If one’s sleeping partner snores, sleep can be disrupted, particularly if one sleeps lightly. There are several ways to tackle this situation. One can of course investigate the cause of the partner’s snores, which from a medical standpoint is advisable. One can also modify one’s own sleep patterns so one’s not-so-silent partner causes less disruption.

Snoring can be caused by allergies, nasal congestion, carrying excess weight, or by sleep apnea. Allergies or nasal congestion may be addressed with antihistamines or decongestants. Some find relief with over the counter breathing strips that are placed on the nose. This may fail to eliminate a partner’s stores if he or she also suffers from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea, which is the sudden cessation of breathing, can be dangerous and may reduce oxygen levels in the blood.

If a partner’s excessive snores are keeping one up at night, it’s advisable to have the partner see a physician to rule this condition out. Since one may already be awake at night, one can listen for sudden breathing stops or breath holding to see if apnea is present.

From a personal standpoint, snores from a partner may mean sleepless nights for both people. While sleep apnea can be addressed through a variety of techniques, this may take time to fully work. Probably the least invasive approach is to attempt earplugs at night to block out the noise.

The trouble with earplugs is that while they effectively block out snores, they may also block out the noise of a child who needs one during the night, or the alarm ringing in the morning. One should weigh options when considering earplugs. Sleeping pills used over short duration may help one get some sleep, but again, one may be too sleepy to attend to a child, so parents with young children should probably not resort to these. As well, sleeping pills are not intended for long-term use.

Many couples find that the solution to better sleep at night for both parties is to simply keep two separate bedrooms. The person who snores may be exiled to the second bedroom if it really becomes problematic at night. Maintaining separate bedrooms is not necessarily going to affect intimacy or closeness. In fact the person no longer being interrupted by a partner’s snores may feel more cheerful and more inclined to intimacy because he or she is getting more sleep.

If one does not have the room for separate bedrooms, one can consider purchasing a sleeper sofa or futon that can be used for the partner who snores, as needed. Also some couples find that if the non-snorer is allowed to go to sleep first, and he or she is untroubled by the snoring partner, it may eliminate need for an extra bed in the house.