Does your partner snore? Anyone who has slept with someone who snores knows just how disruptive it can be to his or her sleep. According to a poll by the National Sleep Foundation, 41% of respondents rated their partner’s snoring as having a huge impact on their ability to get a good night’s sleep. Having a regular bed partner should improve your quality of sleep. But this is only the case in the absence of snoring.
Snoring statistics for the bed partner:
- Up to 59% of people report that their partner snores in bed.
- The most common reason for couples sleeping separately is snoring.
- 23% of couples sleep in separate beds.
- Over 1/3 of couples report disharmony within the relationship due to snoring.
- One hour of sleep per night is typically lost from the snorer’s partner; he/she may wake up as many as 21 times per hour.
Second-hand snoring may lead to marital disharmony for multiple reasons. Partners of snorers may wake up several times per hour. This can add up to an hour of sleep lost every night. This results in bed partners waking up tired and irritable. Also, research in 2003 showed that the bed-partners of snorers may experience noise-induced hearing loss over time. The noise often raises the partner’s blood pressure. The more noise, the higher the blood pressure. Most commonly, many couples resort to sleeping in separate bedrooms. Some partners designed homes and rooms to accommodate a noisy snorer. This undesirable situation is sometimes referred to as “sleep divorce”.
So what can you do if your partner snores?
If your partner’s snoring is keeping you up and putting a strain on your relationship, you are not alone. Snoring isn’t sexy, but there are steps you can take to stop the snoring and bring sexy back. Studies show that when the snoring or sleep apnea of one partner is treated, the partner’s sleep quality is improved leading to better health. One study showed that when symptoms were treated, their partners’ sleep efficiency increased by 13%. Other studies demonstrate that the partner’s mood, daytime alertness, quality of life and personal relationship with the snorer is improved when the snoring is resolved.
Before you seek treatment for snoring, it’s important to rule out any sleep breathing disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea that may be the real cause of the snoring. Since it is not always easy to tell just from their snoring patterns, it is important to also review the common symptoms of sleep apnea to check for signs.
If snoring and/or sleep apnea are negatively affecting your relationship, oral appliance therapy has the potential to provide you and your bed partner with the peaceful sleep necessary to sleep better together. Get started now by consulting with a sleep physician or sleep apnea trained dentist near you.
