HOW LIFE IS AFFECTED BY A SNORE
People who suffer from habitual snoring are often viewed as a comic nuisance or as an object of ridicule and jokes. However, we will see and realize that it is not just merely about being embarrassed.
More than the ridicule and the jokes, it causes a change in lifestyle. It affects the relationships of a person with those around him or her. It influences how a person views himself or herself. Most of all, it threatens the physiological, social, mental, emotional and psychological well-being of a person.
One of the effects of snoring to the snorer is sleep deprivation. Snoring hinders a person from getting the appropriate quality and quantity of sleep. Getting a good sleep is highly important to proper functioning of the brain. Experts share that sleep deprivation can lead to poor mental functioning.
Sleep deprivation can also increase the risk for diabetes and high blood pressure since people who are deprived of sleep could not be as sensitive to insulin. It can also lead to early onset of aging and increased seriousness of age-related ailments. These illnesses include hypertension, memory less and obesity. Snoring can also cause sleep deprivation for the bed partner or other people around the person. Sleep deprivation can also lead to daytime fatigue, lack of productivity during the day, excessive sleepiness and increased irritability.
Aside from ruining the quantity and quality of sleep, snoring can also impair the quality of social relationships of a person, particularly the marital relationship. Sleeping in separate bedrooms has been a common practice for couples affected by snoring. Although it provides a solution to not getting enough sleep, it also lessens the intimacy and communication between couples or partners. This lack of communication and intimacy strains the relationship between a person and his or her partner.
The person who snores usually ends up feeling isolated and helpless for facing a problem he or she seem to not have any control over. Being seen as an annoyance and being laughed at or ridiculed for it can also lead to a decreased sense of self-worth for a person who snores. A partner will most likely end up awake, either trying to stop the person from snoring or trying to find a way to sleep amidst the loud snoring. If it prevails for a long period of time, it can also lead to health problems for the partner.
Snoring also affects sexual activity. Some researches report that sexual activity is lower if one or both of the people involved are habitual snorers. It is also reported to be linked to decreased libido. A high correlation is also noted between loud snoring and heart attacks or strokes.