The Married Couple Sleep Study 2013, conducted by The Sleep Disorders Center at Rush University Medical Center found that US couples face a much higher rate of divorce when one partner has snoring issues.

According to clinical psychologist Dr Michael J Breus, snoring affects relationships in the following manner:

• Lack of sleep causes stress and resentment in the person who is affected by the partner’s snoring.
• The snoring person may feel guilty or frustrated.
• These negative feelings interfere with sexual and emotional intimacy.

Lack of sleep also affects the ability to concentrate (which can reduce work productivity and increase risk of accidents) and increases the risk of serious medical conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

Therefore, if you snore and this affects your relationship with your partner, here are some things you can do to improve the situation.

• Use a nasal spray that can lubricate and soften the soft tissue structures of the throat as well as lightly tighten throat muscles. This helps to make it easier to breathe while sleeping, hence reducing or stopping snoring. Consult a pharmacist for more information.
• If the snoring is persistent, it may be a sign that you have obstructive sleep apnea. Consult an ENT specialist to discover your options.

Reference: NHS Choices (UK). Available at www.nhs.co.uk.

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