A quarter of British couples no longer sleep in the same bed

Almost a quarter of British couples NO LONGER sleep in the same bed as their partner, according to a new study.

Researchers took an in-depth look into the bedtime habits of the nation’s couples and discovered the stresses and strains of modern life have resulted in 24 percent of Britons now regularly sleeping separately to their other half.

According to the research by Bensons for Beds, letting children into the marital bed is a major issue, with the average parent allowing their child into bed with them FIVE times a month on average.

A further 16 percent said when a child invariably ends up in the marital bed, one of the adults ends up having to sleep somewhere else.

In fact, nearly one in ten (8 percent) of the 1,500 couples polled said they were no longer as close to their partner since they have stopped sleeping together, while a further 28 percent said their sex life had suffered.

An embarrassed 31 percent admitted they lie to friends and family because they are too ashamed to say they no longer share a bed with their partner.

Psychologist and relationship expert Donna Dawson, commented on the research: “The results of this research are quite concerning. The reality is that partners risk drifting apart emotionally if they sleep apart physically.

“The intimacy of being a couple is eroded by being on your own at night. There is also the risk that a couple’s sex life suffers, as you are no longer stimulated by the physical presence of your partner.

“It is no great surprise that having children can distract and tire parents, so sharing a bed with a child should be an absolute last resort and couples should try and ensure this does not become habitual.

“In today’s stressful world, it is important that couples guard against the things that work to keep them apart, and consciously strive to find more ways to spend time together – and sharing a comfortable bed at the end of a long, hard day is one of the most important ways."

The study was commissioned by Bensons for Beds to celebrating winning the coveted Bed Retailer of the Year award at the National Bed Federation Bed Industry Awards.

According to the data, 25 percent admit they sleep in a different bed because their partner snores, while 19 percent of the nation claimed their partner regularly falls asleep in front of the TV and doesn’t ever make it to bed.

38 percent say they sleep in another bed due to arguments or problems in the relationship, while a considerate 14 percent say they sleep in a different bed as they have to get up earlier for work than their partner and they don’t want to disturb them, while 11 percent say they go their separate ways at bedtime if one of them has come home a little worse for wear after a night out with friends.

And according to the data we will sleep in separate rooms three times a year on average following a bust up with our partner.

Henry Swift, Chief Customer Officer at Bensons for Beds, which commissioned the study said, “Juggling long work hours and children is difficult and it’s no wonder that the majority of Brits are no longer sharing a bed or spending intimate time with their partners.

“The fact that nearly 2 in 10 people are relocating themselves to the spare room is astonishing. Given we spend one third of our time in bed, getting a good night’s sleep with your partner is a key component to a healthy life and happiness so discovering that over 51% of consumers find their beds uncomfortable is really worrying.”

For 51 percent of us the sofa is where we go, when not cuddled up to our partner, while 34 percent of those who no longer spend the night with their partner, the spare room has now become the place where they sleep.

17 percent admit they have even moved some of their belongings into the spare room because they spend so much time sleeping there.

And when push comes to shove, 60 percent of us admit that we actually prefer to sleep on our own.

57 percent of those surveyed said they could be tempted to get back into the same room as their partner if their bed was more comfortable.

ENDS

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