Trouble in Paradise – Snoring and Divorce
Anyone who is young and in love and looking forward to building a future together with their partner has very little to worry about it would seem. In fact it is a very exciting time for the vast majority of people as they look forward to a married life of joy and excitement.
So the truth is, no one would ever really dream of discussing the topic of snoring with their partner before their big day…. right?
People will always say that infidelity and financial issues are the real deal breakers when it comes to failed marriages. However you may be surprised to discover the fact that snoring is also high up on that marriage break up list too.
But how true it is that snoring happens to be one of the major reasons why so many couples end up getting a divorce in the USA. Well actually, research done on this issue has consistently shown that in a relationship where one partner snores, this couple are more likely to have more disagreements than those who don’t have a snorer present. The fact that one or even both partners lack enough nightly sleep means that they become more prone to tension, irritation, and aggravation and later on some very serious disagreements can occur if the snoring is not kept in check.
Appearing in the top section of the divorce leader board is… wait for it…. Snoring. Snoring is the third most popular reason many couples cite for getting a divorce. Yet there is still very little attention paid to the issue, which is quite interesting to some extent.
Over the past few years, snoring has become a major divisive issue in many marriages to such an extent that it leads to divorce and separation being considered and in many instances acted upon.
This article aims to discuss some of the effects snoring can have on relationships. We will also outline some of the statics collected on the same including the rate of divorces per year. While winding up, we will discuss some of the best ways to overcome snoring and salvage a marriage by eliminate the issue of snoring.
Background Information on Snoring and Divorce
Over the past few year’s some researchers have tried to get to the root of snoring and divorces. In line with that, they have tried to evaluate the effects of a poor night’s sleep on the marital relationships of different people. And during this study, they realized that the lack of adequate sleep actually makes people more selfish.
For that reason, they tend to put their own needs before those of their partners. The data that was collected during this research has shown that most couples who experience disrupted sleep are left less cognizant of the needs and moods of their partners.
With this in mind, it is evident that the happiness and success of most relationships could actually have a direct link to sleep. This is because most of the couples who report low marital commitment are more likely to have a certain sleep disorder. As well as that, most of the couples with snoring partners approximately 12% of them, have to spend their nights alone in different rooms.
This is because snoring can become a great stress inducer in any marriage. Couples who have snoring partners have confessed that, this is a situation that leaves them almost helpless trying to look for a solution. More often than not, they will use earplugs or even sleep in different rooms to free themselves from the constant barrage of noise.
But for how long? If the problem is not perceived as fixable they can just end up partying ways, in a desperate attempt to find some peace of mind and a quiet place to sleep. And this is how so many divorces today have been induced by snoring partners. So let’s have a look at some of the major effects snoring can have on a couple’s relationship.
Effects of Snoring on a Couple’s Relationship
In most cases, when left untreated snoring can take a huge toll on how a couple’s relationship develops. If you are wondering how snoring could actually have an effect on your relationship then read on, this part is for you.
1. Increased Emotional and Mental Stress
Believe it or not sleep can have a major effect on your ability to stay calm and actually handle stress levels. If you have a bed partner who is a regular snorer, then we bet you are probably most familiar with this frustration. When you don’t get the required sleep for many days, weeks and months on end, without doubt you become less understanding whenever there are problems that need to be agreed upon and dealt with together.
It’s sorry to say, but you end up having that ‘I don’t care attitude’ which is actually never a fixer and if anything, it actually removes you from the responsibility of dealing with the issue at hand and may backfire to a certain degree. We all know where this ends up. When a partner in a relationship is suffering from sleep deprivation they are more prone to rash decision making, with more frustration and annoyance every day. And when there is a constant underlying frustration in a relationship even something as seemingly insignificant as snoring, ends up putting a strain on things overall.
In the end, if snoring doesn’t lead to an actual break up, a frustrated spouse could still file divorce papers. In a survey done recently, about a quarter (that’s one in four) of the American population has confessed that their snoring partner actually makes them very angry or annoyed. Most of the time they find themselves wanting to drive them out of bed each night in search of peace and quiet in order to establish a good sleep environment for themselves.
2. Having to Sleep in Different Rooms
Some couples address their snoring problems by sleeping in different rooms. This may not seem like a problem at first because all you need or want is a good night’s sleep but after some time, this is a silent relationship killer and what most people don’t understand is that this only serves as a temporary solution to the issue of snoring.
This is because when partners have to sleep in different rooms every night there is a high likelihood some kind of resentment between them will begin to develop as both people feel they are a victim in the situation. Essentially the partner who is kicked out, or has to leave the bedroom and go elsewhere, will most likely feel exiled and a victim much in the same way the person who suffers from listening to the snoring does.
Likewise a partner who decides to leave and go to another room because they can’t stand their snoring partner might also end up feeling as if they are being denied the ability to sleep in their own bedroom.
3. Risk of Unexpected Injuries or Even Death
Most couples try their best to deal with their snoring issues but may still find themselves at their wits end. In that, the lack of enough sleep as we all know may lead to daytime sleepiness and fatigue becoming a regular theme. This is more of a grave concern for anyone who works in a construction, drives a lot or even finds themselves involved in medical procedures where a rested mind and concentration levels are part and parcel of the job and where people’s lives depend on the ability of the persons decision making skills.
