Sleep And Relationship In The U.S. (2020 Data)

In May 2020, we surveyed 1008 respondents across the United States on how sharing a bed with a partner affects their sleep quality. The results reveal interesting data from factors lead to poor sleep in couples to divorce rate between male and female.

I. Survey Demographics

Who Took The Survey

We surveyed 1,008 Americans from 18 years to 73 years. 53% of them are female while 47% are male.

II. Survey Results

Sleep Quality While Sharing A Bed With A Partner

• 75% of Americans reported that sharing a bed with their partner negatively affects their sleep quality
• 25% of respondents said that the situation has got worse since the COVID-19 pandemic

Factors Affecting Sleep While Sharing A Bed With A Partner

• 53% of Americans lose sleep because of their partner’s snoring, making it the most common factor that prevents couples from a good night’s sleep
• 41% of American lose sleep when sharing a bed with their partner because of the mismatched sleeping schedule. Meanwhile, 36% of participants lose sleep because their partner moves too much while sleeping
• 15% of participants lose sleep because of their partner’s electronic devices while 5% can’t sleep because of their partner’s sleep disorders

Solutions To Improve Sleep Quality For Couples

• 35% of Americans would rather sleep in a separate bed (or file for a “Sleep Divorce”) for a better night’s sleep
• 59% of American couples stated that “Sleep Divorce” helps improve their sleep quality and their relationship
• 48% of the respondents would get a bigger bed when sharing a bed with their partner, making it the most popular method to improve sleep quality for couples
• 25% of participants prefer to use a separate blanket when sharing a bed with their partner

What is “Sleep Divorce“?
– A couple chooses to sleep in different beds in order to improve sleep quality

Aging Leads To More Distance In Bed For Couples

• Only 21% of Baby Boomers are very likely to cuddle close and spoon with their partner while this figure for Millennials is 33%

Consequences of Poor Sleep On Relationship

• 52% of American couples have less sex and 49% fight more often if sharing a bed with a partner negatively affects their sleep quality
• Women are twice as likely as men to divorce if sharing a bed with a partner negatively affects their sleep quality
• Among the people who broke up or divorced because of poor sleep while sharing a bed with their partner, 30% are from the South, making it the highest among all U.S. regions

III. Methodology And Limitations

To collect the data shown above, we surveyed 1008 respondents in the United States who have been in a relationship in which they share a bed with their partner. An attention-checker question was included to ensure the participants did not mindlessly answer questions.

Because the survey relies on self-reporting, issues such as telescoping and exaggeration can influence responses. Please also note that this survey’s results do not reflect our opinions on sleeping with a partner.

Anyone who is interested in finding the best bed to share should read through our mattresses for couples guide.

IV. Fair Use Statement

If you know someone who could benefit from our findings, feel free to share this project with them. The graphics and content are available for noncommercial reuse. All we ask is that you link back to this page so that readers get all the necessary information and our contributors receive proper credit.