In a recent survey about men’s habits that women can’t stand, snoring came out tops with a staggering 46% of the votes – a very broad lead considering the runner-up, flatulence, only hit 33%.
More than a quarter of Americans recently confessed that a snoring bed partner makes them annoyed or angry, with one in five saying a snoring partner could drive them out of bed altogether. With the ratio of men-to-women who snore stacked on the male side, most of these frustrated partners are likely to be women.
Why is snoring so vexing for women, though?
Simple – if your partner snores, you don’t sleep. Although flatulence, chewing loudly, messiness, biting their nails and picking their nose are all annoying habits that women can’t stand, none of them affect their physical, psychological and emotional health beyond a bit of irritation. Sleep deprivation is linked to increased stress, anxiety, an inability to control your temper and will negatively impact judgement, the ability to learn and retain information and your concentration. If you don't get enough sleep for days or weeks on end, you can become snappish and less understanding of problems. Now turn that into two partners suffering from sleep deprivation, and the result will likely include more fighting and rash decision making. The increased arguments and resentment on both sides can lead to more strain on relationships and eventually a break-up or divorce, sometimes without either party realising that the snoring is actually to blame.