Sleeping with a Snorer – Tips to Avoid Sleep Deficit

No matter how much you care about them, if the love of your life is a snorer you are going to have to take steps to protect yourself from sleep deficit and the associated effects this has on the body, mind and spirit.

The problem with sleep deficit is that it takes a long while to correct and restore. It is like the worst kind of bank overdraft – the interest charged means you can never quite repay it.

Trying to sleep with a partner who snores can lead to insomnia. This is a condition that seems to affect women more than men and it leaves the sufferer both unable to fall asleep and prone to premature waking once they are asleep.

The combination of the 21st Century hectic lifestyle, being woken artificially by alarm clocks, insomnia and trying to sleep with a snorer all combine to aggregate large sleep deficits.

To take sleeping pills is one answer and there certainly seems to be an increase in the usage of this type of drug. However, all medication carries a potential risk and none is without side effects. Sleeping pills can leave those who rely on them for nighttime sleep drowsy throughout the day. They have been known to cause anxiety and memory problems and they are not recommended for long-term use.

No form of sedative is recommended for the snorer as the effect causes more muscular and tissue relaxation, which actually makes the snoring problem even worse.

There are a number of things the partner of a snorer can do to give them the best chance of getting a good night’s sleep:

• Take time to unwind before bedtime
• Use soft ear plugs
• Assist the hormones responsible for the circadian rhythms of the body by keeping your bedroom as dark as possible
• Don’t allow pets in the bedroom
• Consider having a light protein based snack before bedtime
• Try to take some form of physical exercise every day – if you have an active job this is not necessary but it is very important if you sit at a desk all day.
• Avoid napping during the day. Keep going and have an early night if necessary.
• Reduce your fluid intake a couple of hours before bedtime to reduce the likelihood of waking to use the bathroom during the night
• Consider talking to your doctor about depression – sleep deficit can lead to all sorts of mental and emotional conditions
• Ensure you eat a nutrient rich diet, supplementing with a good quality multi vitamin and mineral if necessary
• Have a check up with your doctor to ensure things like hemoglobin and hormone levels are all normal and adequate
• Consider sleeping in another room, at least on some nights of the week, if the situation becomes unbearable

It is so important to ensure you get enough sleep and do not go into sleep deficit. Occasionally this may require you to put your needs first.

Living (and sleeping) with a partner who snores can have a debilitating effect that is sometimes not acknowledged. Do whatever you need to do to ensure you do not go into sleep deficit because of your partner’s snoring – do not put yourself at risk.