"I Can't Take It Anymore"... Why Are Half of Korean Couples Sleeping Separately?

Only 28.8% Report Satisfaction with Their Sleep
51.6% Have Slept Separately to Improve Sleep Quality

It has been found that 7 out of 10 adults experience discomfort with their sleep due to issues such as snoring and insomnia. More than half of respondents also reported that they had, at some point, chosen to sleep separately from their cohabitant in order to improve sleep quality.

On March 5, Philips Korea, in collaboration with Korea Research, released the results of a survey on 'sleep habits and awareness of sleep apnea,' which was conducted among 800 adults nationwide and 201 Philips positive airway pressure device users. The survey was held in recognition of World Sleep Day (March 13).

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The survey results indicated a high level of awareness regarding the importance of sleep health. Sleep (36.4%) was identified as the most important element in managing health, surpassing diet (35.7%) and exercise (27.8%). It was also evaluated as crucial for both physical (89.8%) and mental (88.0%) health.

However, actual satisfaction with sleep was not high. Only 28.8% of respondents said they were satisfied with their sleep. 70.4% of respondents reported experiencing discomfort with their sleep due to insomnia (25.9%), snoring (24.8%), or sleep apnea (9.1%).

Management of symptoms that can disrupt sleep was also found to be insufficient. Of the 198 respondents who said they experienced snoring, 53.3% stated that they had never attempted any treatment. Even among those who did seek treatment, the majority tried non-surgical methods such as weight loss or abstaining from alcohol (27.8%), or passive approaches like nasal irrigation (15.7%).

Sleep problems were found to affect not only individuals but also those living with them. Among 674 respondents who lived with someone else, 41.5% said that their cohabitant's sleep condition influenced their relationship, and 51.6% said they had at some point chosen to sleep separately in order to improve sleep quality.

In many cases, sleep disorders were recognized through the observation of a cohabitant. Among 274 patients with sleep apnea, 37.6% said their cohabitant noticed abnormal breathing during the night, which made them aware of their own symptoms. Additionally, 25.5% became aware of the problem because their cohabitant's sleep was disrupted by severe snoring.

Dohyun Park, Head of Sleep & Respiratory Care at Philips Korea, stated, "Since sleep apnea is a condition that is difficult to recognize on one's own, attention from family members is crucial. Severe snoring by a cohabitant should not simply be regarded as noise; it should prompt early diagnosis through a polysomnography and appropriate treatment such as positive airway pressure therapy."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.