Lovers, stop letting sleep apnea stand between you

The symptoms of sleep apnea also have an impact on the health of the partner who shares the bed. People living with sleep apnea are not always the first to realize their condition... and this is not without consequences for life as a couple, and more generally for relationships within the family. A review of the literature¹ looked at the impact of sleep apnea beyond the individual with a chronic respiratory condition.

What is sleep apnea? 

Sleep apnea is a respiratory disorder^2,3 characterized by pauses in breathing of 10 to 30 seconds or more, repeated more than 10 times an hour. If the airways are completely closed during sleep, the air no longer passes through and causes apnea. In response, the heart races to open the airways and then, the person can breathe again. This explains micro-awakening. The succession of these micro-awakenings alters the quality of sleep, even if they are not always felt by the person living with sleep apnea. However, the consequences of this disease are very real, not only for the person with apnea but also for their partner, as we shall discover.

These are just some of the many testimonials read on social media describing the impact of sleep apnea symptoms on the quality of their relationship and their quality of life more generally.

Sleep apnea does not only have an impact on the partner's sleep, but also on their day.

A literature review¹ has looked at the impact of untreated sleep apnea on the partner. They agree that the partner's quality of sleep is negatively affected. Often woken by snoring and worried about hearing the other person suffocate, the partner's sleep is disrupted by the breathing pauses of their bedmate. To remedy this, partners report using earplugs or even sleeping pills and changing their sleep schedule. For some couples, snoring leads them to sleep in separate bedrooms. For others, wishing to avoid any social stigma, they want to sleep in the same room but say they lack energy and feel tired during the day.

Does your partner's snoring have a negative effect on your relationship?

Interestingly, the partner is also affected during the day. This loss of sleep leads to frustration and exhaustion and has a negative impact on their work. The quality of the relationship is also affected, especially when dealing with raising children.. The partner's mood and quality of life can also be affected by untreated sleep apnea.