A study by Hillarys has found that one in five married couples choose not to sleep in the same bed and no longer share a bedroom.
Relationships on Female First
This might sound like a sad statistic, but despite this divide, many couples maintain that their marriage is still in great shape. Which begs the question- is it such a bad thing after all?
The average amount of time the couples in the study had been married for was 7 years and many had shared a house with their partner for 10 years.
It would seem that most couples had stuck it out for around 4 years before around 57% mutually decided to sleep separately. Their reasons for sleeping apart are not as worrying as you might think.
Many couples admit to sleeping better alone. There is no chance of disturbance from their partner's restless sleeping- if one tends to have a more unsettled night than the other.
Others confessed that they like to have their own space- many aren't a fan of snuggling up to their loved one and prefer to be able to starfish whenever they like.
Not surprisingly, some couples said their arrangement was due to incessant snoring or insomnia, so they could get some rest and not be kept up all night by their significant other.
Childcare related issues is another reason for parents sleeping separately- some children require around the clock care which affects normal sleeping routines.
Some spouses are just being considerate- they don't want to wake their partner if they're coming in from a night shift or setting off early in the morning and would rather sleep in a different room so this doesn't happen.
Less frequent factors included lifestyle issues- some partners prefer a wall between them when their lover is due to come in late from a night of partying.
Tara Hall, spokesperson for Hillarys, says:
"It seems sad to think that there are so many lonely marital beds out there! But the fact is that not all couples find that sharing a bed or a room suits their lifestyle and if sleeping in separate bedrooms helps, good luck to them! Perhaps it's a lesson that others can learn from, especially those rowing over who's stolen the duvet or what colour scheme to go for. Having separate rooms entirely means that you can have it exactly as you want, without any compromises, and you'll never be interrupted by the snores and sleep talking of your other half!"