A snoring partner can keep you up all night and prevent you from having a good night's sleep. The number one cause of this irritating problem is a disorder called sleep apnea, which causes two problems. Firstly, it can cause sufferers to stop breathing altogether for short periods while they sleep.
Secondly, it can encourage their breathing to become much shallower than it typically would be when they are awake. Both issues result in the narrowing of the airways, which in turn leads to snoring. Most people don’t realize they have the condition because they are able to breathe normally during waking hours.
An estimated 12 million people in the USA have sleep apnea. If you think your partner might be suffering from the disorder, speak to a doctor and consider visiting a sleep clinic together. The condition is most commonly cured with a device called a continuous positive airway pressure ventilator, which pumps air into the mouth and nose with a mask.
If your partner doesn’t have sleep apnea, they are snoring for other reasons. The chart below can help you determine what kind of snorer they are and give you tips to help stop their snoring.
