Most Popular Articles

Cut Out Snoring for a Happier Marriage

By Karen Barrow

It is a scene that has played out in countless bedrooms for years; a wife tries to fall asleep as her husband snores loudly next to her. The wife angrily shushes her husband, tries to roll him over and ultimately leaves the bed for the stiff couch in the living room. Often, the husband barely notices his raucous rumblings, but can his snoring be hurting their marriage?

"This is a frequent problem within marriages that nobody is paying enough attention to," says Dr. Rosalind Cartwright, founder of the Sleep Disorders Center at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and director of a new study looking into this topic.

Sleep apnea may be as common as diabetes, but it often goes undiagnosed, as the person with sleep apnea rarely hears his or her own snoring. However, it does make people tired during the day as it prevents people from entering into a deep sleep. Left untreated, the oxygen deprivation caused by sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, memory problems and impotence.

Another often-ignored side effect, however, is the impact sleep apnea has on the snorer's bed partner.

"Couples who struggle with sleep apnea have a high divorce rate," says Cartwright.
Jump to full text of this article here