Even roommates who are the best of friends clash from time to time over whose turn it is to do the dishes or clean the bathroom. On a good day, your roommate is your best friend and companion, but on a bad day your roomie becomes a nemesis, quieted by the grace of a good night’s sleep in the comfort of your bedroom.
But what happens when your roommate snores so loudly and consistently that falling asleep is like slumbering in the midst of a jackhammer in the room next door? Even the sweet escape of sleep becomes a point of contention, making it that much more difficult to enjoy your time living together or having a quiet moment to yourself at night.
Why Is My Roommate Snoring?
The most serious cause of snoring tends to be sleep apnea, a condition that interrupts the unimpeded airflow from your nose and mouth down through your throat and into the lungs. Tissue ends up vibrating against the walls of the throat causing the signature, rumbling sound of snoring.
If your roommate snores infrequently, he may have a cold or respiratory infection that inflames the throat, causing the vibrations that lead to snoring. Allergies are another culprit that affect the airways in such a way that causes loud snoring.
Sometimes, roommates who drink or use other intoxicants frequently end up snoring because while inebriated, their throat relaxes to the point where they create loud vibrations in their throat when they normally wouldn’t snore.
What Can I Do To Help?
Communicating with your roommate is the first step to working together to fix the problem. If the snoring is relatively minor, using earplugs may dampen the sound enough to prevent his snoring from becoming an issue. Nasal strips that open the airways sometimes helps your roommate breathe easier, which can reduce snoring.
If your roommate suffers from allergies that cause snoring, removing allergens as much as possible will help cease the endless nightmare of snoring like a chainsaw. Of course, if excess consumption of alcohol and drugs is contributing to snoring, having an open, frank talk about the issue is the first step to improvement.
Serious medical issues like sleep apnea require a doctor’s attention sooner rather than later. Recommending a local ear, nose and throat clinic like the Houston Sinus & Allergy office will help greatly and may even save your friend’s life.
Part of successfully cohabiting with a roommate involves respectful, honest and open communication between the two of you. When your roommate speaks mostly through snoring, it threatens the relationship between the two of you. Trying to deal with a snoring roommate is never pleasant, but the both of you together can conquer the problem, in the process forging a stronger friendship with your roomie.
Get the Help You Need
At Houston Sinus & Allergy, we assess patients for the severity of their condition, and determine a treatment. Book an assessment with our experienced ENT, Dr. Nguyen, and start feeling better.
Not only can they help resolve the current one, they can diagnose any conditions your child may have that will cause more in the future.