relationships

Along with sharing finances and household chores, sharing a bed is common practice for most couples. But new research conducted at Ryerson University suggests that sleeping apart can lead to a better night’s rest.

Dr. Colleen Carney, the study’s main researcher, explains what happens during sleep in the brains of people who share a bed. “We actually see that their brain is not getting into deeper stages of sleep because they’re continuously being woken up by movement or by sound,” she says. So, as much as you and your partner love falling asleep while spooning, you could both feel better rested if you slept apart.

There’s a stigma associated with sleeping in separate beds or bedrooms: it seems like something reserved for old people or unhappy couples. However, a recent poll found that an upwards of 30% of twosomes are going their separate ways at bedtime in order to ensure they get enough zzzs.

Couples who aren’t getting a good night’s sleep when sharing a bed may fear that sleeping apart will lead to a breakdown of intimacy in their relationship, but Carney insists it could actually have the opposite affect.

“Some people might be headed for divorce and then they actually sleep apart and find this new way to connect,” she says. [CBC]