Snoring neighbour

[Seventytwoseventythree]

I have new upstairs neighbours (flat) and one of them snores SO LOUDLY that it keeps me awake and sometimes wakes me up too. I can still hear it through foam earplugs and I have been using wax and silicon ones but they make my ears itch after a few nights.

Neighbours are a young couple, no obvious health problems, slim so I think it’s unlikely to be due to sleep apnoea.

I am quite a light sleeper and will be woken by car doors slamming in the street and similar, but my DH finds this annoying too (though it doesn’t keep him awake 🙄) so not just me being weird!

What can I do? It’s a one bed flat so I can’t sleep in a different room really. Should I say something? Given that it’s a couple I assume their partner has already told them (and either has the patience of a saint or is deaf). I feel like they need to wear one of those anti snoring devices or even see an ENT doctor and work out what’s causing it. It’s driving me mad!

Sorry, no advice but I have a similarly disposed neighbour. Luckily I’m a heavy sleeper but they’re asleep from 9:30pm so still drives me mad in the evenings!!

No advice but sounds awful. You could mention it to them as a problem for you. Maybe you could also get really thick carpet - it wouldn't stop it but might make the noise a bit less?

Maybe its a bit drastic but can you move? Do you think they will move out in near future e.g. short renters?

Bang on the ceiling. If you’re awake then make sure they are too. They’ll soon stop.

There’s nothing you can do, it’s not unreasonable that they’re snoring. I’d personally look to move to either a top floor or a new build with sound proofing. Hell is other people (and conversion flats)! In the meantime keep up the heavy duty earplugs and try going to sleep before he usually does.

But surely tell them first before you start this method, so they know its the snoring ...

If you own the flat could you look at sound proofing? Otherwise talk to them and nicely explain the situation and hopefully they add some thick carpet.
If it keeps happening get a firm ball and throw it at the ceiling, if they are woken maybe they will try to do something about it.

I don’t think you can do anything I’m afraid

Nightmare, but not something you can really expect them to change. Can you put on white noise while you sleep to down your neighbour and other sounds out?

How badly do you want to stop the noise? Obviously ask them first, but you could record the snoring and attach a few wireless speakers under where the snoring is loudest and play it loudly. Once they have had a few sleepless nights I'm sure they will do something about it.

And what exactly are you expecting them to be able to do? DH snores, loudly. All the nose clips, anti snore sprays in the world don't make a difference.
So, unless they have wooden floors, and could carpet, im not sure there is a massive amount thet can be done. Or am i missing something? You can try talking to them, but it isnt delibrite noise that they can just change like flicking a switch.

Ear plugs? White noise machine?

Yes because any conversation you instigate about their snoring is going to go really well.

People snore. It isn’t a personal failing or something they are doing wrong.

It isn’t like asking them to turn down the stereo or not wear high heels on the hardwood floors.

It may be something they can’t help, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t horrible for anyone having to listen to it and losing sleep.

I feel for you, OP, although I have no idea what the solution might be.

"People snore. It isn’t a personal failing or something they are doing wrong. "

In the vast majority of cases, it is something they are doing wrong. Most people snore because of things they do. It isn't something that "just happens" with no discernable cause. In most cases it's because they are overweight, drink too much too close to bedtime or sleep in a poor position. That's not always the case, but it is disingenuous to pretend snoring is some kind of inevitability that everyone else has to just put with because it can't be helped.

They can take responsibility and sound proof the floor!

Don't assume that just because someone is slim that they don't have sleep apnoea! Loads of things can cause it - it's often a genetic thing where a person has naturally narrower airways that are more prone to closing up. Congestion contributes towards it too.

I'd go round and politely tell them that you're concerned about their health as the snoring is so loud and it might be sleep apnoea. An anti-snoring device would sort it right out - my DH snores (and has OSA) and he bought a Snoreeze Oral Device that works wonders. All I hear is silence now.

Don't put up with it!! Any kind of snoring is bad for your health - it causes high blood pressure and all sorts.

How will Banging on rhe ceiling woek @BigBlueBubble people dont snore on purpose its not something ypu can stop doing , I snore so does dh his snoring doesnt botjer me tp much but mine disturbs his so we sleep separately.

It works by waking them up so the snoring stops. If my sleep was disrupted I’d make sure theirs was too.

Don't think there is anything you can do. Your neighbour isn't being thoughtless or inconsiderate - there is genuinely nothing they can do about it. Banging on the floor won't achieve anything.

Banging on the floor won't achieve anything
On the contrary, it achieves an immediate stop to the snoring.

It's tricky. I hate hearing snoring but, at the same time, I'm aware I snore myself! If a neighbour came to me and said my snoring was disturbing them I would be apologetic but ultimately wonder what they expected me to do about it! Honestly it sounds like you being a light sleeper is 50% of this problem. Most people would not wake up because of a single car door slam. There are likely to be many times when a noise is being made that wakes you up and you can't expect the world to be silent when you go to sleep. There are actually steps you can take to try and achieve a deeper sleep and, in the long run, this may be the better option for you.

Oh dear. I'm this neighbour (not literally but same scenario). I know i snore like a pig and have tried absolutely every method of stopping it and nothing works. I'm very aware that my terraced neighbours will be able to hear it but there's really nothing i can do.

I don't have sleep apnoea, none of the strips, sprays or devices make the slightest difference and the nhs can't offer any help or suggestions.

I also sleep like the dead so knocking on my wall/ceiling wouldn't make any difference as it wouldn't wake me up. I can't offer any advice but just wanted to say there's not always anything the snorer can do about It!!

Banging on the floor won't achieve anything
On the contrary, it achieves an immediate stop to the snoring

Coming from a family of professional snorers, I consider myself to be something of an expert. If the snorer is sleeping through their own noise, banging on the floor is unlikely to wake them. They would need a poke to get them to roll on their side to stop.

Ah yes, the passive aggressive approach of banging on the ceiling Is DEFINITELY going to work out...