British couples too stressed to sleep in the same bed, study finds

More than half prefer to sleep alone

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

​One in four British couples are regularly sleeping in separate beds due to stress, new research has revealed.

Bedroom furniture retailers Bensons for Beds examined the sleeping habits of 2,000 UK couples and found that long work days and children were tearing partners apart at bedtime.

The study found that the average British parent allows their child to sleep in bed with them five times a month, The Sun reports.

Some of the reasons were purely pragmatic, with 25 per cent sleeping in a different bed to their partner because of snoring.

Another 19 per cent said that their partner regularly falls asleep on the sofa whilst watching TV and remains there for the duration of the night.

14 per cent of couples didn’t want to wake their partner when they woke up early for work while a staggering 60 per cent admitted to simply preferring to sleep alone.

However, 38 per cent claimed to sleep in separate beds due to problems in the relationship.

Naturally, sleeping in separate beds can cause a slew of problems, with one in 10 participants claiming that it had caused their relationship to fizzle.

28 per cent of people sleeping in separate beds revealed that it had meant they were having less sex whilst 31 per cent said they hadn’t told their friends and family about their alternative sleeping arrangements.

“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,” explained Henry Swift, chief customer officer at Bensons for Beds.

“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.”