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Sleep Divorce: Why Some People Are Considering This Method

Some people are in, or are considering, a sleep divorce. According to the Cleveland Clinic, a sleep divorce is when couples consciously choose to sleep in either separate bedrooms or…

Shot of a young woman struggling to sleep with her boyfriend's snoring at home
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Some people are in, or are considering, a sleep divorce. According to the Cleveland Clinic, a sleep divorce is when couples consciously choose to sleep in either separate bedrooms or separate beds. There are many reasons people opt for this alternative sleep method. One is having incompatible sleep habits with your partner.

A survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Avocado Green Mattress surveyed 2,000 people and found that a third of Americans look forward to nights when their partner isn’t home. They said that this is because they get the bed to themselves. People who live with a partner appreciate it when either they or their partner isn’t at home, as they don’t have to share a bed (36%).

Sleep Habits in Relationships

The results show that four in five respondents (82%) admit their partner’s sleeping habits consistently wake them up during the night. Their partner snoring (52%), scrolling through their phone before bed (33%), and getting up at night to use the bathroom (33%) were found to be the most common sleep-disruptive habits. a quarter of respondents also deal with their partner hogging the covers (27%), tossing and turning during the night (25%), or "starfishing" across the bed (21%).

To Sleep Divorce or Not?

Despite certain annoyances, the majority of respondents surveyed aren’t quite ready to consider a "sleep divorce" from their partner. The survey found that 79% of people share a bed with their partner, while the remaining 21% either sleep in different rooms (10%), sleep separately in the same room (5%), or admit it "depends on the night" (6%).

Results revealed that 42% of those who sleep separately from their partner believe it "rejuvenated" their relationship. Additionally, 23% believe it's also improved their sex life with their partner.

Seventy percent believe their quality of sleep has increased as a result of sleeping in a separate bed from their partner.

The survey also asked respondents if they have young children under the age of six (20% of respondents), or a dog or cat (38% of respondents). Interestingly, of those respondents (74% of the total), 24% admitted they’d rather sleep with their child and/or their pet than they would their partner.

Check out more insights from the survey here.

Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it. She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel. A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community. She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.