Snoring Causes Sexual Dissatisfaction In Couples

Although snoring appears to be a private habit, a medical expert, Dr Ayotunde Fasunla has warned that it should not be overlooked; saying heavy snoring can lead to sexual dissatisfaction among couples....



Dr Fasunla, a consultant Ear, Nose and Throat surgeon, gave the charge in a faculty lecture he gave at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Oyo State entitled: "Snoring: The Untold Story".

The medical expert, stating that most people ignore or pretend their snoring problem does not exist, declared that when snoring causes a couple to sleep in separate bedrooms, this may encourage infidelity or unfaithfulness.
According to him, "snoring can lead to a decrease in sexual drive thereby leading to sexual dissatisfaction by the partner. This may encourage infidelity or unfaithfulness."
The medical expert, describing snoring as a sign of obstruction of the airway that actually prevents the snorer from breathing adequately during sleep, declared "acknowledging snoring is a responsible choice and taking steps towards finding a solution can be very liberating."
Given the inadequacy of breathing during sleep, Dr Fasunla warned that snoring could have both night time and daytime consequences on health and longevity.
According to him, "the loss of sleep associated with snoring may be related to a serious medical condition called sleep apnoea.  It puts people at higher risk of developing hypertension, stroke, irregular heart rhythms, heart failure, bedwetting and impotence."
He added that at day time, snorers' ability to perform tasks involving memory, learning, reasoning and mathematical processes are usually impaired.
Dr Fasunla, however, declared that snorers when awake were likely to experience morning headache, irritability and feeling of burnout, poor memory and concentrations skills, excessive daytime sleepiness, unexplained fatigue, dry mouth and poor job performance.
 On what had been identified as factors why people snore, the medical expert attributed this to gender, age and the genetic makeup of the individual.
Although males are more likely to snore than women, he said that snoring is more common in adults over 40 years of age because of diminishing muscle tone, especially in the neck, and increase in body weight as age increases.
The medical expert, however, posited that some causes of snoring could be readily controlled or altered by a change in lifestyle or habits, adding that in some cases, medical or surgical intervention might be required to control or solve the problem of snoring.
He highlighted lifestyle adjustment required in controlling mild or moderate snoring to include cutting down on body weight, changes in sleeping position, increased exercises, avoidance of alcohol and tobacco use and some medications at night time.
Dr Fasunla, noting that snoring may be a sign of an underlying medical problem, stated that people that snore heavily need to be evaluated by an expert to detect any associated life threatening disorder as well as get treated.