San Francisco and Marin CA
Do you find yourself dragging during the workday because your partner kept you up snoring the night before? You’re not alone. A recent Sleep Foundation study indicated that 75 percent of Americans who share a bed with a snorer report that the snoring impacts their sleep. Meanwhile, 77 percent say it affects their well-being in some way; specifically, 44 percent of those who sleep with snorers say their partner’s snoring makes them tired the next day, 33 percent feel moody or cranky and 28 percent lack energy.
These findings underscore the significant effect that a partner’s snoring has on sleep quality and overall well-being. Unfortunately, this leads to many couples — up to 29 percent of Americans, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) — choose a “sleep divorce.”
What is a sleep divorce?
When one person in a couple chooses to sleep in a separate bed to accommodate a partner, it’s often called “sleep divorce.” Couples sometimes adopt this practice to address snoring and its accompanying tossing, turning and loss of sleep.
While a sleep divorce often improves sleep quality for both partners, it can understandably have mixed effects on the relationship itself. Some couples report better moods and less resentment from getting quality rest, while others feel less emotionally connected and end up having intimacy issues.
Can snoring point to a deeper problem in my partner?
Occasional snoring can be harmless, but loud, persistent snoring may be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a common but potentially serious sleep disorder in which a person’s airway becomes repeatedly blocked during sleep. This causes pauses in breathing that can last for several seconds and occur dozens or even hundreds of times per night, disrupting not just the sleeper’s rest but often their partner’s as well.
While the brain oftentimes will jar a person awake when s/he has stopped breathing for more than a couple of seconds, for the most part, a sufferer doesn’t even realize their sleeping cycle is repeatedly interrupted during the night.
The airway blockage that causes these breathing pauses typically happens when the soft tissues in the back of the throat collapse, especially when the muscles relax during sleep. When the brain senses that breathing has stopped, it briefly wakes the person up just enough to reopen the airway.
Most people don’t remember these interruptions, but they often feel the effects, such as:
- excessive daytime sleepiness
- trouble concentrating
- morning headaches
- mood changes like irritability or depression
OSA can also eventually lead to serious health issues like high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
How can a dentist help?
Our San Francisco airway dentist is trained to screen for sleep apnea, and we offer custom-made oral appliances that gently reposition the jaw to keep the airway open during sleep. These appliances are quiet, non-invasive and often more comfortable than a CPAP machine.
Sleep apnea treatment in the Bay Area
If your partner’s snoring is frequent and disruptive, it’s worth encouraging them to contact our office. If snoring is affecting your sleep quality, mood or relationship, it’s time to take it seriously. Contact Glen Park Dental at (415) 799-3900, or reach out to us online today.
