Sleep Divorce is real people and among the most serious of sleep apnea symptoms. So if you want to keep your bedmate, it’s time to adopt better sleep habits.

Snoring is not sexy but it is ubiquitous. If we’re prone to it, we might like to presume our snore style is akin to a small hedgehog, when in fact it’s more like a Harley Davidson being revved to full capacity in nextdoor’s garage. But when snoring advances to fitful and includes sudden gasps for air, it crosses into clear sleep apnea territory.

Many of us only discover we have sleep apnea from our bed partners. Doctors often refer to it as ‘witness apnea’ because aside from it disturbing their sleep, keeping them awake at night, it can also be truly frightening. The panicking silence in-between snores whereby breathing momentarily stops, is the stuff of nightmares. And it’s no small thing because right now, snoring is the third most common cause of divorce in the United States, just behind infidelity and money issues.

According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, sleep apnea is a breathing disorder in which the airway repeatedly closes or narrows throughout the night, restricting airflow and oxygen.

There are two main types of sleep apnea;

1. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) results from blockage of the airway in the mouth or throat usually caused by relaxation of the tissues in the back of the mouth whereby the tongue, tonsils, or soft palate can all potentially touch the back of the throat while sleeping.

2. Central sleep apnea (CSA) is less common and occurs when the brain fails to alert the body’s muscles to continuously breathe. As a result, breathing starts and stops, with each pause in breathing lasting about 10 seconds or longer.

In the US, 15-30% of men and 10-30% of women meet a broad definition of obstructive sleep apnea, as opposed to just under 1% of adults over 40 years old who experience central sleep apnea.

Whilst there is no set cure for sleep apnea, there are very effective methods and lifestyle changes to improve life around it.

After a proper diagnosis of sleep apnea which usually entails keeping a sleep diary and a thorough sleep apnea test, it’s probably time to choose from an array of sleep apnea masks and sleep apnea mouth guards. Unless we hear Olivia Von Halle is planning on launching a new limited edition silk sleep apnea mask for September, you can be confident none of these are visually attractive options, however they are repeatedly proven to work.

Oral appliances aside, this is the best pillow for sleep apnea we’ve found and you won’t ever regret investing in The Simba Hybrid® Luxe Mattress. Back, side, front, no matter what your default sleep position, it’s your best chance at a great night’s sleep, (buy two if you need to).

And what to get the sleep apnea sufferer in your life? A pot plant of course, (no, for real). NASA research into air purifying properties of plants discovered aloe vera to be the most effective plant for oxygen in the bedroom. As the sun goes down, aloe vera begins emitting oxygen and the more oxygen in the air, the more conducive the atmosphere to falling and remaining asleep.

Sleep apnea is a medical sleep disorder so no one’s suggesting you fix it with a supplement but sleep apnea symptoms can be significantly reduced. Low mood, lack of libido, risk of heart disease, night time waking and daytime drowsiness all sit comfortably within the remit of the LYMA Supplement, which works without stimulants or sedatives.

LYMA’s unique formula combines a powerful mix of patented and peer-reviewed ingredients. For the night shift, patented saffron extract affron® enhances libido and increases sexual satisfaction, whilst super stable MenaQ7® Matrix safeguards cardiovascular health and Sensoril® Ashwagandha sends sleep signals to the brain for high quality, restorative REM sleep.

For the day shift, Vita-Algae D3™ is unrivalled in its feel good, anxiety-busting properties, and potent brain nutrient Cognizin® takes care of daytime lethargy, improving focus, sharpening the mind and effectively counteracting all those hours lost to poor sleep.

Sleep apnea symptoms can quickly accelerate from disrupting to debilitating, so it’s worth trying absolutely everything possible to treat it and maintain your bed/life balance. Though if it does all end in divorce, for goodness sake make sure you get the beachhouse.