Sleeping in a shared bed with your partner, no doubt, brings a sense of closeness that can make you feel happy. Additionally, you may have a rigid bedtime routine with your partner that helps you nod off easier at night. But if one or both of you are affected by a case of snoring or duvet hogging, you may eventually warm up to the idea of sleep divorce. Here, we discuss what sleep divorce is, its benefits, and how to go about approaching sleep divorce with your partner.
Whilst the term’ sleep divorce’ sounds harsh, it refers to couples choosing to sleep in different bedrooms. Often the result of having difficulty sleeping next to someone who snores or has frustrating bed habits, such as taking up too much space or stealing too much of the duvet. Suppose one of you chooses to sleep on the guest bed or invest in a second bedroom set-up. There are actually many advantages to making this move.
As we’ve alluded to, one of the main benefits of sleep divorce means you won’t be disturbed by your partner anymore. If they were a frequent snorer, you could abandon the earplugs and relish in the silence. Is your other half a duvet hogger? Now you can enjoy the full extent of a cosy duvet – all without being disturbed at night!
Similarly, you won’t have to worry about tossing and turning within the limits of your half of the bed. Nor will you have to kick or shove your partner in the middle of the night to shift them back to their side of the bed. No matter the size of the mattress in your second or guest bedroom, you can rest easy knowing that your partner won’t be encroaching on your space.
Due to the two above points, you should experience much higher quality sleep. With fewer disturbances, you should be able to achieve deeper sleep, longer REM cycles and overall better snoozing. It’s reported that 59% of couples who sleep separately state their sleep quality has improved.
You may think it’s a bit silly to begin with, but you will experience fewer feelings of frustration and agitation toward your partner. You may wake up from a frequently disturbed sleep and take it out on your other half. Even if you don’t, this irritation can be underlying and cause you to unconsciously resent your partner.
Obviously – it’s not your partner’s fault what they do in their sleep, but this doesn’t diminish the effect it has on you. If you’re sleep-deprived and can avoid the consequent feelings of annoyance by moving forward with sleep divorce, you can sidestep potential resentment. After all, bitterness fades quickly once a person doesn’t feel sleep deprived.
If you don’t have a spare room in your home, this can pose a problem for sleep divorce. Sleeping on a couch or sofa bed is far from a permanent solution, so we don’t recommend opting for this in the long term.
Instead, you may have to find other solutions. Investing in a large bed can circumvent the issue of space, such as a king size or super king size bed. For those frequently woken up by snoring, there is an assortment of effective multiple-use earplugs to choose from. These quick fixes might not be as effective as a sleep divorce, but they can help keep sleep deprivation at bay.
Many people vouch that not waking up next to your other half is something they miss after sleep divorce. Some couples may hate this idea, but for improved sleep, there has to be a cost somewhere. If this is an aspect you would miss, there are no rules to say you can’t share a bed every now and then.
If a sleep divorce is the best way to improve your sleep quality, then that’s the best way forward. However, it can be a sensitive topic to discuss with your partner. The main objective is to ensure that your partner understands that you don’t want to avoid them, simply that you need a different sleeping environment. If your sleep is negatively impacted by their sleeping habits, they should understand that this is what you need to do. We recommend avoiding the term’ sleep divorce’ due to the negative connotations surrounding the latter word.
If you are considering sleep divorce, you might need a mattress and bed frame to ensure you’re on your way to better sleep. At Mattressman, we have what you need, so look through our versatile range of mattresses and bed frames.
