After Olivia Wilde revealed she’s “intrigued” by the idea of a “bedroom divorce”, experts at MattressOnline are weighing in on why more couples may want to consider sleeping separately this summer.
With over half of Brits (52%) struggling to sleep in hot weather, experts say sleeping apart can improve sleep quality without signalling relationship problems.
To help, Jenni Trent Hughes, Relationship Expert at Mattress Online, provides her insight on “Sleep Divorce” and how it can impact your relationship:
“Sleep Divorce is defined as an arrangement where romantic partners choose to sleep in separate beds or separate bedrooms to improve their rest and well-being.
Just because your partner doesn’t want to sleep in the same bed with you, or you with them, is not necessarily or usually an indication of the state of your relationship.
There are couples where one snores, others where one is a restless sleeper. Some couples work very different schedules; in some instances, one is a night owl and the other wants to be asleep by 10. One of the biggest annoyances that couples mention is that one wants to have the TV or radio on to go to sleep, and the other wants recordings of birds chirping or waves crashing on the beach.”
Hannah Shore, Head of Sleep Science at Mattress Online, also provides her recommendations for a better night’s sleep with your partner this summer:
- Get a Summer Duvet
“It still amazes me the number of people who use the same duvet throughout the year. If you are someone who overheats throughout the summer months, you really need to start by swapping out your thick duvet for a much lower tog. This will trap significantly less heat in and keep you much cooler.”
- Use Separate Duvets
“Also known as the ‘Scandinavian Sleep‘ method, this is something that happens more in mainland Europe. By sharing a duvet, you have two sets of body heat under one cover, meaning extra heat. By using two separate duvets, you are only dealing with your own body heat, instantly making it much easier to regulate your body temperature. Bonus, if you both sleep at different temperatures, you can each have your own tog rating.”
- Opt for Lower Thread Counts
“We often opt for luxurious, cosy-feeling bed sheets with higher thread counts for that extra softness. However, during the hotter months, you may want to reduce the thread count of your sheets to make them more breathable, allowing air to flow through it easier.”
- Try to Reduce Room Temperature
“When the room is cooler, this allows our core body temperature to drop a couple of degrees to get to sleep more easily and stay asleep for longer. Try keeping the curtains closed throughout the day, adding a fan to the room, and creating a draft by opening windows throughout the house.”
- Change Your Mattress Size or Material
“The main cause of sleep disruption is partner disturbance, and with temperatures rising, this may become a more regular thing. If this is something you struggle badly with, you may want to look at replacing your mattress.
A standard double mattress comes with the same space as a cot bed for each of you to sleep in, and so investing in a king-sized bed, or larger, means you both have more space to move around and less chance of disturbing each other.
If you cannot fit a larger bed in the space you have, look for one with increased edge support to maximise the available sleeping space. Firmer springs or ‘butterfly’ clips can help here, but many brands offer their own unique technology for this.
If you find yourself overheating throughout the year, then try a foam-free mattress for increased breathability, temperature regulation and overall coolness throughout the night.”
For more advice on ways to keep you cool whilst sleeping this summer, visit MattressOnline.
Photo by Kampus Production: https://www.pexels.com/photo/beautiful-woman-sleeping-on-bed-5990954/
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