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Is sleeping in separate beds the beginning of the end?

As we get older and managing to enjoy a whole nights sleep gets harder, is separate beds or bedrooms the answer?

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip do it. Nearly one in four couples sleep in separate bedrooms or beds, according to a 2015 survey by the National Sleep Foundation. Recent studies in America and Japan have found similar results.

The marital bed, once the symbol of British matrimony on a par with the diamond ring and the tiered wedding cake is threatened with extinction. “Till Death Do Us Part” is fast becoming “Till Sleep Do Us Part.”

Separate sleepers cite a range of reasons for their habit, including snoring, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, and regular trips to the toilet which cause disturbance to their sleeping partner.

From my own personal experience I think we both get much better sleep when we sleep apart, and my husband agrees saying “Not that we don’t love each other, but at a certain point you just want your own room.” For us, sleeping in separate beds is a practical decision, made with the ultimate goal of both of us having a good night’s sleep.

People are suddenly making their own sleep a priority. If their rest is being impaired by their partner, the attitude now is that I don’t have to put up with this.

So what is your view?  Do you sleep in the same bed with your partner, or separately? Have you tried sleeping apart? How do you feel about separate beds or separate bedrooms?

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