Women are more likely to prefer snoozing separately
During the recent heatwave many couples will have been cursing the extra warmth being generated by their partner as they tried to sleep. Sleeping in the same bed is essentially seen as mandatory for couples in a relationship but scientists suggest that it could be worse for our health, with disturbed sleep far more likely in shared beds.
Now a new YouGov Omnibus survey reveals that as many as one in seven Britons would prefer that they and their romantic partner slept in separate beds.
Asked what their ideal sleeping arrangement would be, if cost and space were no issue and imagining that their choice had no adverse impact on their relationship, 15% of Brits favour sleeping in a different bed to their partner. This includes 10% who would prefer to sleep in different beds in different rooms, with the other 5% preferring to sleep in different beds in the same room.
By contrast, 76% of Brits would rather share the same bed as their partner.
Women are more likely to favour a solitary sleeping situation, with 19% saying they would prefer to snooze in their own bed compared to only 11% of men. One potential explanation for the gender disparity is that men are much more likely to snore, and women tend to be lighter sleepers.
Age also plays a role – among 18-44 year olds only about 10-11% would rather be billeted separately compared to 19-20% of those aged 45 and older.
Married couples are no less likely to want to sleep in the same bed – 16% of married people dream of sleeping apart, as do 15% of those who are living as married.
Photo: Getty
