And that’s when all your best laid plans fall apart!
Your travel partner/spouse begins the nightly ritual of log sawing. Plaster is falling off the walls. The room shakes. You huddle under the covers against the giant crashing waves of SNORE!
And that’s when you realize that traveling with a snorer is not all it’s cracked up to be.
Now, I’m not saying to leave friends and spousal units home, but the issue seems to be perennial and unassailable. I began my quest by just saying “No” to traveling with snorers, but some of my best friends snore (and I do too when I’m exhausted). You don’t want your trip ruined, but there seems to be no respite!
Here are some things I’ve tried (and am thinking of trying). I’m looking for more options as I go, so feel free to comment if you have something to share.
Let’s see… my first response to traveling with a snorer is just to get separate rooms. And that’s fine (if you have the money), but I don’t always. Splitting the cost of vacation means you get to stay in nicer places and go and do more things. But, you can’t do those things if you’re unable to remain vertical for any length of time.
I have a lovely friend who offered me a free cruise (which I was/am very grateful for). But, her CPAP machine wouldn’t work and we were forced to sleep in shifts. She would be out until 3 or 4 in the morning, and I’d get up about then. It wasn’t the best of arrangements, but we got sleep.
I always bring earplugs with me on any trip, but 2014 saw me tripping with another lovely friend who snored. Even earplugs with a high decibel rating didn’t work. I was forced to either sit up awake or nudge her occasionally. All night long.
I tried earbuds and turning the radio up, but you know, I must know some world class snorers! The wall of snore was deafening.
At my job, I’ve been forced to use noise cancelling headphones to eliminate background chatter as I work in a sort of “pit” of technical people. Just a bunch of desks in a room. I find the headphones extremely helpful in blocking out sound (especially when playing Adele at high volumes), but I think I’d find these extremely difficult to sleep in.
They do make noise cancelling ear buds that I haven’t tried, but I believe from what I’ve read that a) they’re not as effective as headphones at eliminating noise, and b) they cost an arm and a leg. For a good set, you’re paying $200-$350 or more. I don’t know about you, but I’m always losing ear buds. It just doesn’t seem that they’d be an effective answer.
So, what IS the answer? I have a friend who uses a CPAP machine and she swears by it. Not only has it eliminated her snoring, but the side benefits are:
- She’s not having to take so many allergy meds (because she’s breathing pure, humidified air at night).
- It’s increased her blood oxygen levels which prevents a host of heart-related issues.
- It’s decreased her risk of stroke as people with untreated sleep apnea are 2 to 4 times more likely to have a stroke.
- It helps prevent Diabetes as sleep apnea is related to glucose intolerance and insulin resistance.
- It helps mood and concentration (you feel and function better when you sleep better).
The bottom line is that snoring isn’t just an inconvenience for your travel partner, it’s also a terrible health risk for you!
If you’re experiencing snoring, sleep apnea, or exhaustion after a night’s “sleep”, it’s recommended that you speak to your doctor immediately. The quicker you catch the problem, the better quality of life you’ll have.
Your travel partner/spouse will breathe easier too!
