When Snoring Tests Your Patience – and Your Partnership

Snoring might seem like just a noisy bedtime nuisance, but for many couples, it’s more than that. When the snoring is loud, frequent, and linked to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), it can put a real strain on relationships, intimacy, and emotional wellbeing. Learning how to treat sleep apnea can help in restoring energy, patience, and intimacy for both you and your partner.

Snoring Isn’t Just a Sound – It’s a Symptom

People with sleep apnea don’t just snore lightly, it can be very loud and disrupting¹. Their snoring can often be chronic and loud enough to be heard between walls. This kind of disruption makes it incredibly difficult for your partner to sleep through the night. For some couples, this can result in sleeping in separate rooms, which may bring short-term relief but takes away the benefits of sharing a bed. A study in 2024 found that 34% of couples had a partner that slept in another room or in a different bed in the same room in response to their spouse snoring².

Tiredness and Tension

The problem doesn’t stop at noise. Sleep apnea causes a person to briefly stop breathing multiple times throughout the night, often without them realising¹. Even if you don’t remember waking up, your body does and so does your partner, who’s likely wide awake beside you. That means both of you wake up groggy, irritable, and running on a sleepless night. The lack of sleep makes it harder to manage emotions, leaving couples more likely to snap at each other or argue over things that normally wouldn’t matter¹.

Emotional and Intimate Fallout

Sleep apnea can affect more than just mood and can often extend into the bedroom in other ways. Studies show that people with untreated sleep apnea often experience lower libido, reduced sexual satisfaction, and a strained self-image³. Constant fatigue and the frustration of poor sleep can leave someone feeling stressed, anxious, or down, which in turn reduces desire and intimacy³. When one partner feels unwanted, undesired or disconnected, the emotional gap between them and their partner can widen⁴.

When Treatment Becomes Tricky

Another common source of conflict is when someone knows their snoring or sleep apnea is a problem but won’t seek help. When sleepless nights go unaddressed, a partner may start to feel unappreciated or overlooked⁵. However, for couples who do pursue treatment, it is not without its challenges. CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure, works by gently blowing air through a mask to keep your airway open during sleep, effectively eliminating sleep apnea symptoms. When starting CPAP, people may experience an initial adjustment period where they try and adapt to the feeling and routine of wearing a mask to bed. Others may experience discomfort if their mask or therapy settings are inappropriate for them. But there’s good news. Today’s CPAP treatment options are far more discreet and easier to use, ranging from updated CPAP machines and masks.

At Sove CPAP Clinic, we carry a range of leading brands including Resmed, Philips, and Fisher & Paykel to make sure you have access to a wide range of options, allowing you to experience therapy comfortably.

Finding Relief Together

Addressing sleep apnea doesn’t just mean better rest, it can also mean better relationships. Research shows that treatment can improve mood, energy levels, and even sexual health^3,4. Tackling the problem as a team and working together to acknowledge the impact, seek medical advice, and support each other through treatment, can help couples reclaim the connection that sleepless nights may have eroded. Research has found that from having appropriate treatment, 72.4% of couples have been able to sleep together again, with 74% of partners saying their personal lives have improved since treatment¹.

The Bottom Line

If snoring or sleep apnea is testing your patience and your relationship - it’s not something to ignore. Left untreated, sleep apnea doesn’t just affect sleep, it can harm mental health, intimacy, and overall wellbeing.

If you notice any sleep or snoring issues that are impacting you and your relationship, don’t hesitate to chat with your doctor about getting assessed for sleep apnea, or get in touch with our friendly team at Sove CPAP Clinic. We’re here to support you and your partner in achieving better, healthier and restful sleep together.

How Sove CPAP Clinic Can Help

Founded in 2008, Sove CPAP Clinic has grown to become a leading provider of respiratory and sleep services and products in Australia, with over 60 clinics nationwide. Our comprehensive clinical team includes Respiratory & Sleep Specialists, Sleep Technologists, and CPAP Consultants, ensuring that you receive comprehensive and personalised care. All medical procedures, including sleep studies and lung function testing, are bulk billed to all Australians, with minimal wait time.

If you would like to speak to a Respiratory & Sleep Physician, book a bulk-billed sleep study, or seek advice for your sleep apnea, you can reach us at 1300 76 29 39 or info@thecpapclinic.com.au.

ALWAYS FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE. CPAP is used for Obstructive Sleep Apnea treatment. When considering whether a sleep study or CPAP is right for you, speak to your doctor. Medicare criteria and T&Cs apply.

References

Catarina Cascais Costa, et al. “Impact of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment on Marital Relationships: Sleeping Together Again?” Cureus, Cureus, Inc., Oct. 2023, https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.46513.

American Academy of Sleep Medicine. AASM Sleep Prioritization Survey Adjusting Your Sleep Routine. 2024, aasm.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/sleep-prioritization-survey-2024-bedpartner-routine.pdf.

SleepApnea.org. “What to Know about Sleep Apnea and Sex | SleepApnea.org.” SleepApnea.org, 13 Dec. 2022, www.sleepapnea.org/sleep-health/sleep-apnea-and-sex/. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

Apnea Med. “What Are the Effects Sleep Apnea Has on Mental Health?” ApneaMed, 2021, www.apneamed.org/blogs/info/what-are-the-effects-sleep-apnea-has-on-mental-health.

Weatherford Dental Sleep Medicine. “4 Ways Sleep Apnea Can Affect Your Relationship.” Weatherford Dental Sleep Medicine Blog, 25 June 2022, www.weatherfordsleep.com/blog/2022/06/25/5-ways-sleep-apnea-can-affect-your-relationship/.