- Brits will spend the night on the sofa or in the spare room this Valentine’s Day
- Sleep experts at Silentnight share their tips for keeping the peace and romance if you have a fidgety partner
More than half of couples (55%) miss out on sleep every night because of their partner’s fidgeting between the sheets, according to new national research.
According to data from Silentnight, it’s predicted that 17% of people in relationships will resort to the sofa or spare room to get away from their other half’s nightmare sleep habits on Valentine’s Day (February 14th).
Overall, Silentnight’s research found Brits miss out on around two hours of sleep every night due to their partner’s tossing and turning, which over a prolonged period of time could have an impact on relationships.
Reasons for lost sleep include temperature, with one in five Brits (25%) admitting the struggle to keep warm at night keeps them up, cost of living pressures (11%) worries about work (10%) and not having a comfortable mattress or bed (8%).
To help couples find their perfect sleeping rhythm this Valentine’s Day, Silentnight’s Sleep Expert Hannah Shore has shared some simple tips to follow:
- SOLO SLEEPING MIGHT BE RIGHT FOR YOU
Don’t be afraid to sleep in separate beds, more couples do it than you might think – it’s completely normal. We all sleep in our own unique way and some people simply can’t share a space due to their specific night-time habits.
Prioritising your sleep will improve your well-being, helping you feel happier, increasingly energetic and more present throughout the day. A lack of sleep can leave you irritable, emotional and grumpy – leaving us to take those emotions out on others.
Sleeping in separate beds might just be the best thing for your relationship!
- HONE YOUR PRE-SLEEP RITUALS
Don’t let the pressures of sharing a bed take their toll – the key to quality sleep is a peaceful wind-down routine that’ll keep you calm and ready to conquer the night ahead.
Get in the mood by having a pre-bedtime ritual. This could include reading, meditating or listening to soothing music, all of which help to promote a sense of calm and relaxation for a comfortable and restful sleep.
- UNDERSTAND YOUR ENVIRONMENT
One of the keys to sound sleep is understanding the needs for both you and your partner – not everyone sleeps the same. You need to talk with your partner and understand what each other needs from their sleeping environment.
Then you can create a night-time environment that feels secure and comfortable. Invest in cosy quilted throws and additional pillows to maximise your chances at a great night’s sleep (or create a barrier between you and your partner if their pesky sleeping habits become too much!).
- OPTIMISE YOUR ENVIRONMENT
If you’re someone who likes to sprawl out in bed, you may want to consider getting a bigger bed (a standard double sized bed leaves each sleeper with the same room as a child’s cot!). A king-size bed will give you extra space in both length and width and may cut out arguments over who’s hogging the bed!
Also take a look at what your mattress is made out of. Silentnight’s Miracoil mattresses are designed to reduce partner disturbance. By using a continuous coil running head to toe on the mattress (instead of left to right), we can reduce the amount of movement transferring across the mattress.
- GET THOSE CUDDLES IN
It’s Valentine’s Day so why not cuddle before bed? Not everyone enjoys cuddling, but it can in some cases lead to improved sleep and wellbeing. It can release serotonin, the happy hormone, which relieves stress and improves overall health and well-being.
So, this February 14th, try and set enough time aside to cuddle before both of you are ready to go to sleep.
