Tips for Blocking out Snoring Noises

A good night’s sleep is one of the simplest joys in life, but sharing a home can present a few obstacles that prevent you from drifting off. Fortunately, there’s hope for those with a snoring partner to reclaim their restful hours. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons for snoring and the best ways to block it out.

What Causes Snoring?

Before you can make an honest effort at combating your partner’s snoring, it’s helpful to understand the root causes. Snoring occurs when a sleeping person’s airways — their nose or throat — are obstructed. Airway obstruction can happen for a variety of reasons, and some are more preventable than others. Some of the most common factors that lead to snoring are:

• Sleeping in an odd position: The way your partner sleeps can cause muscles in their nose or throat to loosen, leading to a night of snoring. Everyone’s body is different, but sleeping with an open mouth or in a way that gives muscles too much room to expand can create conditions for snoring.
• Having certain medical conditions: Sleep apnea patients experience interruptions in their breathing during sleep, resulting in gasps or choking. Inflammation as a result of tonsilitis can also clog airways and cause snoring.
• Being a bit out of shape: Continuing with the theme of loose muscles, out-of-shape or aging bodies snore when the throat muscles aren’t strong enough to prevent latent motion. Weakened tissue will vibrate as your sleeping partner breathes, causing them to snore.
• Consuming alcohol or tobacco: Substances like alcohol, tobacco and painkillers are muscle inhibitors that can cause muscles in the nose or throat to relax, potentially leading to snoring.

The Best Ways to Block out Snoring

If your partner’s snoring is keeping you awake, it’s a good idea to work with them to address the root causes. But eliminating snoring is an ongoing effort, so you might want to try some of these noise-blocking solutions for better sleep in the meantime:

• Earplugs: Cost-effective and easy to use, the right foam earplugs can nearly eliminate your partner’s snoring from your perspective.
• Noise isolating or canceling headphones: Headphones are bulkier than earplugs, but they can work wonders if you feel comfortable sleeping in them. You’ll find a few different kinds of headphones for noise reduction, so be sure to learn the differences and shop around to find the right pair for you.
• White noise machines: A little white noise can make your partner’s snoring less noticeable by giving your brain something else to focus on.
• Door sweeps: At a certain point, your best bet may be to sleep in a different room. If you can still hear your partner’s snoring across the house, install door sweeps or other soundproofing materials to reduce noise that can enter or escape a room.

Quit Counting Sheep — Call Soundproof Cow

Soundproof Cow has solutions to reduce noise levels in any setting, so get in touch for more tips or to receive a free acoustic analysis.

 

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Alternatives to Earplugs for Sleeping