Loud snoring, whether Primary Snoring, or that connected to Sleep Apnea, can be so disruptive to a bed partner’s sleep that many just can’t stand sleeping together anymore! When a bed partner has to sleep temporarily or permanently on the couch or in another bedroom, this is sometimes called a Sleep Separation or ‘Sleep Divorce.’
While this move can be beneficial to a relationship in that it allows both partners to sleep better, it can reduce intimacy and feelings of being connected in a relationship. We often hear patients express some desire to be able to sleep with their intimate partner again.
Loud snoring is disruptive to bed partner’s sleep for obvious reasons. This was confirmed with shocking results in a study done at the Mayo Clinic. In the study, snorers and their bed partners completed side-by-side sleep studies. The bed partner who did not snore was shown to have WORSE sleep quality than the one who did snore. Once the snoring was treated, the bed partner averaged over an hour of additional sleep per night! This caused a new term to be coined, ‘second hand sleep apnea.’
Snoring doesn’t just impact you. It can have an unintended ripple effect that can influence the health of your partner. Are you or your partner looking for a way to prevent or rectify a sleep divorce? Contact our office to get the help you need!
