# On Snoring and Keeping my wife. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 10, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453 "2005-08-10T16:00:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/1 "2005-08-10T16:00:13Z")
Ok, Ok, Ok…I’ve put on a few pounds in the past 3 years…I went from 220 nice and lean to a 245 and ahem…not so lean. The problem is I’ve increased snoring exponentially. And my wife can’t stand it! I try to roll over, but if I’m in a deep sleep, she can’t wake me to have me roll over…so she has taken to sleeping in the spare bedroom with the siameses. I’ve tried the spray and strips with mixed results. Can anyone shed any light on what I need to do to stop the snoring? Any remedies of the herbal variety? Any spouses have anecdotes on how to cure this miserable snoring? I’m trying to lose weight but with this new schedule of work, I’m not to keen on going to the gym at 8pm… ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/2 "2005-08-10T16:07:28Z")
The simple cure is to sew a tennis ball into the back of a shirt you wear to bed so that you cannot roll over onto your back. The more responsible cure is to lose weight. The drastic surgical cure (that I opted for last year) involves one or more of the following: removal of tonsils and adenoids, uvulaplasty, and having a deviated septum corrected (I did all four and it worked). ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/3 "2005-08-10T16:09:07Z")
Another thing: Do you have signs of sleep apnea (stopping breathing in your sleep)? That is a critical question and your solution depends on the answer. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/4 "2005-08-10T16:14:05Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Another thing: Do you have signs of sleep apnea (stopping breathing in your sleep)? That is a critical question and your solution depends on the answer. No I do not have signs of sleep apnea. I was thinking this as well, but I don’t have it. However, I do still have my tonsils at 35 years old! ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/5 "2005-08-10T17:26:19Z")
I don’t understand how the weight gain precipitated the snoring problem. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/6 "2005-08-10T17:40:34Z")
> [@Spatial Rift 47](#): > > I don’t understand how the weight gain precipitated the snoring problem. I always thought that was a myth. And how fat can the OP be? If he was trim at 220 he must be very tall, and if he weighs 25 pounds more, now, it’s not as if he’s likely to have masses of fat around his throat and neck. Unless, of course, his weight gain is all in his neck area, which would be very unusual indeed. I’m not fat, but I unfortunately snore. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/7 "2005-08-10T17:41:25Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > The drastic surgical cure (that I opted for last year) involves one or more of the following: removal of tonsils and adenoids, uvulaplasty, and having a deviated septum corrected (I did all four and it worked). Sounds easier to just lose the weight. My snoring had gotten to be bad enough that the wife was making me sleep on the coach. I dropped about 40 pounds and the snoring disappeared. Sadly, I’ve been sneaking those pounds back on and the wife is starting to complain again. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/8 "2005-08-10T18:10:07Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > I always thought that was a myth. > > And how fat can the OP be? If he was trim at 220 he must be very tall, and if he weighs 25 pounds more, now, it’s not as if he’s likely to have masses of fat around his throat and neck. Unless, of course, his weight gain is all in his neck area, which would be very unusual indeed. > > I’m not fat, but I unfortunately snore. 6’2" So not _that_ tall. However, I’ve never been chubby, I’ve always done a lot of lifting - once competitively in college - and have always been sort of muscular. Muscle weighs more than fat…so when I started packing on the calories, I gained it in the belly and hips. ---
**Author:** ![Indyellen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/indyellen/32/4176_2.png) [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/9 "2005-08-10T18:34:02Z")
Another thing you might look into (if your insurance would cover it) before going for the whole extensive snoring surgery mentioned by **Shagnasty** is allergy testing. There is an increase in adult-onset allergies, and if you have any kind of seasonal hay fever then there’s a chance you’ve got more extensive allergies. When my boyfriend started fleeing to the spare room because I was snoring too much, my doctor (ENT/Allergy specialist) gave me the choice of the surgeries or allergy testing…I went with the testing. While I’m on weekly allergy injections now, I also only snore badly when the pollen counts are particularly up or I’ve eaten something I shouldn’t. It’s an option. 🙂 (IANAD, YMMV) ---
**Author:** ![Indyellen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/indyellen/32/4176_2.png) [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/10 "2005-08-10T18:36:56Z")
Oh, BTW, I _am_ overweight (but working on it) and still have my tonsils & adenoids. There are also newer surgeries being tested & studied that aren’t as extreme as the whole tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy/deviated septum correction/removal of uvula. There are lots of things that can be done. Good luck! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/11 "2005-08-10T18:39:08Z")
If the first line of defence didn’t work (strips, sprays etc) you’re really left with just what the other posters already mentioned. Easiest way out is to lose the weight unless you want to endure somewhat painful surgery. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/12 "2005-08-10T18:44:28Z")
