Tomorrow is World Sleep Day, and we couldn’t be happier to mark the occasion with a sleep in. Although it’s not a public holiday, World Sleep Day encourages us to get the best sleep we can, as well as appreciating sleep for the beautiful thing that it is.
Many of us live busy lives, and there are always more things to do, people to see, places to go. But, if 2020 taught us anything, it’s that slowing down is actually really important. Taking time for ourselves, and taking our feet off the metaphorical gas, allows us to focus on our mental health, to remember how much we appreciate the small things, and to take better notice of what’s going on around us.
Sleep plays a huge part in this, because when we’re well-rested, we’re able to take much better care of ourselves, and thus, the people around us. But what happens when it’s our loved ones who are affecting our sleep?
To mark World Sleep Day, Australian furniture brand Koala, has released some stats around Australia’s bed habits and sleep issues.
According to Koala’s research, a huge number of us are experiencing a bad night’s sleep because of our significant others; 50% of Australians are being woken-up by their partner moving in their sleep and 55% of us are waking up multiple times in a night because of a partner’s movement, fidgeting, and let’s be real, snoring.
A partner’s sleep habits, and especially those that have a negative impact on the other’s sleep, is something that needs to be discussed openly between partners, before it becomes an issue. The study found 12% of Aussies have experienced relationship problems as a direct result of a poor sleep.
A lack of sleep can lower your sex drive, weaken your immune system, cause thinking issues, and lead to poor dietary habits. When you don’t get enough sleep, you may also increase your risk of certain cancers, diabetes, and even car accidents; being more tired on the road.
Thankfully, 21% of Australian have tactics they use to help prevent waking their partners. For 18% of couples, that meant sleeping in separate beds, in separate rooms. 11% of people found pretending to be asleep to be a helpful tool, and 8% started using earplugs.
Of course, there are some other tactics that could help. We’ve put together some tips for you.
Get a different mattress
Memory foam is a good option if you’re looking for a material that’s less likely to move along with your partner. This one from Koala has worked for us.
Get a bigger bed
Sometimes, all you need is to size up. A King-sized mattress is actually 16 inches wider than a Queen, which can surprisingly make a huge amount of difference, especially when you’re dealing with a fidgeter or hot sleeper.
Use noise cancelling headphones
Not only do they block out the snoring, you can also play beautiful meditations and calming music to help you sleep. Bose and Kokoon make earbuds specific for sleep, and SleepPhones makes a headband with built-in white noise that’s comfortable to wear to bed.
Contact a sleep specialist
There is nothing to be ashamed of. Sleep is one of the most important aspects of staying healthy, and if it’s also affecting your relationship, it’s a no-brainer. A sleep specialist can help your partner figure out if they’re suffering from something like sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, or myoclonus and treat it appropriately.
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