For generations, the marital bed has been part of our culture. Couples sleep in the same space, no matter what. While many pairs long ago realized the necessity of sleeping apart, this choice has become a trend among the sleep-deprived and snore-smothered. This so-called sleep divorce just might save marriages.
Reasons Couples Don’t Sleep Well Together
When you’re fighting, you reserve the right to make your significant other sleep on the couch. Maybe the reason you’re fighting is because you haven’t gotten enough rest because your partner keeps you up with:
- Snoring
- Teeth grinding
- Cover hogging
- Fitfulness or jerkiness
- Temperature incompatibility
- Different sleep cycles
The Inevitability of Sleep Deprivation
Plenty of couples have been sleeping separately for years, having a personal sleep mediation but keeping their sleeping arrangements quiet for fear of judgment from family or friends. What these couples have realized, though, is that they are happier, healthier people thanks to nighttime space.
Plenty of mattress companies have worked to achieve compatibility among people who sleep differently, going so far as to make it possible to adjust temperatures on both sides of the bed. Those mattress experts can’t do anything about the audio problems that exist between couples at night though.
The Sleep Foundation recently surveyed 1,250 adults in the United States and found that 1.4% of respondents have slept separately from their partners for a year or more – and over half admitted that sleeping alone improved their sleep quality. Sleep experts say it’s difficult to enter the deep stage of sleep the body needs to recharge when you’re beside a mover and snorer.
Spice Up the Bedroom by Sleeping Alone
Some couples might argue against sleeping alone because it might negatively impact their sex life, but researchers report that being well-rested improves sexual desire. In a UK study where one in four couples are sleeping apart, 34% said they were having more and better sex. Instead of mundane or expected encounters in the marital bed, couples are rested enough to have good sex and present their best selves to their partner.
Are There Any Cons to a Sleep Divorce?
A researcher at the University of Arizona reports that sleeping alone is associated with a higher likelihood of depression and less satisfaction in a relationship. But some might argue that depression is far more likely if they don’t get enough sleep and, if they do get great sleep, wouldn’t it follow that they’re satisfied?
Ultimately, every relationship is different. Some couples might not share a bed during the week but do on the weekends. Others might have two beds in the same room. Still more may have their own bedrooms or make good use of the guest room. Whether you are a night owl and your partner is an early riser or whether one is a light sleeper and the other sleeps like the dead, choose the sleep habits that fit your marriage best. You never know – get a sleep divorce and you might avoid a Michigan divorce.
If you’re in a place where no amount of separation is far enough, rely on Femminineo Attorneys. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with a divorce lawyer.