He snores, she monopolizes the blanket. Is there any solution for a couple to have peaceful sleep despite the partners having different sleeping habits?
If doing sports as a couple is often seen as a way to spend more time together, sleeping in the same bed can be a real hassle. We all have a very special way of sleeping – some of us grab all the blanket and take it to their side while others spread there limbs all across the bed. And the thing is that it is quite problematic when our way of sleeping can clash with the sleeping habits of our spouse, and that is what sometimes lead to sleep quarrels among couples.
But before investing in twin beds, here are some tips for sleeping with your partner that will help you get your quality sleep while still spending the night next to your spouse.
Related Reading: 10 Interesting Things You Didn’t Know About Sleep
Snoring: the number one enemy of a couple’s sleep
Snoring is a problem in many couples. We have explored the whole phenomena of snoring in a previous article of ours. You might want to check that to learn a bit more about snoring. But for now, what you need the most to know is that your sleeping position might be the main cause of snoring. To overcome and find peace through your nights, we recommend that you sleep on your side (or roll your own partner on their side so that they stop snoring) or to put pillows under your or your spouse’s back so that your throat is lifted up and your throat muscles a bit tenser before you two fall asleep. You could even invest in an adjustable bed that will enable you to adjust to the best position for you to sleep, thus effectively cutting short any snoring issue. Another option to try to make spending the night sleeping in the same bed as your partner a possibility is: if the snoring is due to nasal congestion, a spray or humidifier can be considered to help clear the nasal passages. Alcohol is also prohibited before bedtime. It can clog the nasal airways and make breathing difficult during the night. And if after all of this, you still can’t find a solution, well, there are always earplugs.
Early bird vs. Night owl: how to sleep well together?
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One wants to admire the sunrise while the other only dreams of sleeping. How to sleep well in the same bed in these conditions? Well, rather than forcing yourself to have the same sleeping schedules, why not just set different alarm clocks? With time, you will soon get used to your partner’s alarm clock ringing and will not have your sleep disturbed because of it, which will help preserving the tranquility of the couple.
Stress: true sleep disorder
The stress caused by work, family and friends can keep you awake, which will, over time, make you sleep on the couch, away from any human presence, to allow yourself to drown in your thoughts and simply overthink (which you should definitely not do). In such times, try asking your spouse for comfort and maybe some tips or advice. And above everything else, rather than running away from the bedroom because you are afraid to keep your spouse awake, go for cuddles or even for more to help you forget about your worries and issues, and hopefully fall asleep faster and better. It is also recommended to listen to soft music or to diffuse a soothing perfume in you bedroom. That will help relaxing both you and your partner.
Tip to sleep better together: don’t share the blanket!
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We all know what a huge problem the blanket causes in a bedroom, right? You wake up in the middle of the night freezing only to find your spouse having the whole blanket wrapped around their body. It actually is quite often the subject of fierce fights during the night between couples. A simple solution would be to simply use two different blankets so that each one of you has its own and everyone is happy! This could also help them to prevent from being charged with disorderly charges from neighbors who might not like to hear loud noises in the middle of the night. Yes, it is true! If couples want to prevent all these (the fight, the tension, and the legal charges), then the best thing they could do is have a separate blanket for each other.
Sleep position in a couple: firm mattress vs soft mattress
One loves to sink into the mattress while the other prefers it hard like a brick. Since the sleeping position as a couple is not to be overlooked and everyone should be comfortable, custom double mattresses that allow you to change the level of firmness will enable everyone to feel at ease.
There are also memory foam mattresses that absorb movement – an ideal solution for people with restless nights. And of course, the most beneficial and recommended solution would be a high quality split-king adjustable bed that not only can adapt to your needs in terms of softness, tilt and shape, but the most interesting part in them is how you can adjust your part of the bed you share with your significant other while your partner adjusts their own side of the bed the way they prefer. You could also consider buying one of those doona covers, which would allow you to layer your bedding as you wish.
Children and pets: a danger to sleep
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Children and animals can prevent a couple from sleeping well during the night. They move and gesticulate a lot, which affects the quality of the couple’s sleep. As difficult as it may be, we recommend you to encourage your children to sleep in their own bed (for that, you can check our articles about how important sleep is for your children as well as the article about how to make your children sleep easily) and leave the cat and the dog out of the bedroom.
Consider sleeping disorders
When the issues related to sleeping in the same bed become more serious within a couple, it should be considered that one of the two parties may be suffering from some kind of sleeping disorder. In that case, it is absolutely necessary to visit a doctor in order to consider treatments against insomnia, sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome (or whichever sleep disorder you may be diagnosed with). If despite that, you still cannot get over the problem of you two sharing one bed, then it may be essential for you two to start considering taking sleeping pills (even if they haven’t been prescribed by your doctor – you can always check with any pharmacy actually) or to find a common ground between you two.