Sleep Deprivation Caused by Snoring & the Effects on Relationships

Snoring both for the person snoring and the sleeping partner can have a lasting impact on your sleeping patterns and even cause sleep deprivation. Poor sleep can induce daytime fatigue, affecting working life and happiness, irritability and stress, and cause health problems in the long term. Sleep is used by the body to heal and rest itself, it is as such vitally important in relation to our health. The right amount of sleep is paramount in keeping illnesses away, and to recuperate the immune system. By sleeping well, and for the appropriate amount of time, longevity is increased internally and externally to the body, helping you feel and look your best for the greatest possible time. Not only are you physically healed by sleep, but also mentally and emotionally, which can help reduce stress and thus perpetuate a healthy cycle. Sleep deprivation may hasten the affects of ageing, resulting in health issues such as hypertension, weight gain, memory loss and diabetes.

The Importance of Sleep

7 to 9 hours of sleep are usually required by the body each night, and though a snorer or sleeping partner might expect to be getting that amount simply by being in bed for that period of time, this is in fact a deception. While you may indeed be sleeping for the required amount, the quality and consistency of this sleep is not healthy. The noise of snoring, just like that of teeth grinding or muscle movement, can cause either or both sufferers to fall in and out of sleep throughout the night, usually without recognising the impact this is having on their daily lives. 


Damage to Relationships

Importantly, and unfortunately snoring can also have a damaging affect on relationships, often resulting in one of you being banished from the bedroom, or retreating elsewhere, to sleep soundly. The intimacy of sharing a bed is an essential part of a romantic relationship, and the breaking down of such a ritual can only add to stress and irritability and produce a feeling of isolation that places a strain on the relationship with your partner. If it is you snoring and you are forced from the bed to allow your partner to sleep soundly, you may come to feel frustrated and distanced, because you seemingly can’t stop the noise consciously and have now been rejected. Such frustration will only foster greater isolation and resentment towards your partner. They too may become angry that they take action to enjoy a comfortable night’s sleep, wrapping pillows around themselves, using ear-plugs or sleeping separately, when the snorer is doing little to combat the problem. It is important then to work as a team to solve the snoring habit, so that neither of you feels isolated from the other, but instead become bonded over the process.

Communicating About Snoring

Snoring is a delicate, and sometimes embarrassing subject and must be handled carefully to avoid upsetting either of you. The snorer may feel vulnerable, while the secondhand sufferer angry. Snoring is a physical anomaly, not a consciously articulated one, this is important to remember when discussing the problem, and keeping this in mind will help to avoid uncomfortable confrontations.

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