Snoring man in children's ward keeping everyone awake

[toadasoda]

I'm in hospital with a sick child on a busy ward full of (obviously) sick little ones and the only person having a nice ol' sleep is the only man on the ward. Yes I know its 'not his fault' but is it fair to keep everyone awake? He knows he is a snorer so surely he should adjust position or set timers or something. Am I being completely unreasonable? I'd wake him only he is behind a curtain and I feel that's not fair on the child he is with. Why do snorers always get to sleep and not anyone else. In any other circumstances one person's needs wouldn't trump a whole group.

OP dint actually say they were keeping everyone awake! Just because op was awake doesnt mean everyone else was, doesnt even say her dd was awake, just worried she might be disturbed
She can miraculously see through drawn curtains to see he is on the bed

I snore, I’m ashamed and embarrassed by it. Hope that makes some of you feel better. When my little one was in hospital for a night and I stayed, I stayed awake most of the night deliberately, reading my kindle. I knew I’d be home the next day so it wasn’t a big problem. How could I have done that if I’d had to be there for a few weeks, and then looking after/being with my kid when they were awake in the day?

Have you tried the nose strips or nose vents? They stopped my loud chronic snoring partner snoring when used.

I’m a bit of a petty bastard so I would stack things on him till he wakes up.

You don't wait until you are randomly in hospital and instead you take action to treat your snoring now for the sake of your family at home.

So like try nose strips or nose vents or both. If they work great. When you pack your hospital bag pack them or if you've come in an emergency who ever brings your night bag get them to pack them. There are other products that claim to stop snoring. If vents or strips don't work also try those.

If they don't work go to your GP for investigation as you may have sleep apnea or other conditions that are treatable.

Only at that point really have you tried everything and can truly say "I am a snorer it's not my fault I am keeping you awake" until then you just have a condition you are refusing to treat even though it's detrimental to other people's health.

Because you can just switch off snoring??! It's choice behaviour??!

I snore so badly I don't get any deep sleep at all as I wake myself up. I've had all the assessments, been to the sleep clinic overnight, had various devices made, nothing helps. I can snore in every conceivable position so I can't just roll over.

I'd love to not snore. I have no control over it. When my little one was in hospital I didn't sleep so as not to upset people. It was horrible.

How about everyone just being a little kinder maybe??

@bruffin I didn't 'miraculously' see through curtains, I looked after 2 attempts to ask nurse, just poked my head around hoping to ask him politely to move position. I said excuse me a few times but he didn't hear. I didn't want to approach as I think that's inappropriate.

Of course I don't know how many were actually awake but there was a teen girl on the other side of him and she wandered about a bit and I could see her phone glow. Like I said I had music on max setting to drown it out, no ear plugs would have worked. My daughter thankfully slept through mostly but she flapped about during his crescendos and disturbed IV lines and i had to move her a few times. Yes I was nervous of her not resting given how ill she had been, thankfully she feels she slept OK.

FWIW this man had a young child and no way would it be right to leave the child alone, I appreciate he had no option but to be here.

It's different if it's a patient. Years ago I was placed on a post surgery ward. A number of women were snoring loudly, all heavily sedated, I couldn't take sleeping meds cos of my condition so I lay awake all night and certainly didn't complain. This is very different, the parent was supplied with a recliner chair and chose not to use it and when he was eventually awoken by the nurse and told his snoring was keeping people awake he just went back to sleep again in the bed. If he had moved and started up again I'd have some sympathy, as PPs say some people snore in any position and cant help it. Or if he had stayed awake for an few hours to facilitate others that would be fair too. So yeah I think he's a selfish F**er. He doesn't know my personal circumstances anymore than I know his so the 'you don't know what he's been through' point doesn't work here.

Exactly. To be a snorer and try to do everything you can about it (for your own sake as well as those around you) is very different from a shoulder shrug and a 'so what, some people snore, get over it' attitude.

