Cameron Diaz believes that love should not interfere with a good night's sleep.
"We should make separate bedrooms the norm," the actress stated during an interview on the "Lipstick on the Rim" podcast this month. Diaz, who is 51 years old, is married to Benji Madden from the band Good Charlotte.
"To me, it makes perfect sense. I have my own room, you have yours. We can meet in the middle for our intimate moments," she explained. "And we can have the family house as a common space."
Diaz is not the only one who appreciates the idea of having a bed or bedroom to themselves.
Whether it's being disturbed by snoring, having the covers stolen during the night, or differing schedules waking you up before your alarm, more and more people are turning to "sleep divorce," which means sleeping separately from their partner to avoid sleep disturbances.
According to a survey conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, over a third of Americans admit to occasionally or consistently sleeping in another room away from their partner.
Experts Say Sleeping Separately Can Have Potential Benefits
For those looking for a better night's sleep, experts say there can be potential benefits.
"There are benefits for some partners to sleep separately," says Dr. Erin Flynn-Evans, a consultant to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "Studies demonstrate that when one bed partner has a sleep disorder it can negatively affect the other sleeper. For example, bed partners tend to wake up at the same time when one has insomnia. Similarly, when bed partners differ in chronotype, like when one is a night owl the other is an early bird, these differing sleep preferences can negatively impact both partners' sleep."
According to Dr. Daniel Shade, a sleep specialist with Allegheny Health Network, if couples are honest with themselves, they'll likely know whether there's a problem.
"You're snoring and you're thrashing about, (it) disturbs your partner, or you're getting up at 4 a.m. to go to work, or you have to use the bathroom many times in a night, and that can get disruptive," Shade said, adding that differing preferences in light, temperature or even TV usage at night can also affect sleep.
- 3 things you can do to improve your sleep hygiene
According to sleep expert Shade, there are several things you can do to improve your sleep hygiene. However, if you don't have any sleep problems, it is better to sleep in the same bed with your partner.
"When we sleep in the same bed, our bodies release oxytocin and other chemicals that are known as 'the cuddling hormones'. These chemicals create a sense of closeness and make us feel good," Shade explained.
