When bedtime is a solitary thing

Generic pic of woman sleeping

Generic pic of woman sleeping

Published Jun 19, 2015

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London - Three-quarters of British couples regularly go to bed at different times to each other, a study has found.

Heavy workloads, unsociable office hours and hectic social lives are killing off the traditional image of husband and wife climbing into bed together.

Many people turn in alone as their partner is either having a night out, at work, dealing with office problems on email or surfing the net downstairs, according to the research.

Others end up crawling into an empty bed because their other half has stayed up to watch a favourite TV show or sporting event – then being disturbed when their partner finally comes to bed and starts pulling at the covers.

The study of 2 000 people in relationships found 75 percent regularly turn in at a different time to their partner, with one in four “nearly always” doing so.

This can cause tensions, with more than a third saying they have had arguments as a result of being disturbed by their other half’s different sleep pattern. Some can be driven to sleep alone, with three in ten saying they regularly spend the night in a different room to their partner.

A third regularly get under six hours sleep a night, less than the recommended seven to nine hours, said the study for bed maker Warren Evans.

Sleep expert Dave Gibson said: “Our modern lifestyle, with longer work hours and our use of technology right up to bedtime, means that many adults find it hard to switch off.

“Small changes to our lifestyle and daily routine can make a huge difference.”

Daily Mail

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