The other night I slept on a twin bed in the guest room of the house I share with my husband and our two kids. We have a comfortable, firm king-size bed in our master bedroom, but my husband was sick and gross, so rather than hop in the sack with him, I decided to quietly slip down the hallway and sleep alone. It was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in years. For once, I was able to sleep in my preferred position—on my stomach in a big X, socked foot hanging off the bed to the right, sockless foot hanging off the bed to the left. There was no tug of war over the covers, no pokes in the back to alert me to my snoring, no waking up to a wiggly kid (or two) in bed with us. In fact, no waking up at all. It was, pardon the pun, a dream. Having slept so great solo made me wonder, why don’t we all sleep alone? I tossed this question to the hive mind at Slate and was surprised that many had similar feelings.I think about this all the time.” “I recall liking [sharing a bed] at one point … but now … after like 9 years all I think is, ‘Stop breathing on me!’”
“Humans are surprisingly hot. Sharing a bed with a person is like sleeping with a radiator. When I have a girlfriend, there’s a ‘cuddling time’ after which we move as far away from each other as possible to actually sleep. But I’m romantic that way.”Sharing a bed is good for sleeping together, but not actually sleeping together. We all know the importance of sleep, so why then do we still choose to share our beds with the kickers, the snorers, and the human furnaces that we love? “Man since time immemorial has made preparation for sleep, either laying an animal pelt on the ground or using plant matter as some sort of mattress,” according to sleep expert Dr. Neil Stanley. “Originally we all slept together on the ground, mainly because we had nowhere else, but also for warmth and security.”We have flannel pajamas and deadbolts now. There have been times throughout the history of slumber that couples did not share a bed. Ancient Romans retreated to their separate quarters in the evening.
On The Dick Van Dyke Show, Laura and Rob Petrie turned in to their separate beds, and I bet they slept great. The only thing I’d change about this setup would be to shove the beds closer together and have two nightstands on either end. Having your own bed is a luxury. Having your own bed and nightstand? Our first married bed was a queen. It sagged terribly in the middle and made us roll together. We’d wake up spooning—forced that way by the bed—and sweaty. Our second bed, also a queen, developed a rather large hump in the middle from all the edge hugging we did during the night. Ten years into our marriage, we finally have a king. There is more than enough room for our whole family to sleep comfortably, yet that twin the other night—it was amazing. So what’s holding me back from selling our king mattress and ordering two twins? Mention separate beds today and most people assume marital troubles. “In our culture, sharing a bed is a sign of intimacy, and it could also be a barometer of the health of the relationship,” sleep expert Dr. Anne D. Bartolucci told me when I called her for backup.
“Falling asleep in the company of another person puts you in a very vulnerable position, and it shows a certain amount of trust. There’s a reason that ‘sleeping with’ someone is one of our expressions for sex. Also, it’s a bonding experience, and it’s been shown that couples who share a bed communicate better and experience other benefits like increased levels of oxytocin, which can reduce inflammation.” I don’t suffer from inflammation. I do suffer from bad sleep. And chronic bad sleep, according to Bartolucci, has been shown to increase the likelihood of stroke and heart attacks. It makes people more susceptible to developing not only health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure but also conditions like obesity that increase the risk of major health issues. It also contributes to or exacerbates psychiatric problems like anxiety, depression, and attention deficient hyperactivity disorder. Why must we risk these things just to prove to ourselves that we are happy couples?
Separate beds means better sleep, which in turn can produce healthier spouses and a happier marriage. I rest my case. Though when I gingerly mentioned this theory to my husband and he agreed with me, I did feel a tiny bit hurt. You are using an older browser version. Please use a supported version for the best MSN experience. 39 Longtime Couples Share Their Best Marriage Tips Marriage advice is tricky! Every couple is different, and what worked for your great-grandparents or your BFF and her husband may be the complete opposite of what helps you and S.O. But that doesn't mean you can't learn from all the lovebirds! Each long-term marriage has its own secret to success, and hearing other couple's tips may just inspire you to find yours. This Reflective House in the California Desert Is Mind-Bending View the full site WHAT MATTRESS SIZE IS BEST FOR YOU? We can help you figure out what’s best! One size definitely doesn't fit all. When it comes to mattresses, one size definitely doesn’t fit all.
There are several factors you should keep in mind prior to purchasing your perfect mattress for your bed. The mattress should be longer than the tallest person sleeping on it. The bed width should allow enough space to fold your arms behind your head without going beyond the mattress edge or touching your partner’s elbows (for two adults, we recommend either a queen or a king). TWIN - 39" x 75" Twin mattresses can accommodate one child or one adult sleeper although the length of the mattress might be too short for an adult. Twin size mattresses are used for children's rooms, bunk beds, daybeds and smaller spaces such as guest bedrooms. TWIN XL - 39" x 80" Twin XL mattresses are great space savers and are commonly found in dorm rooms and offer an additional five inches of length to your sleeping space. FULL - 54" x 75" Full or double mattresses provide more width for your sleeping area. A full size mattress is ideal for one person. If you divided the mattress in half two people would only have 27 inches of sleep space (or the equivalent of a crib mattress).
QUEEN - 60" x 80" If you prefer more living space in your master bedroom, a queen size might be what you are looking for. Also, queen mattresses are ideal for someone who likes additional width and height while sleeping; which makes it a great choice for growing children and taller adults. KING - 76" x 80" If you have the space in your bedroom, a king size mattress is the best choice for couples; you each have a sleeping service equivalent to a twin extra long mattress. It is also great for growing families or pet owners. CALIFORNIA KING - 72" x 84" If you are looking for additional length in your sleep surface, a California King might be what is right for you. Four inches of width are taken from a traditional king mattress and added to the length. If you are not satisfied with your mattress anytime within 120 nights from original delivery, we will do whatever we can to make you happy. We will even issue you a refund. At Mattress Firm, we work with YOUR schedule.