Partner's Snoring Affecting Your Sex Life
As you know rest and pleasure go hand-in-hand. It can become an overdue feeling if let unattended to. Below we’ll talk about how to balance your needs and gain understanding.
Our concerns are with you as sleep is the foundation to physical, mental, and sexual wellbeing. A disturbance in any of these areas can cause a domino effect on ones mood, learning, and sex life. If you’re looking for a road to recovery and satisfaction. Look no further. We see you and we got you.
Dear Feeling Seen,
So, what do I need to do about my husband's snoring! It's seriously putting a complete stop on our life including time for sex. He wears this CPAP thing which I really just know helps him to sleep, but what about us sexually connecting? How can we get through this because every time I bring it up (i know you're going to say communicate) he just looks at me with a dumb face and always says, "what do you expect me to do."
Sincerely, Sleepless in Seattle
Dear caring wife,
I truly understand your frustration. It's a common concern among partners of individuals who snore or experience breathing issues. Sleeping next to a snorer can be challenging, and the fear of your partner stopping breathing during sleep is a truly frightening experience. Adapting to a CPAP machine can also be frustrating. Moreover, I recognize that when you're not sleeping well, having an intimate time becomes a considerable challenge.
As Mike wisely says, "Sex is a team sport." In these situations, it's crucial for both partners to be knowledgeable about health decisions, forming a united front to find the best solution together.
When it comes to snoring and sleep apnea treatment, I want to assure you that your husband likely had a sleep study before receiving a CPAP. It's common for medical doctors to recommend CPAP as the primary treatment, but there are indeed more options available. On my channel, Sleep Apnea: Breathing-Snoring Help I discuss various alternatives. I strongly encourage you to be your best health advocate, explore these options, and consult with your healthcare provider to make the best choice.
Let me explain a bit about snoring—it's the sound of vibrating tissues in the nose and throat due to turbulent airflow in a narrow airway. The airway may be blocked by tongue position, the uvula, or other anatomical structures, causing a person to stop breathing.
This triggers a dangerous response—increased blood pressure, elevated heart rate, and the release of stress hormones. It's a sympathetic fight-or-flight response that interrupts sleep and can happen multiple times during the night. It's no wonder your husband feels grumpy, tired, and irritable in the morning; his body is fighting for each breath.
Now that you are aware of what your partner is going through with his snoring and sleep apnea, let's discuss treatment options.
The CPAP machine pushes air into the airway to keep it open throughout the night. It is a very effective treatment but might be difficult to get used to. However, I suggest to my audience and patients to combine CPAP with other therapies, as it might be easier to use with decreased air pressure.
Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT): This involves a small appliance, similar to a night guard, which moves the lower jaw forward, reducing snoring and improving breathing by keeping the airway open. Many cases are covered by medical insurance.
Neurostimulation of the tongue: A small chip implanted in the tongue pushes it forward during breathing difficulties, activated with a special remote control before sleep.
Orthognathic surgery: This involves moving both jaws forward, enlarging the airway.
As adjunctive therapies to support the main treatment or, in some cases, eliminate the root cause of the disease, consider:
Myofunctional Therapy: This is a physical therapy for lips, cheeks, tongue, and the soft palate, making them more toned and stronger. It teaches breathing through the nose, keeping lips closed at night, and holding the tongue on the roof of your mouth. Mike also teaches these techniques to improve intimacy.
Establishing nose breathing with an ENT and allergologist: People often forget that the nose is for breathing and the mouth is for eating, especially those who suffer from asthma and allergies.
Positional therapy involves sleeping in the most favorable breathing position, which can prevent snoring, especially when sleeping on the back. Remedies like Sleep Noodle can help avoid sleeping on your back—a very common position to snore.
Different weight loss strategies: It's challenging to lose weight while having trouble sleeping, but it's critical to break that cycle. First, establish good sleep without breathing interruptions, and then focus on weight loss.
I consistently emphasize the importance of support from family and understanding all sides. While snoring might be a source of jokes, it's important to recognize that it's not a laughing matter. Snoring or sleep apnea could potentially be a destroyer of intimacy, even from the simple fact of partners sleeping in different bedrooms.
I'm here to offer guidance and support through social media or in person. I believe that with patience and understanding, you can work together as a team to find the most suitable solution for both of you.
Dr. Maria Sokolina, founder of Harmony Dental Arts, is committed to a healthier world by advocating sound sleep and healthful breathing. Hailing from Russia, she holds a medical degree and DDS from NYU. With a rich dentistry background encompassing implants, cosmetic dentistry, and orthodontics, she's deeply involved in Dental Sleep Medicine, focusing on sleep apnea solutions through dental appliances and myofunctional therapy. Through her Facebook group, Instagram and YouTube channel, she fosters a supportive community for those navigating sleep breathing disorders. As a lecturer and Diplomat of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, she shares her expertise widely and serves on influential boards. Visit her site for more: https://www.harmonydentalarts.com/
