If you've ever shared a bed with someone, you know it has its perks: warmth, cuddling, and maybe some romance when the mood strikes.
But there's also something to be said for having your own space at night.
In fact, some researchers suggest that sleeping in a bed with someone else can actually take a toll on your health, especially if it affects your ability to get to sleep and stay asleep.
That means all those times you and your partner might have struggled to co-sleep — fighting over blankets, trying to compromise on a bedroom temperature, enduring each other's snoring — the lack of comfort was actually doing damage to your body and mind in the form of sleep deprivation.
Sleep is when your body repairs itself on a cellular level. If you're not getting sleep, you're not getting repaired, and so sleep is no joke.
Millions of Americans don't get enough sleep, but there are ways you can get better sleep with a few simple tricks, such as forgoing pajamas altogether.
But it seems the answer for a good night's sleep might just be sleeping solo!
How do you prefer to sleep — alone, or cuddled up with someone? Let us know in the comments below!
Why Do People Share Beds?
For some of us, it seems quite natural — but it actually wasn't always the norm, especially among the wealthy.
In the old days, married couples kept separate rooms, and visited one another when the mood struck.
Shared rooms and beds became more popular as people, especially poorer people, moved to cities where space was limited. To save room, couples simply shared a room and a bed.
So what are the benefits of having your own sleeping space?
Benefit #1: You Have Room To Stretch
Let's face it, sometimes you just want to sleep like a starfish and not have to worry about knocking into someone else.
Sleeping stretched out is comfortable, and when you're by yourself, you can stretch all over the place! And better comfort means a better night's sleep.
As a bonus, you'll also have room the stretch out before you sleep, which can encourage a deeper, more restful sleep.
Benefit #2: You Get All The Blankets
Sleeping alone means you never have to compete for blankets, and there's no one tugging them away from you in the night and throwing off your temperature.
Plus, you can roll yourself up like a burrito for added comfort.
Benefit #3: You're In Charge Of The Temperature
Speaking of temperature, it's always a problem when partners can't agree on what's comfortable.
Having a room to yourself means that you can control exactly how warm or cool it is, whether to open or close the windows, or if you'd like a fan or not.
Benefit #4: You'll Get In Touch With Your Own Sleep Cycle
Sharing a bed can be hard if you and your partner have different sleeping and waking schedules, and sleeping on a cycle that doesn't work for you can make you feel the effects through poor sleep.
But if you sleep alone, you can stay up late, and you don't have to feel bad if you habitually wake up in the middle of the night and need to read a bit.
Benefit #5: You'll Wake Up On Your Terms
Just like you'll be sleeping on your terms, you'll also be getting up the way you like to.
Maybe you're the kind of person who needs to hit the snooze button several times, or maybe you like to jump out of bed and turn on the radio.
Either way, you can do all of this without disturbing anyone else, and you won't be disturbed by someone else's morning routine.
Benefit #7: You'll Have Silence
Sleeping in the same room as someone else isn't always peaceful.
If you have a partner who snores, flops around, or (worse) babbles in their sleep, you might find that getting a good night's rest is, well, impossible.
Sleeping by yourself means there will be no one there to disturb you.
Benefit #7: You Control The Atmosphere
Having a room to yourself means it's your room, and you don't need to make any compromises.
You can create an atmosphere that's completely comfortable for you, and when you like your space, you'll feel better in it.
So whether you like TV or silence, AC or heat, lots of blankets or no blankets at all — it's totally up to you!
Benefit #8: You'll Sleep More
Sleeping alone will help you sleep more. And sleeping more, for many people, is something they really need.
Because you're totally comfortable in terms of position, atmosphere, and temperature, you'll sleep more soundly.
And with no one else waking you up, you'll sleep more continuously, too.
Do you prefer sleeping alone or with some company? Let us know your preference and why in the comments, and SHARE to see what your friends think!
