Do You and Your Partner Swap Sides in Bed: The Science of Sharing a Bed
Is it ok to eat food in bed?
Ideally, your bed should be used for two things only: sex and sleep. Beyond the fact that crumbs and spills in your bed are gross, eating food late at night means your body is digesting these foods when you should be sleeping. While you can technically eat breakfast in bed in the morning, we stick by our statement that crumbs in your sheets aren’t cute. Additionally, doing non-sleep-related activities in your bedroom will make falling asleep at night harder.
Should couples have separate blankets or duvets?
Having separate duvets or blankets can significantly improve the quality of sleep for couples. This might not be necessary if you both sleep well, have the same temperature preferences, and are happy sharing a blanket. However, some people are hot sleepers while others are cold sleepers. Some are light sleepers; others snore heavily and don’t wake easily. And, of course, you have the dreaded people who unknowingly pull the blanket away from their partner. All these things can lead to bad sleep—and resentment!
Is sleeping somewhere else okay if your partner is sleeping and you can’t?
Couples often have different sleeping patterns (and different sleep hygiene), so sharing a bed, aka co-sleeping, may not always be feasible. For some people, giving up the intimacy of sleeping with each other may be worth days filled with fatigue. If you value your sleep and can make time for intimacy, sleeping in separate bedrooms is fine and doesn’t mean your relationship is broken. After all, constantly getting up in the middle of the night to sleep on the sofa doesn’t sound like the most pleasant experience.
Whose job is it to tend to a crying baby?
Unfortunately, this will often end up being the responsibility of the lighter sleeper or the person who is breastfeeding the child. But if this is the case, the person getting more rest should pick up the slack throughout the daytime, knowing that their partner is on nocturnal duties. If you can find a way to balance out the scales at night and take turns, then by all means, do that!
