Image Credit: Pexels |
{This is a collaborative post}
I have to admit that I hadn’t even heard of a sleep divorce until recently,
but this could be because I am one of those really lucky (and yes, I know,
annoying) people who get a good night’s sleep every night. I promise you I
don’t take it for granted and on the very few nights I have had insomnia in my
life, I have been in awe of those of you who cannot sleep well most nights,
but still function during the day.
If sleep doesn’t come easy to you then I can totally understand why the
concept of a separate bed and bedroom to your partner would be an attractive
prospect, especially if they snore, fidget and move about a lot, or have a
completely different time-clock to you.
Should you Sleep Divorce?
I’ve read a few articles recently where relationship experts, marital
counsellors and sex therapists raise their concerns about this new trend.
Apparently, 35% of Americans now sleep in a separate bedroom to their life
partner (according to a March 2023 survey by the American Academy
of Sleep Medicine) and I had to chuckle as I read multiple headlines
that Cameron Diaz wants to normalize the sleep divorce.
I’m all for people doing what works for them, but I do worry that if you spend
too much time apart from your partner the intimacy will go and you’ll start to
be very self-sufficient and it is too easy to drift apart, and maybe lead to a
full divorce.
Can a Mattress help?
Thankfully, those of you with partners whose sleep habits drive you crazy, can
turn to Simba, and give
their Simba’s Hybrid Original mattress a go. The Greater Manchester-made mattress has
been praised for alleviating the effects of ‘fidgety sleepers’ and ‘snoring’
partners. Giving the Hybrid Original a five-star review on Trustpilot, one
reviewer, Julia G said, “Haven't had a full nights [sic]
sleep for many years as my husband has a medical condition and snores
dreadfully. But thanks to Simba this is a thing of the past, hasn't cured the
snoring but certainly much improved and am able to get more good nights sleep
[sic].”
Sounds too good to be true, right? But, 325,000 5* reviews don’t lie and even
if you were a bit dubious, Simba are so confident in the comfort of their
mattresses that they offer a 200-night free trial and a 10-year guarantee. I’ve
been very impressed with the credentials of Simba to be honest; they are B
Corp certified, which means they are interested in and actively working
towards sustainability and they have a mattress recycling service, that you
don’t even have to be a Simba customer to access.
Upon reading all this, my first thought was that they must be super expensive, but there is a great range of mattresses to suit all pockets. From the budget-friendly Essential line, starting at £499 through to the Ultra, you can get all UK and European size mattresses and many even come with free pillows, duvet and mattress protector at the moment.
Using the data of 10+ million sleepers, Simba’s mattresses have been designed by experts to suit every sleep style and body type. Crafted from 5 layers of clever materials, with 1,900 supportive titanium Aerocoil® micro springs, based on a king size, an extra deep layer of Simbatex® foam adds elasticity for cushioning comfort. The foam base of the plush 25cm deep HybridⓇ features nine support zones designed to mirror the body, especially heavier, wider areas such as the hips and shoulders.
You don't have to be restricted to choosing a mattress from Simba though, they have a whole range of associated products that could help you have a better night's relaxation and sleep from european double mattress protectors to slippers.
Does Good Sleep Improve Your Relationship?
Simba’s research (1), polling 2,000
people in the UK, has discovered that 60% of Gen Z (respondents aged 18-24)
and 66.5% of millennials (25-44) believe that a better night’s sleep would
improve their relationship. In contrast, 3 in 10 baby boomers (65+) believe
that sleep would improve their relationship with their partners. Sleep expert
Lisa Artis, Deputy CEO of the Simba’s charity partner, The Sleep Charity
believes that younger couples should “consciously recouple and sleep better
together” and say goodnight to the sleep divorce.
“While sleeping separately might seem like a solution to individual sleep issues, the benefits of co-sleeping for emotional bonding, conflict resolution, and overall health and well-being make a strong case against sleep divorces. Compared to sleeping individually, studies have shown co-sleeping was associated with about 10% more and less fragmented REM sleep”
It seems to me that there is a strong case for sticking with your shared bed and trying your best to undertake good sleep hygiene habits to help your relationship. There won't be a sleep divorce in my house, however loud hubby's snores get!
(1) Simba commissioned Sago to poll 2,017 respondents for the research.