1 in 10 UK couples will break up due to this sleeping habit
One-third (33%) of UK couples admit that bedtime habits impact their sexual intimacy, with 1 in 10 even going as far as breaking up with a partner due to these habits.
That's according to Mattress Online, which surveyed 5,000 Brits to reveal how bedtime habits affect relationships and the major bedtime grievances among partners, from snoring to room temperature disagreements and strong smells.
Furthermore, Mattress Online offers real-life stories from couples who share their experience of sleeping separately.

Key findings:
A third (33%) of Brits say sexual intimacy is affected by bedtime habits
It takes 30% of Brits over an hour to go back to sleep if disturbed
A quarter of Brits (24.3%) disagree over room temperature before bed - the most significant sensory nuisance among couples
Eating in bed comes in second at 23.7%, with 1,185 people actually admitting to the habit
Effects of bedtime habits on relationships | Percentage of people |
Bedtime habits reduced sexual intimacy in my relationship | 33% |
Bedtime habits have caused major arguments and disagreements | 29.5% |
I have slept in a separate bed to avoid my partner and their bedtime habits | 27.5% |
I have broken up with a partner due to their bedtime habits | 10% |
Mattress Online can reveal that a third of Brits (33%) admitted that bedtime annoyances reduced sexual intimacy with their partners.
The second most common effect is having major arguments and disagreements, with 29.5% of Brits admitting this happened to them and their partners.
Furthermore, 1 in 10 people said they have gone to the extent of breaking up with a partner due to their bedtime habits.
That being said, what are the most common bedtime habits people find most annoying?
No | Common bedtime habits | Percentage of people annoyed by it |
1 | Temperature disagreements | 24.3% |
2 | Eating in bed and leaving crumbs/mess behind | 23.7% |
3 | Loud snoring | 17.6% |
4 | Sleepwalking/sleep talking | 7.5% |
5 | Insisting on complete darkness or silence | 6.9% |
The most common nuisance amongst British couples is temperature disagreements at 24.3% - this can mean anything from leaving the bedroom window open to arguing about the heating.
The second most annoying habit is eating in bed, which leaves crumbs and other mess - 23.7% of respondents chose it as their biggest pet peeve at night. Interestingly, even more (26.8%) admitted to doing it themselves despite it annoying their partners!
This is followed in third by the well-known culprit - loud snoring! 17.6% of Brits name this as their biggest grievance.
Does sleeping alone help resolve bedtime habits issues?
With 27.5% sleeping separately to avoid their partners’ annoying bedtime habits, Mattress Online asked Luana Ribeira, who has been sleeping apart from her partner for 5 years, to share her experience:
“We’ll never go back to sharing!” says couple of five years
Luana explains: ‘We sleep much better alone. If we have a bad night's sleep, we can't blame the other for snoring or shuffling around. Likewise, there’s no issue if one of us wants to go to bed later or get up earlier than the other, and we can spread out as much as we want!
We both work from home, we have our own space if we want to be alone or need peace to focus on work. We enjoy spending time together in the evening then saying goodnight and going to our separate rooms to relax before bed. We get excited about seeing each other in the morning.’
Kommentare