to stop eating bananas now, would I? The ignorance is yours, spaceangelz. General snoring isn't sleep apnoea - re-read the OP's question, before you bag others offering help.
"Snoring is 100% food related"
"Radically change what she eats, and she'll change immediately"If ever I had seen a broad, sweeping and unsubstantiated statement, that would be it.
I'm going to refer you to this website. Its called wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obstructive_sleep_apnea
As you can see, turbulent flow of air through an incomplete obstruction results in sound production. This is due to physics. But hey, if OP's wife is going to sleep with a stick of broccoli in her mouth, then maybe you're right and it is 100% dietary.
Wrong. Sorry, dopey21.
Oh Cat066969, once again another stupid comment. You probably are a troll so I won't take it to heart.
The OP stated the wife has a snoring problem. No one knows what is causing their problem, whether its sleep apnea or some other condition, neither you or I know. I never said she had sleep apnoea but your general statement snoring is 100% sleep relating has 7 negs for a reason!
And you know what? General snoring CAN be sleep apnoea. Having worked with pulmonary patients and speaking with respiratory specialists over the past 3 years, I know that even if its light snoring it can be early signs of sleep apnoea.
You probably are a troll
Okay. No probs.
I had some success with a splint from my dentist, but really the thing that did the trick was losing a lot of weight. Being a nighttime freight train really was not pretty!
+1 for losing the weight.
As pharmacist, don't waste your money on medication for snoring. They really don't work because snoring is more to do with the "mechanics of breathing" in relation to the soft palate, and there are no drugs that "harden" soft palate to stop the sound which don't also affect sleep (i.e. certain stimulants).
That said, your wife can do quite a few things to reduce her snoring.
- no alcohol before going to sleep. (alcohol does have a relaxing effect on muscle
- sleep on the side, not on her back or stomach (it will need a conscious effort, but she will get used to it after a week or two… I did and it's better for your back than sleep on your stomach)
- similar to alcohol, medications with sedating properties will increase snoring (review those with the doctor if they are prescription, or talk to your pharmacist for OTC alternatives)
- If she is overweight, then weight loss is crucial (I stopped snoring when I lost weight). Remember that snoring indicates an "obstruction" or "restriction" of air flow, if you can remove the cause of the restriction then air will flow freely.
- Make sure there are no allergens in the bedroom/bed. Allergic reactions can cause mild swelling and so this will increase snoring risk. (don't just treat with an antihistamine, it's better to try to remove the source of the allergy IF POSSIBLE).
- Dry air can also be an issue, so some people benefit from a humidifier.
hope this helps
Are there any drops or something to help with dry air? When I fly on overnight flights, I wake up with a very sore throat and nose due to dry air on the plane, and won't be able to sleep for the reset of the flight
Apologies for the late reply. There are no drops… but the best you can do is to drink lots of water. Hydration from the inside out is better than humidifying the air if you are getting a sore throat due to dry air on the plane.
I take an empty bottle with me and get the flight attendant to fill it up for me when I need hydration.
+1
I was looking to see if anyone would suggest sleeping on her side. I used to sleep on my back and not snore. When I was pregnant, the doctor found out and got very cross. It tooka lot to get used to side sleeping. Sometimes if I roll on my back, I will wake up making a choking sound. Not often, but it is disturbing. If she starts on her side and rolls on her back, some fusion wedges might get her used to side sleeping.
try to avoid surgery for a 'deviated septum' as it more often than not makes it worse!
I was told that botox can help migraine headaches and snoring, see a doctor and try and if it helps great and if not then it wares off and no harm
What makes surgery for a deviated septum bad?
Cartilage can move after the operation, but I had the surgery done and don't snore or have sleep apnoea anymore so I can vouch for its effectiveness
It's been recommended that I have surgery to rectify a deviated my deviated septum issue.. Is the CPAP machine an alternative to the surgery or is it for an entirely different type of sleep apnea?
Can't change wife because it would be costly and not ozbargain way.
Life insurance?
Getting married was a terrible decision. Don't make the same mistake OzBargainers.
Marriage - it's not a word, it's a sentence.
Hitman is often quite cost effective in ridding problems.
Hi, i am a dentist…some advice
1. good ear plugs for the wife will work wonders
2. alot of people above said weight loss - sometimes people that are not overweight snore, however if you are overweight - best to shed some weight.
3. pharmacy stuff is useless
4. the best is go do a sleep apnoea test which the gp or your dentist can referral you to check if its more than just snoring. they will recommend what is required. the only thing that work is 1.snoring device www.somnomed.com.au (there are cheaper models out there but somnomed are the gold standard - they will reduce your snoring by at least 50%) - cost around $1500 by a trained dentist (like me :-) ) or 2. cpap machine which costs a lot more and better for those people with mod-sev apnoea.good luck. if your in syd you can come in and have a chat.
The wife is the one snoring, husband will need ear plugs.
whoops lol sorry read that wrong. well vice versa either way. i have had skinny women come in needing a snoring device. if she will not wear a snoring device. best go get some professional ear plugs made (not sure how much - maybe 1-200 custom fit basically wont hear anything.
good luck
Pharmacists are no better than witch doctors these days, their shops are full of crankery like iridology, ear candles and herbal tablets for every condition under the sun.
Obesity is the leading cause of snoring. A good place to start perhaps?
Who would've thought that sloth and gluttony would cause social offence in other ways too?
If you want to, Try the Snorlax - Snore Stopper app:
https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/snorlax-snore-stopper/id5712…Scoring is caused by not entering sleep paralysis completely when sleeping their are free techniques all on the internet such as stop drop and roll to fix that sleep paralysis is a natural stare we all enter every night
I saw this on TV early-mid March. Maybe it could help?
http://au.news.yahoo.com/vic/a/21903924/new-treatment-to-cur…
try this first,
https://www.udemy.com/sleep-hacking-101-have-more-energy-spe…
Wait for campaigns, I can sleep in any noise, standing in trains, pretty much anywhere , you might find some of the tips useful.
IMHO snoring is distressed or weakening of the muscles on the top of the back of yr tong. Some ppl call it by fancy name. Periodic exercising the muscles there by bringing the wide tension at that area could dramatically tight the area on the top of the back of the tong and reduce or even stop snoring. It needs dedication and systematic training of that muscles every day. I'm sure that the positive effect can be seen in 1 - 2 weeks . Cost u nothing ,but diplomacy to talk to yr spouse.
Actually there is probably truth in that, they know playing the didgeridoo actually helps.
Use earplugs.
Source: SpongeBob.