"Sleep Divorces" are becoming a growing trend among couples who choose to sleep in separate bedrooms to improve their sleep quality.
We asked Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Leah Harter to tell us more about them.
She says, "According to a study the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, more than a third of people admitted to sleeping in a separate room from their partner, either on an occasional or consistent basis. More millennials practice the sleep divorce than other age groups - at 43 percent."
So is it wrong for couples to sleep in different bedrooms? Leah says no! "Getting the right amount of healthy sleep is important for relationships."
Studies show that those who get poor sleep are more likely to engage in conflicts with their partners.
Sleep deprivation affects many things including putting people in a crummy mood and it can also affect how people communicate and even handle adversities.
Leah says instead of thinking of sleeping separately as a sleep divorce, create a sleep alliance.
She says, "Use collaborative language when bringing up a sleep arrangement that could work." "Create rituals for evening and morning to maintain intimacy even in separate beds or bedrooms.
You can read the full study here, and to contact Leah, visit ccofpc.org/our-customers.