I saw a wrist-watch gadget at Frankfurt airport that was for just such a problem. It sends little electric shocks through your wrist when it hears you snoring. I googled and found a bunch of places selling Snore Stopper, but there might be another brand or three out there. I saw one link to a News station’s testing of it and they said it didn’t work on their test subject. But [this](http://www.britishsnoring.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9&) thread has a few people who love the thing. Someone mentioned eBay has them for half price. YMMV. -Tcat ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/13 "2005-08-10T18:47:37Z")
> [@Bongmaster](#): > > unless you want to endure somewhat painful If not yet quite proven > [@](#): > > surgery. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/14 "2005-08-10T18:47:45Z")
I am a chronic snorer and, when I am going to be sharing a room with someone else, I usually use the Breathe-Right Strips. I will note that my companions report a reduction in snoring – frequency and volume – but not total elimination. Losing the weight is probably the best plan (it’s what I’m doing – though not just for the snoring). ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/15 "2005-08-10T18:54:21Z")
> [@Spatial Rift 47](#): > > I don’t understand how the weight gain precipitated the snoring problem. From [this](http://www.helpguide.org/life/snoring.htm) site: > [@](#): > > Being overweight: Excess weight and fatty tissue in the neck cause the throat to become smaller. > Being middle-aged or beyond: As people age, their throats become narrower, and the muscle tone in the throat decreases. > Being male: Men have narrower air passages than do women and are more likely to snore. Looks like **Phlosphr** is at risk on more than 1 count (OK, 35 isn’t terribly old when you look at it from _my_ direction…). The link between weight and snoring is pretty widely accepted. **Shagnasty’s** mention of the tennis ball is a good one. As a quick test before you start sewing pockets in the back of all your pajamas (or if you sleep in the altogether as my father-in-law does, and yes I am going to bleach my brain now) you could try this trick I read in Dear Abby or a similar column: Get a spare bra belonging to your wife. Put it on backwards under your pajamas. Ignore obligatory “and it _FITS BETTER_” jokes. Put (or have her put) a tennis ball or two in the “pockets” on your back. Attempt to sleep. Um, yes, in fact **Papa Zappa** did try this. And yeah, it did work. Sort of. I was laughing too hard to breathe. Which sort of ruined the moment. Plus - what if the smoke alarm had gone off in the middle of the night and we’d had to run outdoors and there was no time to remove the offending garment :eek: So we did not persist in the experiment beyond the first night. But it did seem to minimize snoring that night. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/16 "2005-08-10T19:01:17Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > the wife was making me sleep on the coach. I hope it is the coach of the girl’s basketball team and not the football coach. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AsecretK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ab992/32.png) [@AsecretK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AsecretK)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/17 "2005-08-10T19:59:28Z")
I snore like a freight train. I did not snore as loud when I was thinner. The nose strips do help but as someone else stated they do not eliminate it. I have to go to my Ear Nose and Throat doctor soon for a check up on the Myringotmy surgery I had and plan on asking him about some options. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/18 "2005-08-10T20:08:55Z")
> [@kniz](#): > > I hope it is the coach of the girl’s basketball team and not the football coach. 😉 :smack: ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/19 "2005-08-10T21:13:33Z")
My beloved spouse snores like a – well, I don’t know anything else that sounds that way, maybe an elephant with a cold. I use ear plugs with a noise-reduction factor of 30. Works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453/20 "2005-08-10T21:37:33Z")
I’ve started snoring pretty badly the last couple of years. Thing is, I’ve actually _lost_ some weight over the same period, and that’s with a concomitant increase in upper-body muscle mass, meaning the percentage body fat lost may be greater in magnitude than the percentage weight lost. It seems the harder I sleep, the more obnoxiously I snore. I exercise to keep the weight off, and the exercise definitely makes me sleep more easily and deeply. My wife claims she beats me, sometimes a tad violently, when I approach chainsaw volumes (and to do other nasty things, like squeeze my nose shut). Often, in spite of this abuse and to her complete amazement, I won’t awaken; I’ll simply flail my arms unconsciously and roll around a bit. Thenceforth, the snoring abates for a while, until I drift into deep sleep once again. I fear my “condition” may be due to nothing more than the loss of elasticity of the soft palate that comes with age. If that’s the case, some sort of medical (likely surgical) intervention may be the only effective means of achieving significant noise reduction. This is not to discount the weight-gain hypothesis relating to the OP’s predicament, nor to suggest a weight-loss program is not a worthwhile course of action. It certainly won’t do any harm, and there are so many fringe benefits, it’s advisable in any eventuality. However, I think fat is likely to be only one part of the problem, and losing weight might only lessen the severity of the snoring. That said, a lessening may be sufficient to save the marriage. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-snoring-and-keeping-my-wife/316453.md?page=2)