Sleep divorce refers to sleeping apart. In other words, for those couples that currently sleep in the same bed, through a sleep divorce, the couple decides to sleep in separate beds, either in the same room or separate rooms. And, making this decision can help some couples avoid a real divorce.
Why a sleep divorce?
Sleep divorce is most needed for those couples that have trouble sleeping together. This is usually when one partner snores, excessively turns and moves during the night, has sleep terrors or any other thing that causes the other spouse to wake frequently in the night.
For couples already in a rocky patch, this lack of sleep can make issues much worse. But, even for those couples not in a rocky patch, a lack of sleep can cause more frequent arguments and disagreements, which can cause one to start a rocky patch.
Is sleeping separately weird?
No. Currently, about 35% of U.S. adults have sleep divorced, and one in six U.K. couples have a similar arraignment. In fact, until the 1950s, for hundreds of years, sleeping in separate beds or separate rooms was the norm. It was shown in popular shows like, “I love Lucy,” and even talked about by Victorian scholars. It only has become out of vogue recently, so a sleep divorce is actually a return to a more traditional marriage arraignment.
Just one step
Of course, a sleep divorce will not solve all relationship issues. It is simply another step that couples can take to get their marriage to a better place. And, some couples who have tried it noted that it put the spice back in their marriage. It caused the couples to be more affectionate during the day since they were not together at night, and that it added back a sense of intrigue back into their life.
If this does not work though, couples should also try counseling. Though, when it is time to end a relationship, residents in Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange (those three make up the Golden Triangle area) and Houston, Texas, need only contact a divorce attorney to start the process.