When there is a partner in the house who snores constantly, the people around them are more likely to always feel tired and lacking energy as a result. This opens up a window of opportunity for accidents and injury to occur where concentration levels drop off.
Common Causes of Snoring
If you still aren’t sure what we are talking about here today, Snoring mostly occurs when you cannot breathe in and out with ease while you sleep. This, restriction leads to the vibration of the tissues around your throat as you breathe and so leading to a snoring sound developing. Most snorers have either floppy tissues or too much nasal or throat tissues.
The positioning of your tongue could also be the major reason why you are snoring. People can snore for very diverse reasons and so it’s important to know the reason behind why you snore to begin with or at least determine whether your snoring is originating from your nose or mouth.
This is because once you understand why and how you snore it becomes easier to find the right solutions to your problem and in the end of you and your bed partner will enjoy a deeper and quieter sleep as a result.
1. Being Overweight
One of the major causes of snoring is the gain of excess weight. This is because you can develop a poor muscle tone and fatty tissues. Even if you have not gained weight everywhere on your body, when you have excess fatty tissues around your neck region or throat you are more prone to snore.
2. Age
When you get older, your throat tissues tend to become narrower than before. This is because the muscle tone of the neck tissues in particular decreases significantly. You cannot really do anything about growing older, but a few Lifestyle Changes could make the situation better.
3. Sinus and Nasal Problems
When you have a stuffed nose, it becomes quite difficult to breathe. The difficulty in inhalation ends up creating a vacuum in the throat, which then leads to snoring.
4. Alcohol and Smoking
Alcohol may be relaxing but if taken just before going to bed, it can increase the relaxation of muscles in your body. This also involves the throat muscles and so this inevitably leads to snoring too. The same is true for smoking avoid it at all costs.
5. A Person’s Build
Normally, men have narrower air passages when compared to women and this is the reason why men are more prone to snoring. Besides that, there are other people who may have enlarged adenoids, cleft palates, or even a narrow throat inclusive of other physical attributes which may be hereditary and may contribute to snoring.
Ways to Overcome Snoring
Ever sat down, looked at your wedding photograph then thought to yourself; I love everything about him expect his snoring. Well if this sounds familiar to you, there is no need to rush out and get a divorce. There is always something that can be done without going the nuclear route. First, off it’s important to understand that snoring is something normal in certain circumstances and even you might even snore occasionally.
And at this point, you need to understand that no matter how much sleep your bed partner has made you lose at night, you need to handle the entire situation carefully and sensitively. It’s impossible to deny that sleep loss can be so irritating, but first of all, if you are going to talk to your partner about it you need to tone down your level of frustration to some degree.
Here you need to understand that you are attacking the snoring issue and not your partner. Understand that your partner may feel vulnerable, embarrassed or even defensive when you talk about the subject. And that is why you need to find the right approach if you want to talk about the issue of your partners snoring and the effect it is having on you.
- Find the Correct Timing for Your Talk; there is a certain time of the day when one might be feeling exhausted and tired. Such times include early mornings or the middle of the day before lunch. Find the right time when both of you are well rested, refreshed and have enough time to hold an actual conversation.
- Know That It’s Not Intentional That Your Partner is Snoring; snoring is a serious health problem and it’s beyond the snorer’s It’s okay to feel a victim to some extent because you are losing sleep but keep it in mind that your partner is not doing this on purpose and may also feel like a victim.
- Cut Out Any Bitterness; if you call on your partner to discuss their snoring issue, make sure you are composed and are driving every point home. This should not be a platform to latch onto snoring so that you can use it as an outlet for the hidden resentments you have been harboring within you either related or unrelated.
- Don’t Lash Out; sleep deprivation can really be aggravating and could also be having a negative effect on your health. Although this may be affecting the quality of your life ensure that there is no lashing out at your partner. In such a case, try to approach them in a less of a confrontational way.
- Don’t Be Too Serious about it; when you need to talk about a sensitive issue that may affect the feelings of your partner, you need to find the best way to put your point across without hurting the other person. By this, we mean that you might consider bringing out the subject in a more humorous way. You could even laugh about it but make sure that there is not too much teasing, they may end up feeling insecure.
- Suggest a solution; This site provides lots of great solutions to helping people eliminate the effects of snoring in their lives. Why not suggest a particular anti snore product you feel would be suitable, or provide some tips to the person on how they can improve their snoring outlook.
Hopefully this conversation will set the ball moving in the right direction with the goal being snore reduction or even better snore elimination!
Final Verdict
As we have all seen from the article above, snoring can take a great toll on your relationship and in worse cases even lead to a divorce. Therefore, if you have a snoring partner, it’s not the time to run away from the problem by sleeping in the next room. You need to make sure that they get treatment if the Home Remedies and products aren’t having the desired effect for whatever reason. Running away from the problem is never a solution, facing the problem and coming up with solutions is actually way more beneficial to both parties and will lead to a better quality of life being enjoyed together by both of you for many years to come.