The Quality of Your Sleep Matters
Sleep apnea is a serious disorder in which you experience pauses in your breathing repeatedly throughout the night — sometimes upwards of thirty times per hour! As a defense mechanism, your body jolts you awake so that you can breathe properly. These interruptions and continuous deprivation of oxygen have a huge impact on your physical wellbeing if left unattended. What’s more, the effects of sleep apnea don’t stop with you. Snoring, irritability, mood disorders, and chronic fatigue associated with sleep apnea can lead to strained professional and personal relationships in your life.
Sleep Apnea and Snoring Can Affect Your Marriage
Did you know that snoring is the third leading cause of divorce in the United States? When all is said and done, cozying into bed with your partner should be what you look forward to at the end of the day. But when that simple pleasure is interrupted by excessive snoring, it’s time to seek a solution before it’s too late.
An absence of restful sleep means being irritable the next day, causing mood swings that can lead to arguments. Before seeking professional treatment, many couples resort to wearing earplugs or sleeping separately to avoid hearing their partner snore. None of these benefit the relationship as it actually creates distance and a lack of intimacy.
Dr. Sage White wants you to maintain a happy and healthy relationship and has helped many satisfied patients reclaim their sleep and their marriage with effective, quiet, and comfortable sleep apnea treatment.
Sleep Apnea and Interpersonal Relationships
The effects of sleep apnea don’t end when you wake up. Sleep apnea can impact you during the day as well by affecting your mood and behavior in the following ways:
- Irritability
- Mood disorders such as depression
- Trouble concentrating
- Chronic daytime sleepiness
- Fatigue and low energy
- Decreased libido
These changes can make maintaining romantic, platonic, and professional relationships challenging. When lack of sleep makes you unfocused, moody, and fatigued, social interactions may be difficult or strained and your family, friends, and coworkers may be affected as well by your behavior or demeanor. While it can be difficult to pinpoint when moodiness or fatigue stems from poor sleep quality or an underlying issue, treating your sleep apnea means one less culprit in relationship issues.
Seeking Treatment for Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Excessive snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea, but it can be treated on its own, too. To be treated for sleep apnea, you must be properly diagnosed by a qualified sleep physician. We offer a take-home sleep apnea test so you can take the test in the comfort of your own home. Once you’ve taken the test and the results have been reviewed by a physician, Dr. White can determine the best treatment for you.
Many sleep specialists recommend CPAP treatment for patients with sleep apnea. For those who find it uncomfortable, Dr. White happily offers personalized oral appliances as an effective alternative to CPAP. Seeking treatment can be intimidating, but taking action towards relief will be so rewarding.
Tips for Couples With Sleep Disorders
In many cases of couples with sleep disorders, the tension that builds from not confronting the issue will cause great friction in the relationship. Speaking up about your partner’s symptoms and working on a solution together can save your relationship. Many couples deal with this issue, so you’re not alone.
Here are some useful tips for both you and your partner:
Communicate. An honest, open conversation about what you’re experiencing will open the door to finding treatment and bring about understanding.
Take a sleep test. Undergoing a sleep study will solidify the issue and help you reclaim control of your health.
Listen to your doctor. Sleep apnea isn’t an easy thing to deal with. We want to help you and we’ll talk you through any embarrassment as well as address any questions or concerns you or your partner may have.
Look after your general health. Many specialists recommend positive lifestyle changes in addition to prescribed treatment for sleep apnea. Your physical health impacts your symptoms and vice versa. Adopting new habits alone or with your partner will strengthen your bond and ensure your good health lasts.
Make changes in the bedroom. Your environment absolutely affects how well you sleep. Making sure your bedroom is comfortable, peaceful, and set up for a good night’s rest can make a huge difference.
Look for short and long-term solutions. Immediate relief can make a huge difference, and seeking long-term solutions will provide peace of mind for years to come.
Make sleeping fun. Getting to sleep with your partner at night should be a source of joy and optimism, not dread. Talk to each other about positive things — even cuddling can ease you into a fitful, happy sleep.
Understand that both of you are human. Managing a sleep disorder is extremely hard and having to support a partner with a disorder can also be challenging. Be patient, compassionate, and supportive of your partner. Validation is crucial and understanding that sleep apnea impacts both of you can help lead to empathy and understanding. Although managing sleep apnea may seem like a lot, Dr. White offers a convenient and easy solution so that you and your partner can rest easily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can sleep apnea affect hormones?
If sleep apnea is left untreated for even a few days, it can increase blood sugar, fat levels, stress hormones, and blood pressure. This can lead to problems with your mental and physical health, as well as your relationships. If you have sleep apnea, seeking treatment will help prevent future health complications and improve your quality of life. Contact our Cedar City office for more information on how Dr. Sage White can help treat sleep apnea.
Can sleep apnea change your personality?
People with sleep apnea have a higher rate of depression and experience anxiety more often than people who don’t suffer from the condition. The more severe your sleep apnea is, the more likely you are to experience mood disorders. Sleep apnea is also associated with difficulty focusing, memory problems, poor decision-making, and stress.
Reclaim Your Social Life With Treatment
At Southern Utah Sleep & TMJ Center, we understand how important connecting with others is. Don’t let sleep apnea claim your rest or relationship any longer. We want you to have every reason to enjoy all the joy life has to offer, starting with a good night’s sleep. Call (435) 267-0485 or fill out the form below to schedule your no-obligation consultation at our Cedar City office today. We can’t wait to meet you.