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We call this photo, Loud snoring attacks affect both the physical and mental health of people who snore and their partners, warns Sabi Pipo Item information
- Author, Suneth Perera
- Role, BBC World Service
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Not 17 minutes pass
“I joke with family and friends about my husband’s loud snoring, but deep inside I am deeply concerned,” said Arunika Selvam, a 45-year-old married woman from Singapore.
“I say if I talk to my husband about it, I’ll be offended.”
She says snoring is part of the package that comes with marriage. But they have serious consequences for her husband and her relationship.
“I often wake up at night and get cranky in the morning,” she told the BBC.
Her husband’s snoring also prevents her from sleeping well at night, and her performance at work suffers because she does not sleep well.
It’s very common to ignore the bedmate if they snore, but health and relationship experts are listening and say they can’t seriously affect the relationship and their partner’s health.
Is there sleep apnea?
Loud snoring is usually related to a sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
This is a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, sabi pipo tok.
This disorder causes the walls of the throat to relax and narrow.
If this happens, you interrupt normal breathing and result in oxygen desaturation.
According to Dr. Ramamurthy Sathyamurthy, consultant respiratory physician at Britain’s James Cook University Hospital, sleep apnea presents with orishirishi symptoms ranging from mild to moderate or severe, but usually gets progressively worse.
I caution that an untreated condition can affect many aspects of the physical and mental health of both the snorer and the partner, including sex drive.
Are there symptoms of sleep apnea?
The symptoms mainly occur when you sleep and include:
- Loud snoring
- Stopping and starting breathing
- Making gasping, snorting, or choking sounds
- Waking up regularly
During the day, patients also receive:
- Headache when they wake up
- Feel very tired
- Find it difficult to concentrate
- Bad memory
- Do you feel depressed, irritable or experience major mood swings?
- Experience poor coordination
- Loss of sex drive
Oda health problems
Moreover, obstructive sleep apnea can also cause many health problems.
The sudden drop in blood oxygen levels during an apnea attack can increase blood pressure, experts warn, and disfit increases the risk of other medical problems.
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We call this photo, Sleep apnea can also affect sex drive, sleep therapists say
Although some couples aren’t concerned about their partner’s snoring, it can be a serious issue for a dia relationship, Dr. Sathyamurthy points out.
“Usually 90% of the patients I see are referred because the partner is having a lot of trouble with it,” I tell the BBC.
It can cause partners to sleep in different rooms, sometimes called “sleep separation.”
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – US-based relationship therapist Sara Nasserzadeh sometimes recommends couples sleep separately, with or without snoring.
Starting the day with a good night’s sleep will promote a healthier relationship for both partners, she tells the BBC, although this is of course only possible if there is an extra bedroom available.
But for some couples, a “sleep divorce” can be the first step toward a more permanent divorce.
Bring up the subject
Although Arunika Selvam lives in Singapore, she is highly developed with one of the highest GDP per capita in the world – finding a bed for her house is not possible for her.
“We rent out our spare room to generate extra income due to the high cost of living here for Singapore,” explains the mother of a pikin, who has not been married for 15 years.
But after enduring countless sleepless nights, Selvam spoke to her husband about my snoring problem.
I can’t consult a doctor because both my dad and grandpa snore and I believe it’s completely normal.
Pipo usually sees loud snoring in men as part of masculinity or making them manly, especially in some Asian cultures, Selvam adds.
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We call this photo, The mental impact of sleep deprivation and snoring can lead to unnecessary arguments
Sara Nasserzadeh says that in this situation it is important to find the right time to raise this issue with your partner in a “gentle and delicate way.”
“Maybe, after having sex, maybe as a good mood and when they are connected,” adds Nasserzadeh, author of Love by Design – 6 Ingredients to Build a Lifetime of Love.
The social psychology expert says it’s also important to remember that when they snore, they usually feel ashamed of their condition.
Serious consequences
According to the British Snoring and Sleep Apnea Association, there are around 15 million snorers in Britain, affecting 30 million people – almost half the population.
Figures from a recent study show that the number of men who snore is much higher than the number of women.
But no matter who the snorer is, this habit can have serious consequences.
Some reports suggest that snoring is one of the most common causes of divorce in the United States and Britain, although it is difficult to find concrete evidence to support this claim.
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We call this photo, Snoring fits cause serious wahala for relationships
Rita Gupta, a family lawyer from Britain, says her firm doesn’t see many divorce cases related to snoring.
“They certainly come up a lot as a reason for unhappiness in a marriage,” she told the BBC.
“I hear a lot of people say, ‘Well, we haven’t slept in separate rooms for several years because I snore anyway, and we’re drifting apart,’” she adds.
The family lawyer says a common problem in divorce cases is neglecting medical treatment and not taking the necessary steps to effectively address the problem, which points to underlying commitment issues.
“For example, in the case of a man, my wife, I say, ‘I already snore a lot. They really affect my sleep. I never do anything to address it.’”
What do you do about snoring or sleep apnea?
Treatments for sleep apnea fit include lifestyle changes such as:
- Weight loss
- Quit smoking
- Limiting the amount of alcohol you consume
However, for many people, using one device called CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine is necessary.
They gently deliver air in one mask that you wear over your mouth or nose while you sleep.
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We call this photo, CPAP machines help prevent breathing problems during sleep
Dr. Ramamurthy Sathyamurthy says it is important to prioritize the health of the partner and the snorer, and encourage them to seek medical advice.
“It is not only beneficial for the relationship, but also economically, as people spend less money on medications for other health problems caused by the condition, so this is an overall benefit for the whole family,” I add.