Hubby Causes Insomnia? Suggestions?

[pricklypear1971]

Okay, I had started developing aches and pains and insomnia. Don't ask which came first, because I don't know...

Well, hubby travels frequently (but was home for December)....and left for a week long trip Monday.

Every day I have felt better. I have slept longer and deeper each day. I feel like a new person.

We both snore, but his snoring wakes me up, and evidently it bothers me even when I "sleep".

So, I bought some Breathe Right strips for him, and ear plugs for me. He's going to be just thrilled but I can't think of anything else...a friend suggested a mouth piece (works for her hubs -she has sleep issues when he snores).

Lack of sleep is contributing to so many aches, swelling in my hands, mental function and my daily functioning. I can't do it...

Any other suggestions?

[mommida]

Try an get him to sleep on his side. Easier said then done I know. I had to slide my hand flat under his back then make a fist. The uncomfortable feeling of having a fist in your back works instantly. Be ready to guide him unto his side.

If the snoring has been increasing over time, send him to the dentist. Some dental issues cause snoring.

I can't sleep without my husband's snoring. The dentist "fixed" something and he stopped snoring suddenly. I couldn't sleep and had to resort to leaving the t.v. on.

[pricklypear1971]

I've done the side thing but he has a hard time (shoulder injury) AND he snores on his side (so do I).

We're quite the pair.

[IrishHeart]

You can try:

Get him to sleep on his side, a pillow with a neck support--it cradles the head and stops the snoring, a white noise machine--it works well for me.

Separate bedrooms ?(last resort)

I refused to do that--I like him next to me

My guy tends to snore if he flips on his back. I sympathize with you because I am such a light sleeper, I wake up if the guy down the road snores.

We need our sleep!

[aikido]

The best thing both you and your husband could do, is to go and seek medical advice from your GP. As snoring is playing havoc with both your lives. Even though my parents sleep in their room, both of them wake me up during the night as well as my brother. They all snore and it is a real pain.

[pricklypear1971]

The best thing both you and your husband could do, is to go and seek medical advice from your GP. As snoring is playing havoc with both your lives. Even though my parents sleep in their room, both of them wake me up during the night as well as my brother. They all snore and it is a real pain.

That would be great but I've found it goes something like dx'ing Celiac....

The mouth piece is what my hubs had a long time ago for teeth grinding..of course, he needed major dental work directly after he got it so it no longer fit. I have had mouth pieces suggested by doctors - the first things they suggest are side sleeping, allergies, devices, seperate beds...so it takes a while to arrive at new alternatives. Oh, and of course they want to give you pills.

I have considered requesting a sleep study.

[grayangel]

I have considered requesting a sleep study.

This certainly couldn't hurt. Snoring can sometimes accompany sleep-disordered breathing -- apnea, noctural desaturation, etc. (which can be hard on the heart) which a sleep study could diagnose and a CPAP or BiPAP mask could fix. Some people don't tolerate these well, but some find that their quality of sleep is dramatically better. I imagine it would increase the quality of your sleep, anyway -- it has to be easier to sleep through the hum of a CPAP unit than deal with frequent awakenings from snoring.

Good luck!

[Bubba's Mom]

My hubby used to snore loud enough to wake the dead, but even worse..he'd stop snoring. I'd nudge him and he'd make a snort and resume. It got really bad and I insisted he see the Dr. about it. It turned out he has severe sleep apnea. He now uses a CPap machine. It's like sleeping next to someone on a noisy ventilator.

I finally retreated to the guest room. My sleep improved quite a bit. We still "visit" each other, but sleep seperately.

I hope you find a solution.

[pricklypear1971]

We talked about it last night...

We're going to try the strips and earplugs and probably a mouth guard, and take it from there. He's open to more energy and if better sleep (less snoring) does it he's probably in board.

A CPAP would be difficult for frequent business travel, no?

He should be home in 2 hours! Yay!

[grayangel]

A CPAP would be difficult for frequent business travel, no?

I don't know a lot about it, but I do know that they make CPAP machines specifically for travel that can also be used as the main home unit when not traveling.

It's great that you guys are able to talk about it. Hope the strips and mouth guard work! Glad he'll be home soon!

[TeknoLen]

I had modest success with nasal strips and a product called Alkalol, an herbal liquid solution to flush the nostrils and sinuses. If you try it, be sure to buy the accessory "nasal d%$#@#$ cup" (no kidding). It seemed to soothe my inflamed sinuses, which was the primary cause of my snoring. It partly moderated my snoring, but not completely. Since going gluten-free my nasal Inflamation seems to have calmed down so I do not have to use it much any more. PS you may notice "caramel coloring" on the label. I confirmed with manufacturer that this was from corn and not wheat... Good luck and sweet dreams....

