SNORING can tear an intimate relationship apart.
Some couples will give everything a go, from a tennis ball on the back to mouth taping and techy gadgets.
AlamySnoring can drive you insane – how many tips have you tried?[/caption]
@Kerry DaviesKerry Davies, AKA The Sleep Fixer, admits the hack is “absurd”[/caption]
But there’s one hack you’ve likely never heard of, and may not be brave enough to try.
And it doesn’t involve stopping your partner snoring at all.
Kerry Davies, AKA The Sleep Fixer, who has spent over a decade in the sleep industry helping clients, tells The Sun: “It is often said that the solution to one’s problems lies in the most unlikely places.
“For many, a partner’s nocturnal snoring becomes the bane of their existence.
“But what if we were to say that the very noise that robs you of sleep can also be its saviour?
“During my training as a cognitive behavioural therapist for insomnia, an intriguing method was put forth: getting accustomed to the sound of snoring during daylight hours, to make it less jarring at night.”
Kerry encourages partners of snorers to try the recording technique, in which they record the sound of their partner snoring overnight, and then listen to it in the day.
The app SnoreLab will do the hard work for you, and record disturbances throughout the night.
“As unconventional as it sounds, recording a snoring partner and listening to it during alert periods can help normalise the sound,” Kerry says.
She recommended a 15-minute audio, listened to during the commute or a break.
“Over time, this may lead to fewer disturbances during sleep,” Kerry says.
It’s not the most popular method, she admits.
“Out of the hundreds to whom I’ve recommended this, only a handful dared to try.
“However, the results are promising.
“Every single individual who tried this method reported a significant difference in their night-time sleep quality.
“Some even extended their daytime snore sessions beyond the suggested two weeks!”
How does it work?
The idea that simply listening to a sound can make it disappear seems too good to be true – or “absurd”, Kerry said.
She explains that it’s “rooted in our brain’s ability to adapt to and normalize stimuli”.
“The essence of this practice lies in the way our brain functions.
“During sleep, our brain scans the environment for anomalies. Any sudden or unusual noise can jerk us back to consciousness.
“By familiarising ourselves with the sound of snoring, we render it usual and thus, less likely to interrupt our rest.
“By playing that annoying snore during the day, it becomes just another background noise by night, rather than an alarming disturbance.”
When snoring is serious
Listen closely to the sound of your partner snoring.
Although their grumbles and sniffles are likely harmless, there are signs that snoring is part of a wider health issue.
If a snorer is disrupted in their sleep – even if they do not appear to ‘wake up’ – it’s worth seeking medical advice.
Symptoms of sleep apnoea include snoring with gasping, choking or snorting sounds.
These occur because the person with the condition momentarily stops breathing throughout the night, causing them to gasp for breath when breathing and snoring resumes.
Sleep apnoea needs to be treated because not only does it cause daytime sleepiness and headaches, but it’s a risk factor for serious problems like heart disease.
Snoring may also be a side effect of obesity, weight gain, drinking excessively or allergies.
Kerry says: “Ensuring your health and well-being should always take precedence.”