Sharing a bed is one of the greatest joys in a long-term relationship. The moments of falling off to sleep with each other and waking up to each other just seems right and somewhat contributes to the source of intimacy in a relationship.
However, while couples spend nearly a third of their lives sleeping together, sharing a bed could potentially be detrimental to many when faced with partner disturbance. Albeit partner disturbance is the common factor for un-restful sleep, but the truth in fact lies deeper.
One can say that the lost of sleep, fatigue, light headedness and many other symptoms caused by partner disturbance is simply a disguise for something greater. Thus leading us to the real culprit which is sleep disturbances.
Sleep disturbances
Sleep disturbance is when the quality of your sleep is jeopardised. It can happen when one or both parties fall off to sleep but end up tossing and turning in bed. What makes it worse is that when you sleep with a partner, you share their sleep problems too!
So what causes sleep disturbances?
1. Blue light and sounds
When a partner uses their phone or watches tv while the other sleeps, the blue light that emits from their screen and the sounds of what they’re watching will affect the other partner’s internal clock sense and interrupt their sleep.
Solution: Try to keep your bedroom screen free. Blue light emission is one of the biggest contributor to sleep disturbance and should be put away while you sleep. However, if you do choose to allow screens in the bedroom, discuss how you can both best benefit from it without interfering with each other’s sleep.
2. Snoring & breathing problems
In 2018, a National Sleep Survey found that 29% of Malaysians suffer from snoring. And while it can be an annoyance to the person sleeping with the snorer, it also disrupts the quality of sleep for the snorer themselves! And as a result, both partners would suffer poor quality of sleep, keeping the one who is a lighter sleeper awake all night, restless.
Solution: Snoring can be an indication of a more serious health condition like obstructive sleep apnea. Snoring can also be caused by sinuses, obesity, allergies, smoking and many more. So make a lifestyle change. You can start by exercising or losing weight or you can consciously sleep on your sides to reduce the snoring. However, when dealing with a greater cause like sleep apnea or addiction, please seek medical advice from your doctor.
Ref: https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/health/2018/05/17/malaysians-jsuffer-sleep-problems/
3. Sleep Patterns
Different sleep patterns causes sleep disturbances as well. Whether you’re the night owl working past midnight or the early riser whose alarm goes off at the break of dawn, these too are causes for disruptions in your partner’s sleep patterns as well.
Solution: Discuss how you can make your sleep patterns work for each other. If you work well past midnight or can get lost in your book while the other sleeps, then choose to work from your study than in the bedroom or get a book light than shines only into your book instead of on your partner. For early risers, make sure you turn off your alarm right away and avoid snoozing which could possibly wake your partner up as well.
4. Temperature
There will be days when one partner may feel hotter or colder than the other and finding a solution for this is never easy. There are many different reasons you may feel this way – from being out in the sun for long hours, being stuck in a freezing office, or just not feeling well; adjusting to the right sleep temperature makes a difference in the quality of your sleep.
Solution: Try turning on your air conditioner half an hour before bed time to cool your bedroom. Using the auto function on your remote will also help to moderate the temperature in your room, keeping it at the perfect temperature and not one that is too hot or too cold. Should your partner be sick, then opt to sleep in separate rooms. This way the room is not only warm enough for them but you also avoid contracting whatever your partner may have.
5. Mattress
The mattress that you both sleep on contributes greatly to your sleep disturbance. While at surface it may not seem like anything, but a deeper look at your mattress will help you discover the many factors that have kept you twisting and turning all night long, such as:
- Space
Sleeping in a constricted space is never comfortable. So get a mattress that is big enough for the both of you. When you sleep, you should have sufficient space to roll around without getting into each other’s territory.
- Support
If you wake up to find yourself sore from your neck to your lower back with heavy muscular tension throughout your body, then there is a high possibility that your mattress does not provide the support required. So look for a mattress that provides all the orthopaedic support you need for that added bounce in your step.
- Comfort
If you’re tossing and turning all night and can’t seem to find a position that’s comfortable for you, it is probably because your pressure points are being disrupted and it is affecting your blood flow. So seek a mattress that hugs you right and gives you the comfort you deserve.
Poor quality sleep causes numerous side effects. It can and will affect your performance at work, your focus and decision making and consequently affect your relationship too. All in all, poor sleep quality will result in a poorer way of life.
So start with eliminating your sleep disturbances and you will see that you are now also less likely to be disturbed by the way your partner sleeps too!
Therefore invest in a good mattress like the Sealy Posturepedic®.
Know that when you purchase a Sealy Posturepedic®, you are choosing the world’s most trusted mattress brand that features orthopaedically correct designs to give you everything you need in a bed. And with a 10 year guarantee, you can rest assure that all of Sealy Posturepedic® mattresses are of the highest quality and you will have peace of mind when you invest in one… or more J
So make the right decision. Choose a mattress that gives you and your partner first class sleep!
Make an appointment today to speak with a Sealy Sleep Expert.
