I hate to do it! Moving to the one of the spare bedrooms.

[roster]

For several years I have had a problem of awakening at three or four a.m. and not being able to go back to sleep despite still feeling tired. Cpap did not cure this.

In the last few nights I kept a tiny am radio on the night stand. When I would do my premature awakening thing, I would plug in the ear buds and turn on the radio preset to am interference (white noise). Then I would fall back to sleep, dream vividly and awaken only with the loud alarm clock.

I have come to the conclusion that my wife's constant snoring has been interfering with my sleep the first part of the night and not allowing me to sleep at all the rest of the night. Plugged with the am radio I can't hear my wife's snoring.

So tonight I am hauling all my gear up to a quiet bedroom tucked away in the back of our house. I will do this as a night-by-night trial.

If it works, long term I need a better solution that will allow me to really sleep with my wife but not hear her snoring.

BTW, since I was diagnosed with apnea a year ago, I have been begging my wife to get a sleep study. She absolutely refuses to discuss it despite the fact that she is tired most days and is losing her zest for life.

[JeffH]

Ear plugs...they work.

I can testify and so can she.

[ColoZZZ]

The foam rubber conical earplugs are comfortable and what my wife used before I got my machine. For over 20 years I've used any time I've been on the road and wanted a good night's sleep - probably got thousands of hours more sleep over those years.

You've got to roll them between thumb and forefinger before inserting fully into the ear canal if you want maximum effectiveness - there should be directions on the package.

Check this out: http://www.slate.com/id/2118800/ for a review of the high- and low-end plugs. The cheap foam rubber ones blow the prescription and high-end plugs out of the water.

Good luck,

--Andy

[Goofproof]

It could be worse, I had to move to the Cave. Jim

I don't mind it, a better class of animals live in Caves. "Lifes so Simple, even a Cave Man can do it."

[pedroski]

Hi Rooster

What a bummer!

I'm a light sleeper, whether that's because of OSA I don't know but I've been wearing ear plugs for years, and they really help me stay asleep (until I used to get up to piddle, but now apap has cured that).

Peter

PS Do you look THAT bad in a mask that your wife has sworn off treatment for life? (Attempt at humour)

Good luck

[tomjax]

It is unfortunate that so many people probably have your wife's attitude.
It would be easier to understand in those whose mate does not have PAP and see the amazing changes it makes in them.
I would assume a reasonable person would be more receptive with this knowledge.

You need to come up with some way to impress upon her the importance of addressing this attitude.

I remember buying a backup cpap from ebay back in the old days.
The person said his dad took one look at it and said he would rather die in his sleep than wear that $%^^^ thing.
Bet he got his wish/

[roster]

OK last night summary:

1. Slept from 10:00 - 2:15 and awoke with a small mask leak (I was using a new headgear for first time). Tightened the headgear and the leak stopped. Unlike most nights, I had been having a vivid dream! Good sign eh?

2. Fell back to sleep quickly and was awakened at 6:00 by the alarm. I had been having another long vivid dream. Good sign I hope!

So that seems like I am sleeping better by myself than with my snoring wife. The experiment will run again tonight. Now I realize my wife has the good mattress. If I stay upstairs long run there will be a campaign to get me an expensive mattress.

Thanks for the suggestions and personal experience on the ear plugs. I tried them before but must not have had the right ones. Will certainly check Walgreens for Hearos Ultimate Softness Series. Thanks for the url ColoZZZ.

BTW, ColoZZZ, a month back I was reading one of your posts and looking at your avatar just before bedtime. I started thinking about some of the raft and canoe trips I have been on in the clear streams of the Virginia/NC/SC/Georgia mountains. Later that night I had a long vivid dream of rafting in turbulent muddy water!

[roster]

[quote="tomjax"].................................

You need to come up with some way to impress upon her the importance of addressing this attitude.

...............................................

[JeffH]

I use the ear plugs that look like candy corn. They've worked the best over a period of several years.

[tomjax]

Rooster, in looking over my post, it is apparent I was a bit delusional or had forgotten how the fairer sex thinks.
I had forgotten that reason and logic does not work with them.

I lack the skills to compose such a letter.

[neversleeps]

Try this:

My dearest darling wife,

I love you. I worship the ground you walk on. You mean everything to me. The sun rises and sets around you. The thought of spending life without you is more than I can bear. Please have a sleep study. If you were to have a stroke or die because of untreated sleep apnea, I'd never forgive myself for not dragging you to the doctor by your hair. I would prefer not to have to do that, but you're worth it because you're my everything. You are the wind beneath my wings. You are my soulmate. You are the greatest woman ever to walk the earth. You light up my life. You are so beautiful to me. And I-e-I will always love you.

Love,
Rooster

P.S. I want a new mattress.

[roster]

Try this:

My dearest darling wife,

I love you. I worship the ground you walk on. You mean everything to me. The sun rises and sets around you. The thought of spending life without you is more than I can bear. Please have a sleep study. If you were to have a stroke or die because of untreated sleep apnea, I'd never forgive myself for not dragging you to the doctor by your hair. I would prefer not to have to do that, but you're worth it because you're my everything. You are the wind beneath my wings. You are my soulmate. You are the greatest woman ever to walk the earth. You light up my life. You are so beautiful to me. And I-e-I will always love you.

Love,
Rooster

P.S. I want a new mattress.

Great! Now if you can tell me her boyfriend's name and what his signature looks like!

[mikemoran]

I like Neversleeps. Beats my recommendation:

My darling dearest,

While I may never find another as precious to me as you, I can only hope that your replacement, when you finally succumb from lack of rest, will snore in a significantly lower decibel range.

[peggyb]

I may to send the first love letter to my husband. Naw - maybe the second!

Anyway, I've use earplugs for the last couple of nights and it seems to be really working. he's been sick and one night I could hear him faintly through the ear plugs. I've teased him unmercifully about that....

Try it - it's cheaper than a new mattress!

Peggyb

[sharlan]

I can empathize with you. My husband and I fought every single night about my snoring, I learned to sleep through his. After a screaming match exactly a year ago, I moved to the spare room.

I questioned my dr several times about my snoring. His only response was to lose weight. After taking a trip with my mom and sister, nearly destroying it for them with my snoring, I went to the dr again. He finally recommended a sleep study and now I have a cpap.

I am being evicted from the spare room within the next couple of months because my daughter is having a baby. That means I have to move back into our bedroom.

I told my husband last week that I want him to have a sleep study as I can hear his snoring from the other side of the house. He refuses saying he doesn't have problems sleeping. I am going to push the issue.