[AVR1962]

My husband has a bad snoring issue and yes, it does mess with your own sleep. My hubby now has a specially fitted mouth piece. He first tested for sleep apnea and there was a slight issue but not enough to have to be hooked to machine at night. He tried the breathing strips, didn't work. I was sleeping with a pillow ovber my head but still many times would find myself trying for an hour to get him to stop sleeping and then I would have a time getting back to sleep. It didn't always have a spare room but I spent many nights sleeping on the couch.

I then found this ad for a mouth poiece and I bought it for him. IT WORKED! only thing is it shifted his bottom jaw forward and made his jaw ache the next morn so he went to the dentist. They fitted him with his own mouth piece to wear at night that has just the right tension and is built for his mouth. IT WORKS like a charm.

Alcohol will make the snoring worse so if he has anything to drink he now just sleeps in the spare room.

[Roda]

My husband snores terrible. He has had chronic sinus issues for a long time and had sinus surgery a few years back. Recently I convinced him to use a neti pot to irrigate. I've noticed he is snoring less. He also mentioned that he doen't have as much post nasal drainage and it is helping to relieve some of his "allergy" symptoms.

[pricklypear1971]

Well, we tried the strips last night. The snoring was bad at all - but some nights he's worse than others so who knows.

My earplugs fell out in the middle of the night...so I'll need different ones if they prove to be a solution.

I did wake up once - I think I was having a hot flash or had too many blankets. Couldn't go back to sleep easily so I turned in the tv for white noise and was out like a light.

I do notice I sleep in my side more when he's in the bed (even if I have plenty of room foot lay flat) and THAT isn't good since I wake up with a backache. And I wake up several times because of the backache...so it's a constant effort to remember to sleep on my back. We have a king size bed - cant get any more room (unless I kick the 80 lb dog off, but he jumps down after we all fall asleep, anyway).

I tried a nose strip, too. I woke up twice trying to rub it off. Finally took the stupid thing off.

So, overall not bad. Forgot to take my Claritin last night and I'm all stuffed up. Yuck.

[Bubba's Mom]

I hope you work out something that helps you both sleep better. Ear plugs didn't work for me. I need to be able to hear household noises like the phone, dogs, and what about the smoke alarm?

My hubby has a "home" CPap and a travel one, which is more compact. He travels for his job and goes to other countries. In Europe the airports really look the machine over to make sure it isn't some sort of explosive device.

[Adalaide]

I sleep with earplugs myself, also due to my husband's incessant snoring. I swear it sounds like an army of chainsaw murderers coming to get me. I found that until I got used to earplugs I would take them out in my sleep. I still take one or both out some nights. It took some time to get the hang of getting them in just right, it's practically an art form. It's possible that you did the same rather than them falling out, but of course I've been known to be wrong. I use the pink ones called Sleep Pretty in Pink, they're fairly cheap at Wal-Mart.

We have also gone to the last resort of separate rooms, but he's so loud I still need earplugs.

[cavernio]

My fiances CPAP machine is pretty easy to travel with. It has a case that looks just like a lunch bag with a strap.

His would be medium sized though. He has a mouth and nose mask, and there's a smaller one just for your nose. However, especially with the mouth and nose combo, people often need/want to moisturize the air that's constantly blowing in your face, and that means a container of distilled water as well. They're also not cheap.

However, even if your hubby doesn't travel with it, it could still be worth having it at home. He should get tested for sleep apnea regarldess of how well you sleep though anyways...

Of course, that said, CPAP machines will only work properly for the type of sleep apnea where the person's airway gets blocked. There's another type the autonomic reaction to breathe is messed up, so even if the airway is open breathing might not happen. The vast majority of sleep apneas are actually a combination of both of these. My bf definitaly has a combination, although no one diagnosed him with that. But I can tell because his breathing is super shallow and terribly uneven, and then when he hasn't breathed for awhile he often gets a spasm and then starts to breathe again, and he does that even with the CPAP. It's the jostling that bothers me the most.

Honestly though, there's nothing wrong with sleeping separately, or at least trying it out. Nothing wrong with using the couch. You could even fall asleep next to him and then if/when you wake up, change to another bed or couch. Both my bf and I will do that on occasion. Doesn't say a thing about your relationship.

[Skylark]

My parents went to separate rooms because they like about 10-degrees different temperatures at night and dad coughs a lot from allergies. They are both much happier. It's hard to have a happy and affectionate marriage when you're walking around sleep-deprived.