A Fool-Proof Formula for Partners with Different Sleep Habits

Scientists believe that each of us has a unique sleeping chronotype that puts us somewhere on the spectrum between morning lark and night owl. With more than 60% of adults sleeping with someone else, it's no wonder that individual sleep patterns often clash.

In fact, a survey by a leading bedroom furniture company found that 75% of couples report that they go to bed at separate times up to four nights a week. The major reasons include long work hours, socializing, or online shopping and video games.

Meanwhile, more than a third of couples say they argue because their partner disturbs them or wakes them due to conflicting schedules.

Fortunately, you don't have to resign yourself to insomnia just because you and your partner have incompatible bedtimes. Try these tips for enhancing your slumbers and your marital satisfaction.

Steps to Take With Your Partner

1. Accept your differences. Individual sleep patterns are rooted in biology and habits, and they're difficult to change. Tampering with them may leave you drowsy and unproductive, so it's more constructive to work with your natural tendencies.

2. Communicate openly. Communication is key to resolving any issue. Talk with your partner about your needs and collaborate on finding solutions.

3. Address root issues. It may be easier to argue about daily schedules when it's really something more sensitive that's troubling you. Ask yourself if you're avoiding deeper concerns.

4. Maintain multiple bedtimes. Make staggered bedtimes work for you. It can be a convenient way to divide up parenting responsibilities if one of you cooks breakfast and the other one takes care of baths and pajamas.

5. Consider separate bedrooms. Many happy couples sleep apart. It's one option if you have enough space.

6. Schedule time together. Whatever arrangements you decide on, make it a priority to spend time with your partner. Go to the gym together or take a foreign language course.

Steps to Take With Your Home

1. Buy a larger bed. Research shows that you're less likely to be woken up by your partner if you're sleeping in a king-size bed. If that's beyond your budget, you could still get your own blanket.

2. Adjust the lights. Try a clip-on book light if you want to read in bed. For dressing in the morning, keep a lamp behind a screen instead of turning on the overhead lights.

3. Minimize noise. You're bound to make some sounds when you enter the bedroom after your partner has gone to bed. To minimize the disruption, wait at least an hour so they're more likely to be in a deep sleep.

4. Limit electronics. It's easier to get your forty winks if you turn off TVs and computers at least an hour before retiring. If you're carrying your phone to bed, put it on vibrate under your pillow.

More Tips

1. Remove your kids. More than 81% of married adults who typically sleep with their child report having a sleep problem, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Keep your kids in their own rooms.

2. Deal with stress. You'll both sleep more peacefully if you're relaxed. Meditate before bed and look for ways to simplify your lifestyle.

3. Go camping. Studies show that sleeping outdoors can help to restore your internal clock. Pitching a tent in the back yard or visiting a national park could be a fun way to start working on healthier sleep habits.

Even if you're a lark married to a night owl, you can have a good nights' sleep and a happy marriage. Enjoy each other's differences while you manage your body clocks so you'll be well-loved and well-rested.

Do You Have a Sleep Disorder?

You spend roughly one third of your life asleep. It’s an important part of your life that affects every other part. Just try going without sleep for a few days and see what happens to you physically and mentally!

While many people with sleep disorders are well aware of their difficulties, there are many others that have sleep disorders, but don’t realize it. Could you be one of the 70 million people in the US alone that suffer from a sleep disorder?

Let’s find out.

There are several symptoms that suggest you might be suffering from a sleep disorder:

1. Tired even after a full night of sleep. Do you still feel tired after you’ve gotten at least seven hours of sleep? Try to keep track of the time you fall asleep and when you wake up. If you’re getting at least seven hours of sleep and still feel tired, this is a strong indication that you might have a sleep disorder.

2. Loud snoring, gasping, or you stop breathing during sleep. Does anyone tell you that you snore loudly? Or that you stop breathing during the night? Do you gasp for breath in your sleep? You might have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can also cause excessive fatigue since you’re not sleeping well.

3. Fall asleep at the wrong times. Do you find yourself nodding off at work or in front of the TV in the early evening? This is another sign that your normal sleep is disturbed in some way.

4. Difficulty falling asleep or can’t stay asleep. If you have either of these issues for more than a month, you may have a sleeping disorder. Waking up early and not being able to fall back asleep can also be a sign of depression.

Do any of these symptoms seem familiar? If so, you might have a sleeping disorder. The first step is to ensure that you’re getting enough time in bed each night. If that’s not the issue, it might be time to schedule an appointment with your doctor.

There are five primary types of sleep disorders:

1. Sleep apnea. Sleep apnea occurs when breathing isn’t continuous during the night. This can either be due to an obstruction in the airway or a lack of coordination between the brain and the muscles involved in breathing.

2. Insomnia. This is a difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep. There are many potential causes of insomnia, including stress and hormonal issues.

3. Parasomnias. These are unusual behaviors that occur during sleep. These include:

● Teeth grinding
● Bedwetting
● Sleepwalking and sleep talking
● Nightmares

4. Narcolepsy. This sleep disorder involves falling asleep very quickly when you should be awake. At the most extreme, a narcolepsy sufferer could suddenly fall asleep while driving. More mild cases might involve suddenly excusing yourself from the dinner table and lying down for a nap.

5. Restless leg syndrome. This sensation is hard to describe if you’ve never experienced it. It feels similar to your foot or leg falling asleep. It’s not quite the same prickly feeling, but it’s close. It's a very uncomfortable tingle. You also have an uncontrollable urge to move your legs to relieve the discomfort.

Sleep disorders can range from mildly annoying to dangerous. You can’t live indefinitely without sleep, and the quality of your sleep impacts the rest of your life.

If you think you might have a sleep disorder, make an appointment with your physician. You might find yourself spending a night in a sleep laboratory!

Sleep makes up a third of your life. It’s important to get it right!


Learn more about your health online when you read the rest of our information here about: Sleep Disorders guide and also download the free health report available there!

Warren Tattersall has been a full time nutritional consultant for over 35 years and works with people all over the world to help them improve their health, increase their personal energy levels and to use supplements to assist with diet related health issues.

Just send him a note on the form here - Contact Us - to request a personal no obligation one-on-one consultation with Warren

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