Snoring hinders sleep and hurts relationships

All the jokes and sitcom situations making light of couples fighting over one or the other's snoring habit may not be so funny after all: a recent study suggests that snoring not only interferes with getting enough sleep, for all people involved, but can also tear relationships apart. And sadly, the two play off each other -- lack of sleep making both parties tired, irritable, and less likely to be interested in intimacy.

There are treatments for chronic snoring, including everything from simple earplugs to more drastic measures like surgery. Experts warn that splitting into separate bedrooms should be viewed as a temporary fix for a problem like this one, and both should agree on a clear "plan of attack" for returning to a shared situation as soon as possible. For many couples, the time spent catching up on the day and visiting with each other while getting into bed is some of the only "alone time" they get all day.

So if this is something you're dealing with, be proactive! Don't let a little snoring action ruin your relationship.