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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Comment
Coco Khan

Is ‘sleep divorce’ the key to marital bliss?

A man and a woman sleeping together in bed
‘In the limited science available on sleep and relationship happiness, sleeping together does appear to be good for couples.’ Photograph: Tetra Images/Getty Images/Tetra images RF

Forgive me, I know it’s judgmental, but when I first came across the internet’s latest buzz phrase, “sleep divorce”, the name for happy couples sleeping in separate beds – with no drama; they just want a good night’s rest – I couldn’t help but think: “Well, well, well, sounds like somebody has a big house.”

And who am I to snark when sleep divorce appears to be helping many couples? It makes sense: sleep is the foundation of health, it affects our mood, our physical wellness, our energy levels, and in turn our ability to be there for one another. If we know good sleep at night makes the parent of an infant more present and engaged during the day, then why not the same for a partner?

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