Say Goodnight To The Elephant In The Room

Are we desensitised to the issue of snoring? Is it actually a topic that we recognise as a constant issue? Obesity rates skyrocketing, consistent back issues and even asthma trump the topic of snoring any day when it comes to distinguishing health problems in Australia. How can we really blame them? We’ve been sucked into watching Disney characters like Pluto, Humphrey the Bear and Donald Duck snore for days. The comical element brushes the serious out of the issue. If it's not deemed serious by society what is the urgency about getting the help the snorer needs. Why is it important to admit there is an issue?

To save those who suffer in silence

It’s not hard to imagine that the people who suffer from snoring are not the only ones suffering. Their relationships tend to take a beating also. Not as much of a beating as the snorer takes if their partner becomes frustrated for not getting a good night's sleep in three years… but you get the picture. There are plenty of memes of women (mostly) showing their creative and innovative ways to wake up their partner when their partner starts embodying a fog horn. Although, did you know there are partners who haven’t even told their other half that they snore? The fact that there are blogs on the internet about how to handle a snoring partner or roommate and how to tell them goes to show that the partner doesn’t always feel the need to bring it up even though they may be suffering in silence they’d rather not embarrass or make a big deal out of it...because it isn’t, right? It is a big deal that these partners who can’t get to sleep don’t feel comfortable telling their partner that they are the reason they have a new set of bags and are nodding off for a nap during the day.  Yes, snoring is an issue however there are ways to handle the conversation and steer it into a more constructive and helpful way rather than being accusatory. Once admitted too we begin the first step in actually rectifying the situation.

Partners are meant to sleep in the same bed

As mentioned in the above, there are partners who are tired and fed up and have given their feedback on the snoring situation. The frustration isn’t personal, it is usually followed by a weight of guilt. On the one hand you want sleep so you stop the snorer from snoring, on the other hand you feel bad for disrupting their sleep and now neither of you are getting the sleep that you need to function the next morning. So what do you do? You separate. You sleep apart because that seems like the only option at the time. And although you get the sleep that you need, it’s not comfortable. It’s one thing to be disrupting a good night's sleep, but snoring disrupts relationships and puts a wedge between partners. Many are left overwhelmed about the entire situation because a quick fix doesn’t seem like a good option, but what if it is something that will place a bandaid over the issue and help you both?

Sleep is important and often the thing that is overlooked

Humans need to sleep, they need it to function, to repair their body and to create long-term memories. Rest is important for a human’s health and when that rest is disrupted, impaired or stopped altogether it can have huge ramifications on the state of their health. Without it, our metabolism and weight go out of control, our moods tend to swing, we are more susceptible to sickness and our brain needs sleep to function. We can go on and on about the importance of sleep but the fact is that it is important and snoring is one of the reasons why sleep tends to drop on the wayside. Once the snorer and their partner realise how much it really does affect each other, the more the issue becomes embedded. When we sooner realise there is an issue, we can sooner find a resolution. But the first step is always admitting. Denial has done no good in the past, it only puts off what could have been helped earlier.

The topic of snoring doesn’t have to be the elephant in the room. Treat it like any topic so you both can move forward, build a stronger relationship, get back your health with a better night's sleep. Say goodnight to the elephant in the room with Sleep Quiet’s nasal strips. For a short-term solution, or something to help aid the issue for now, click here.