If it turns out the ward snorer was in the first camp he'd have a lot more sympathy. But starfishing in the bed doesn't lead me to feel much sympathy if he knows he snores a lot. So perhaps he is unaware of his snoring, or perhaps he's decided to snore regardless. Perhaps he didn't consider anyone else's sleep at all, or perhaps he's in a desperate situation without back up options. Who can tell without speaking to him. Whichever it is he should be made aware of the impact of his snoring.

Yes OP, if he went straight back to sleep after finding out he was keeping others awake he sounds like a selfish fucker to me too. And good point that he doesn't know others circumstances either.

@Dolores87 @BigTedLittleTedCardboardBox to be honest it's only in the last few years that I have been told that I snore. No one ever told me before. How was I meant to know cos I had never heard myself because I was asleep 🤣
I grew up with a loud snoring Dad, Married a snoring bloke. I have never really thought of snoring as something unusual. Annoying sometimes - but just as normal as farting or talking while asleep.
I've used the nose strips a few times. They don't stop me - just make me snore more quiet apparently.

Well it certainly won't happen if you don't start the process and the wait times are the usual postcode lottery.

I didn't claim there is always a cure, however many of the underlying causes can be treated, including those associated with the high health risks.

Imagine you are three feet from a nurses station for two weeks - in a corridor. Imagine mobile phones ringing all night. Imagine listening to calls on loud speaker about confidential patient information. Imagine listening to laughter and chat about holidays and tv programmes and which nurse is annoyed at which doctor. All discussed at normal volume. Imagine being in your seventies in pain and having maybe three hours sleep a night for two weeks.

i am sorry your bladder is reaching boiling point! It wasn’t your dad crying because they couldn’t find him a bed and he was sleeping in a noisy corridor.

I absolutely value the medical service - but it irritates me when people think they can do absolutely no wrong. Some staff didn’t take calls on speaker phone - some recognised there were elderly parent is trying to sleep I. The corridor and didn’t shout up the corridor to the other nurses station. Some were amazing and considerate given the less than ideal sleeping arrangements.

band yes I do understand phone calls need to take place at night - but they don’t need to be over speaker phone when it is just one nurse sitting at the station.

Why is this the nurses job ????. Tell him yourself.

@AutimnW1nter
**
Finally I snore as do many other women I know. There is no cure.

There is if your snoring is caused by obstructive sleep apnoea. My husband was fitted with a C-PAP years ago and it changed our lives. We both get proper sleep now.

MrsSkylerWhite

Mine isn’t

Can someone bring you in some ear plugs OP? Maybe they sell them in the hospital shop?

Obviously things change; when my dd was in we had to leave the ward at night and go into bedrooms which were assigned to us like side wards plus a snack and drink area. if your daughter is sleeping does your hospital have parents rooms for sleeping? you could get a few good hours sleep and be more prepared for this

I wish this was still the case! I had to administer my DS' nebulisers overnight as there weren't enough staff and to let them know if his oxygen levels went below a certain level as they said they couldn't guarantee anyone would hear the monitor alarm thing.

The only time I have had that is when Ds was in hdu and a space was found for me in the day unit for the night (where I didn’t sleep!) Otherwise I have always always stayed in a chair/pull down bed/sofa bed next to him

AutimnW1nter · Today 13:54

MrsSkylerWhite

“Mine isn’t”

Ah, pity, it’s a real game-changer. Presumably, you’ve discussed with your GP. Could be that C-PAP’s help with other
conditions that result in snoring too? Our only experience is with apnoea but if you haven’t investigated, might be worthwhile?

What a selfish bastard. Think I'd accidentally pour water on him.

He shouldn't be in the bed surely? My husband stayed with our son for one night while DS was in and snored so DS told him I had to stay which I did as we all agreed it wasn't fiar. What a prat

@Solesisterouch sometimes the parent sleeps in the bed with their child because it comforts their child.
As long as you aren't in the way of medical equipment and the nurses can still get in to do obs then the staff don't mind.

If he does it again tonight go in and give him a prod , perhaps the embarrassment will keep him awake

I'd keep waking him up myself. I'm a snorer and if someone told me I was keeping them awake I'd not sleep especially in a hospital situation.