BHOPAL: Loud snoring nearly ended five-year marriage before counselling saved relationship.
A five-year marriage in Madhya Pradesh's capital, Bhopal, came close to ending in divorce over an unusual issue — the husband's loud snoring. However, timely intervention by a senior family counsellor helped the couple reconcile and save their marriage.
About four months ago, a homemaker approached family counsellor Rita Tuli seeking a divorce from her husband, an employee of a private company, saying she could no longer tolerate his loud snoring.
The woman had no complaints about her husband's nature, behaviour or fidelity. In fact, she described him as "a very good person." Her only grievance was that his loud snoring kept her awake throughout the night, leaving her exhausted and increasingly frustrated.
Saying she could no longer endure sleepless nights, the woman requested the counsellor's help in obtaining a divorce.
Despite her decades of experience handling marital disputes involving harassment, domestic violence and incompatibility, Tuli said the case stood out because of its unusual nature.
"As a family counsellor, my first duty is to determine whether there is still any scope for reconciliation. My priority is always to try to save a marriage before it reaches the point of divorce," Tuli told The New Indian Express.
"During counselling, the woman said she had repeatedly raised the issue of her husband's snoring, but he dismissed her concerns, insisting that he did not snore. This led to frequent arguments every morning, which gradually began affecting their five-year marriage. I counselled both of them and advised them to live separately for three months before returning for a follow-up session," she said.
Following the counsellor's advice, the couple lived apart for three months, while their son stayed with his mother.
"Distance often helps couples distinguish between temporary irritants and genuine long-term incompatibility. That is exactly what happened in this case," Tuli said.
"When they returned after three months, the outcome was unexpected. They admitted they had missed each other during the separation and had begun to value their relationship more. The issue of loud snoring no longer seemed significant. They mutually decided to withdraw the divorce plan and continue their life together with their son and other members of their joint family, ultimately saving their marriage," she added.
