The snore room rescue

Falling asleep in the arms of your man-love is heavenly, but waking up at 2am from said love’s snoring is quite hellish and unhealthy.

The trending solution to this age old issue is a second master bedroom, aptly named ‘the snore room’.

It might seem old fashioned or like a sure passion killer to sleep in separate rooms, but Ballito based psychologist, Shannon Ownhouse said it can be a relationship saver.

“While healthy sleeping in the same bedroom does improve intimacy, unhealthy sleeping has a profound effect on how you function on a daily basis and could be a recipe for disaster,” said Ownhouse.

“It has been proven that people die faster from sleep deprivation than starvation. An adult generally needs seven to nine hours of sleep a night. An hour and a half less sleep a day can decrease your cognitive function by up to 30 percent. Not having a good night’s sleep effects your work performance, stress tolerance, health and could even negatively impact your relationship.”

Overall, Ownhouse said she is all for the idea of a snore room, as long as it is not a place to escape from your partner.

“I can see how people might attach a stigma to the idea of sleeping in separate rooms with having relationship problems. I do not think this is the case, as long as you do not spend your awake time in the snore room. It is important to make time for intimacy.”

Ownhouse said she has tried and tested the trend and has seen the benefits.

“My 21-month-old baby, Noah, never slept. My husband, Richard and I constantly had trouble sleeping, as both of us would wake up when the other got up for the baby. We tried sleeping separately, which worked brilliantly as the one on baby duty did not wake the other.”

She said the better sleeping arrangements also improved their relationship.

“We are far less irritable, stressed and anxious, because we are not sleep deprived. This helps improve not only our relationship, but also the relationship with our child.”

Ownhouse said this arrangement does not need to be a permanent solution.

“It is important to reassess the need for a snore room. It might just be a periodical necessity, depending on the circumstances, so keep assessing your needs and your partner’s needs.”

Keep an open mind, know what is best for you and always make sure you have sweet dreams.

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