The snoring of the person next to us may seem like an annoying household problem, but when it disrupts your sleep every night, the consequences add up. A British study estimates that living with a snoring partner can cost the other person up to two years of sleep in the long run.
Data cited by British media shows that millions of people in the UK live with a partner who snores. Among those surveyed, 85% said that solving the problem would improve their relationship, and 55% believe that snoring negatively affects their intimate life.
Similar calculations for “two lost years“ should be taken as a rough illustration of the accumulated sleep deprivation, not as evidence that snoring literally shortens the life of the partner by two years. The medical problem is different: regular sleep interruption can turn into chronic sleep deprivation.
How a partner's snoring affects health
Loud snoring can cause repeated short awakenings during the night. Even if a person falls back asleep almost immediately, their sleep becomes fragmented and they may not feel refreshed in the morning.
Prolonged sleep deprivation is associated with poorer concentration, irritability, mood disorders and a higher risk of accidents. Chronic sleep deprivation also leads to adverse changes in metabolic and cardiovascular health.
What is particularly unpleasant is that the problem affects both partners. One person may have disturbed sleep due to their own snoring or sleep apnea, while the other may be awakened by the noise, movement, and pauses in breathing.
As a result, the partner may start sleeping in another room. This sometimes improves sleep, but for some couples, it affects intimacy and intimate life.
When snoring becomes a medical problem
Snoring in itself does not always indicate a disease. However, it is one of the main signs of obstructive sleep apnea, in which the airway repeatedly narrows or closes during sleep.
It is often the partner who is the first to notice the characteristic sequence: loud snoring, sudden silence and pause in breathing, followed by choking, noisy intake of air and resumption of snoring.
Sleep apnea should not be ignored. The untreated condition is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and excessive daytime sleepiness.
The risk of snoring and sleep apnea increases with overweight, alcohol use in the evening, smoking and certain anatomical features of the airways. Sleeping on your back can also worsen snoring in some people.
If your partner notices pauses in breathing, suffocation at night, or if the snorer suffers from severe daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, and concentration problems, a doctor's consultation and, if necessary, a sleep study are recommended.
Thus, snoring turns out to be more than just a "night noise." In one partner, it can be a symptom of a disease, and in the other, it can become a cause of prolonged sleep deprivation. In both cases, solving the problem can mean not only a quieter bedroom, but also better quality sleep for both of you.