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Topics: Sleep, Health, Sex and Relationships
Niamh Shackleton
Topics: Sleep, Health, Sex and Relationships
Couples are having a so-called 'sleep divorce', and it's said to be impacting their sex lives.
I'm sure we can all agree there's nothing worse than having a rubbish night's sleep, and it can have a huge impact on your health — including your memories.
Research has found that within just a few hours of experiencing sleep deprivation, it can impact your 'concentration, mood, and ability to carry out everyday tasks'.
"It can also mess with our memory, and over time, sleep deprivation can contribute to long-term health issues, including problems with the immune system and heart health," experts at Dreams' Sleep Matters Club further explained.
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There are many reasons why you might not have had a restful night, and a common cause of a bad night's sleep is your partner snoring or being restless.
Anywhere between 25 to 50 per cent of adults snore regularly, so if you're someone with a significant other who is a noisy sleeper, then a 'sleep divorce' might be for you.
A sleep divorce is when a couple decides to sleep in separate beds, and it's a trend that has gained popularity over the years.
Sleep device manufacturer ResMed has recently conducted its annual Global Sleep Survey, which found that 61 per cent of people who sleep separately from their partner reported having better quality sleep, as per the New York Post.
In addition, nearly 18 per cent of couples slept separately every night - with the US and the UK split evenly between the two camps.
A lot of people do it — Cameron Diaz and her husband Benji Madden included.
In addition to better quality sleep, Dr. Alison Wimms, Director of Medical Affairs for the company, told news.com.au: "26 per cent said it improved their relationship, and almost 16 per cent noted a positive impact on their sex life."
"Sleeping separately can also improve sleep quality by reducing disturbances from different schedules, snoring, or movement during sleep," the health expert went on.
Others have hailed sleeping apart as a 'lifesaver'. For example, Choosing Therapy's Jamesalina M Tyus insists that some of the positives to sleeping in separate beds include 'increased feelings of being rested, increased time with self, increased bed space, undisturbed sleep cycles, increased longing for intimacy and sex [and] less fighting about sleep differences'.
Some experts argue that while a sleep divorce may be beneficial for a good night's rest, it's not always beneficial for your relationship.
Dr. Carol Ash, a sleep expert at RWJ Barnabas Health in New Jersey, is an advocate for couples sleeping side by side, as she told TODAY: "When you sleep with a bed partner, you have synchronization and stabilization of the pattern of sleep brain waves."
Sydney couple's therapist, Shahn Baker Sorekli, is also an advocate for sleeping in the same bed but admitted that it 'can be helpful in some circumstances'.
Discussing the matter on the news.com.au's From the Newsroom podcast, Sorekli argued: "The main reason is coming together at the end of the night allows for a bit of a nice routine for the relationship where you can have a moment of connection and intimacy.
"I'm not talking about, you know, long deepened meaningfuls in bed. It might just be a little snuggle, might just be reading next to each other, but kind of coming together at the end of the night."
Backing this, figures have shown that one in five of those who have split up at night said they felt their relationship and sex life took a turn for the worse after sleeping apart.