People regularly kept awake by a partner's snoring could strengthen their relationship by moving into a separate bed, according to a leading sleep scientist. <br /><br />Rather than a sign you're giving up, shifting to the spare room could mark the "beginning of a new relationship", said Russell Foster, a professor of circadian neuroscience at the University of Oxford.<br /><br />Speaking on the science of good sleep at the Hay Festival, Prof Foster said he was often approached by people who say: "What can I do? Earplugs don't work".<br /><br />"If it's just snoring, what do you do? Well, you sleep in another place. So many people say, 'I slept with my partner for 50 years, it's the end of our relationship'.<br /><br />"No, it isn't. It's the beginning of a new relationship where both of you ideally would be happier, more responsive to each other, less impulsive, less irritable, so I don't think you should be afraid to sleep in an alternative sleeping space if you have one."<br /><br />He warned it was important for snorers to rule out obstructive sleep apnoea as the cause, as it can pose a danger if left untreated.<br /><br />He offered other tips for getting a good night's sleep, including getting natural light in the morning to regulate the body's circadian rhythm and be more alert during the day.<br /><br />Prof Foster also criticised sleep apps, which he said could make people more anxious about sleep.<br /><br />"Don't take sleep apps seriously. They are useless," he said.<br /><br />"They're okay to tell you roughly when you went to sleep, if you woke up in the night and when you finally got up.<br /><br />"But when they start saying, 'You had a good night's sleep, you got lots of REM sleep', it's just nonsense."
