Sharing a bed with your partner each night is said to have lots of benefits. From deepening your connection to improving your quality of sleep, these are some of the reasons why many people enjoy sharing. But everyone’s relationship is different, and each person in the relationship will most likely have a different sleep pattern from the other.
It can sometimes be tricky to accommodate both of you in the relationship as some sleeping habits don’t work well together. However, if you want to fix your nighttime sleeping issues as a couple, keep reading and discover our guide to couple sleeping arrangement.
Mattress for couples
One of the most important parts of your bed is the mattress and the type of one you get. Opting for a mattress for couples can have more benefits than you think. Having the wrong one can massively impact your sleeping arrangement as a couple as well. For example, if the one you currently have isn’t big enough, you’ll probably struggle to comfortably lie next to each other without overheating or taking up room on the other person’s side. You can easily combat this by upgrading to a bigger mattress, giving you both the room you need to sleep peacefully by each other’s side. You also need to be considerate of the firmness level that each person needs too.
It’s no use getting a firm mattress that suits your sleeping position, but then your partner is led there every night in pain because it’s too hard for them. If you both need completely different types of firmness, then you might want to invest in a split mattress. These have the best of both worlds in one as each side has a different firmness level, catering to both your needs.
Snoring Solutions
Snoring is extremely common, but it can be hard to sleep through if you aren’t the one doing it. If your partner’s snoring is particularly bad, then they should consult a medical professional so they can rule out any underlying conditions. Snoring actually decreases the quality of sleep for both of you as well, not just the snorer, so it’s important to try and combat it.
Things like supportive pillows and breathing strips can really make a difference as they help keep the nasal passage clear and hold the neck and head in the correct position. If you find that nothing helps the snoring, then the non-snorer could try heading off to bed slightly earlier so that they can fall asleep before the snoring starts. You could also try having a larger bed and even earplugs if you really struggle to sleep through it.
Hot VS Cold Sleepers
At night, you’re either going to be a person who always feels the cold or always feels too hot. When you’re both the opposite in a relationship, it can make it tricky to lie next to each other. It’s actually recommended to sleep in a slightly cooler room, so if you feel the cold, try using extra blankets for an added toasty layer. If you find that you get too hot, you should take a look at pyjamas and blankets that are designed to keep you cool. Having separate bedding can be an easy solution that quickly solves the issue and means neither of you has to compromise too much.
Alternate Sleep Patterns
Are you a night owl or an early bird? If you’re one, your partner is probably the other, making it hard for you to share a sleep schedule. According to research, your sleeping pattern can be more intrinsic than you think and can be quite unchangeable. This means that if you’re an early bird and your partner is a night owl, there’s probably not much either of you can do to change.
To solve this issue in your couple’s sleeping arrangement, you may have to stagger your bedtimes. For instance, if you can’t sleep until the early hours, don’t go to bed.
You’ll only be led there for hours waiting to finally fall asleep. Instead, let your early riser partner head off to bed at their chosen time and follow them up once you feel the drowsiness of sleep start to hit you. This way you’ll avoid insomnia, and your partner won’t be woken up by your tossing and turning. When it comes to getting up in the morning, if you both have different alarms, try your best to not wake the other by being careful with your movements. Instead of a noisy ringtone alarm, you could pop a sunlight alarm near your side of the bed. The natural glow should wake you up but allow your partner to remain snoozing away.
Deep VS Light Sleepers
As well as different sleep schedules, you may be a deep sleeper who can sleep through the end of the world and your partner might wake at the slightest little movement. This can make it tricky to have different sleep schedules as you make wake them up when you finally decide to join them.
The best thing to do is to allow your light sleeping partner to doze peacefully while you continue with any activities in a separate room. If the glow of your phone keeps them awake, turn the brightness down or use it in the other room. Once you start to feel tired in the other room, you can then quietly re-join them in bed and leave them undisturbed.
Sharing a bed isn’t always easy, but there are things you can do to make it easier. When managing your couple’s sleeping arrangement, try to be especially considerate of each other and think about what you can do to help each other get the sleep that you need. You’ll both thank each other for it and wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day together.
Photos by Spacejoy on Unsplash
