How Your Sleep Apnea and Snoring Could Be Putting A Strain On Your Relationship

Has your partner been in your ear about your snoring because it is keeping them up all night long? The team at Acton Dental Associates in Acton, Massachusetts, certainly understands how snoring brought on by untreated sleep apnea can put a strain on any relationship. We encourage patients to consider oral appliance therapy as a solution to their chronic snoring. Without treatment, your snoring may continue to lead to issues.

Here are the top ways that snoring caused by sleep apnea can negatively impact a relationship:

1. Disturbed Sleep: The loud and disruptive snoring associated with sleep apnea can lead to frequent awakenings for both the person with sleep apnea and their partner, disrupting the quality of sleep for both individuals. Disrupted sleep can lead to many complications, including daytime drowsiness, headaches, and more.
2. Resentment and Frustration: Partners of individuals with sleep apnea may feel resentful or frustrated due to the constant disturbance caused by snoring, leading to tension and conflict within the relationship. This tension can only get worse when treatment is not considered.
3. Sleep Deprivation: The interrupted sleep caused by snoring can result in chronic sleep deprivation for both partners, leading to mood swings, irritability, and decreased tolerance for stress, which can strain the relationship.
4. Physical Distance: Partners may choose to sleep in separate rooms or beds to escape the noise of snoring, leading to a physical distance that can weaken intimacy and connection within the relationship.
5. Sexual Intimacy: Chronic sleep deprivation and disrupted sleep patterns can decrease libido and sexual desire, impacting the frequency and quality of sexual intimacy between partners.
6. Communication Breakdown: The fatigue and irritability resulting from sleep deprivation can impair effective communication between partners, making it difficult to resolve conflicts or express emotional needs.
7. Loss of Emotional Connection: The strain caused by snoring-related sleep disturbances can lead to a gradual erosion of emotional intimacy and connection between partners, as they may feel less understood, supported, or valued by each other.
8. Health Concerns: Partners may worry about the health implications of untreated sleep apnea, such as the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and other serious health conditions, which can contribute to anxiety and stress within the relationship.
9. Impact on Social Activities: The fatigue and daytime sleepiness resulting from disrupted sleep can limit participation in social activities and shared hobbies, reducing opportunities for quality time together and further straining the relationship.

For those couples who have stood across from one another and spoken the line “for better or for worse,” sleep apnea can certainly put this to the test. Chronic snoring due to sleep apnea is more than just an annoyance to those around you. It can be a hindrance to a healthy relationship. If you are looking for sleep apnea treatment, please reach out to the team at Acton Dental Associates in Acton, MA, by calling (978) 881-5826.