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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Sleep disorder

8 replies

Flowers111 · 16/12/2021 08:40

Hi this is more a relationship
/ health / product suggestion question.
DH has sleep disorder issues - flails about at night, always has, he usually sleeps on his back snoring loudly, I have mitigated this by investing in a good earphone headband and listening to headspace nearly all night. Sometimes I have to make him turn onto his side about 10 times a night.
I also bought a sofa bed and if he’s had one + beer he has agreed to sleep downstairs and in general he sticks to this.
However even without one beer he flails around like he’s swimming. Last night i woke up to a sharp punch between the shoulder blades, this is from him turning onto his back and elbowing me when he turned (allegedly - sometimes I do wonder). I exclaimed and shouted and he stopped snoring for about 10 mins in shock then went back to sleep while i fumed.
I’ve continually also ask him him not to keep his old heavy phone in the bed (uses it for listening to podcasts etc though I also bought him a Bluetooth headband which sits in a box), so I would also get that in the head sometimes as he moves the quilt and it goes up in the air and down again.
I’m fuming this morning and all I got was “what’s wrong with you”.
We will go days with him on the sofa (and he won’t even bother with the sofa bed will just sleep on our new sofa and ruin the shape/covers).
We have kids and no spare bedroom.
Anyway - he’ll never change I feel sorry for him in ways on the couch and complaining his back is sore but the alternative is me being injured during the night. He has some neurological problem (won’t go to a consultant of course and tbh I know they’ll just say stay off beer / coffee etc. late at night).
It’s at the point where I’ll be exhausted will go to bed early and when I hear him putting on the alarm my stomach absolutely sinks. I feel like he’s really invading my space at this stage. But at the same time k don’t want my moving room taken up by him using it as a bedroom.
Anyway I don’t think there are any bed divider products that would work - a pillow or foam won’t cut it against a man swimming in the bed. I’ve also been randomly kicked.
The bedroom isn’t big but we could fit say 2 single beds that could be pushed together sometimes (!). Im thinking more for the kids to watch tv and that sort of thing - that’s the real reason I'm reluctant to lose the double bed - the family in bed element of it when they’re sick or that. But i’m losing my marbles slightly. No he’s never remorseful apart from “sorry”. If we had a spare bedroom he’d be moving into it asap.

OP posts:
Anothernick · 16/12/2021 14:53

Go for the separate beds, and separate rooms when you can. We have slept separately for years, I am a lark and DW is an owl, and snores as well, runs in her family. Of course there is an understanding that we can go to the other's bed at any time when we want cuddles etc 😁

Flowers111 · 16/12/2021 15:09

Yeah I’ll have to - at least separate beds would guarantee no bruises in the morning

OP posts:
RoastedParnsip · 16/12/2021 15:11

YABU to diagnose him with a neurological problem when he hasn't so much as seen a doctor about it.
Get separate beds.

Runaway1 · 16/12/2021 15:40

I think a sleep assessment could be a good idea even if just for the snoring - could be sleep apnea. There are many more possible treatments than just cutting down on alcohol/caffeine.

NotanotherboxofFrogs · 16/12/2021 16:05

We sleep separate for many years, it's the safest solution for both of us.

My partner has narcolepsy cataplexy but also has periodic limb movement disorder. (PLMD) it can look like he is swimming or sometimes looks like he is having a seizure. This has been seen during sleep studies.

As he was hitting out in the night. If I am touched at all when I am asleep (even just on the arm) I am combative in self defence mode so if his arm or leg bumped me, I would lash out in self defence. We were hurting each other while asleep. Im currently being tested for sleep apoenea.

If we stay over at friends/family (very very rare), I let him have the bed as he can be kicking around. I will either bed down on a floor or a sofa as sofa makes me feel secure for sleeping even if it means less sleep for me as he can't function without sleep and it's only a night at most. Its better than both of us beating each other up while asleep. Neither of us would intentionally hurt the other.

Greybeardy · 16/12/2021 17:56

why not alternate who sleeps on the sofa bed until you find a better solution?

Flowers111 · 16/12/2021 18:15

Sounds like my DH for definite. Sometimes I do have a reflex where I wake up one split second before I get the impact but if I’m really tired I don’t plus it’s awful being on high alert all night like that too !

OP posts:
Flowers111 · 16/12/2021 21:54

@Greybeardy

why not alternate who sleeps on the sofa bed until you find a better solution?
Yes might do that to keep the peace
OP posts:
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