Some spouses have to deal with snoring spouses every night. They go to bed, try to fall asleep, and then hear a noise as though a dysfunctional machine had decided to keep them company that night! This makes them complain that, “My husband (or wife) snores so loud I can’t sleep!” The noise made by a snoring spouse can make one so angry that he may want to hit his spouse, or he may even wish his spouse went on vacation to Mars and never returned! Snoring can put a great strain on marriage. A snoring partner’s snoring noise can cause sleep deprivation in his spouse.
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This can make that spouse irritable and that can cause him to flare up at any slight misunderstanding. As a result, there can be frequent fights in the home. A husband’s snoring or wife’s snoring can, therefore, contribute to ruining marriage.
What can you do to cope with a snoring spouse so that the situation will not affect your marriage and cause a rift in the relationship?
Get Your Spouse to Acknowledge He Snores
If your spouse does not recognize that there is a problem, there is no way he will co-operate with you to solve the issue. A person who snores does not hear the noise he makes, obviously. He can therefore deny he snores and may even accuse you of trying to disgrace him just to score cheap “romantic points”—he may accuse you of wanting to get back at him because you may have a score to settle with him. Therefore, make an effort to record your spouse’s snoring and play it back to him to convince him that there is a problem.
Tell Him How You Feel
After you find a way to let your spouse know that there is a problem, have a discussion with him and let him know how you feel. This will release you emotionally and prevent bitterness which may lead to fights.
Be Patient
Patience is the ability to endure something that is irritating without losing your cool. It is the determination to control your anger when you are being provoked. You will need to be patient, if you want to deal with a snoring spouse. Decide that you will endure the situation, even if it hurts you. After all, you agreed to “…for better or for worse.” This is the “for worse” part of marriage!
Be Understanding
Try to empathize with your snoring spouse. Look at the whole situation from the perspective that your spouse is sick and needs you to show concern and care for his situation.
Exercise
Research has shown that when you put on weight around your neck, it can cause your throat to narrow when you sleep which in turn makes one snore louder. If your spouse is overweight, encourage him to lose weight. Make it easy for him to desire to start exercising by offering to do the exercises together with him.
Let Your Spouse Sleep on His Side
If your spouse sleeps on his back, encourage him to try sleeping on his side or on his stomach. Furthermore, when he inadvertently turns onto his back during his sleep, wake him up and tell him gently to sleep on his side again. This is one great way of dealing with a spouse that snores for it can prevent quarrel.
Culled from Family Affairs