Explain the problem
First you have to get your husband to admit he snores, says psychologist Shelby Freedman Harris, Psy.D., director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at Montefiore Medical Center’s Sleep-Wake Disorders Center in New York City. If he’s in deep denial, tape a night of snoring (with his permission). Then explain that his snoring isn’t just affecting your sleep, but it could be a sign of a more serious problem. “Is he waking with headaches? Having weight gain, feeling a little confused in the morning, almost choking or gasping in his sleep? That’s when it might be more severe than just snoring,” says Dr. Harris.

Consider a sleep study
Some snoring is benign, no more than an inconvenience (for you). Other snoring can signal sleep apnea, a potentially dangerous condition that causes people to stop breathing and then gasp for air, resulting in a loud snorting or choking sound. This interrupts the normal sleep rhythm, pulling the person out of the deepest and most restorative stages of sleep, which leads to daytime drowsiness, headaches and, in some cases, depression. A night at a reputable sleep center will allow doctors to monitor your husband in order to find out why he’s snoring. If it is apnea, he will likely be advised to use a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) mask while sleeping to keep the air flowing and stop the snoring.

Turn him into a side-sleeper
For many people with benign snoring, finding the right sleep position can end the problem. If your spouse only snores when he’s on his back, Dr. Harris recommends sewing a pocket into the back of his pajama top and inserting a tennis ball. “The person usually trains himself to sleep in a different position after a while,” she says. If sewing isn’t for you, check out the Anti-Snore Shirt or the Pajama Pillow.

Read more from iVillage here.