Sleep Divorce Statistics: How Many Couples Sleep Apart in 2026

About one in three American adults have tried sleeping in a separate bed or room from their partner. The trend is called "sleep divorce," and it is growing.

Sleep divorce doesn't mean the relationship is over. It means one or both partners move to a different bed, a different room, or even just a different sleep schedule to get better rest. And the research shows it works for most people who try it.

Below are the most cited sleep divorce statistics from peer-reviewed studies, national surveys, and health organizations. Every stat is sourced.

Key Takeaways

• 1 in 3 Americans have opted for a sleep divorce, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).
• Millennials lead the trend at 43%, compared to 22% of baby boomers.
• Snoring is the top reason couples sleep apart, with bed partners losing up to one hour of sleep per night.
• 52.9% report better sleep quality after sleeping separately, with an average gain of 37 extra minutes per night.
• About 1 in 4 couples return to sharing a bed, most often because they miss each other.
• Sleep deprivation costs the U.S. economy up to $411 billion per year in lost productivity.

How Common Is Sleep Divorce?

Roughly 31% of U.S. adults have opted for a sleep divorce, according to a 2025 AASM survey of 2,007 adults. That means nearly one in three Americans have slept in another bed or room to get better rest from a partner.

This number has been consistent across multiple surveys:

The difference between these numbers matters. The AASM surveys capture anyone who has "occasionally or consistently" slept apart. The Sleep Foundation survey looked specifically at people who started and maintained the arrangement over a full year, which is a much stricter definition.

The 2025 AASM data also broke down the specifics: 13% of respondents slept in a separate bed in the same bedroom, while 21% slept in another room entirely.

For context, this is roughly the same percentage of Americans who don't get enough sleep in the first place. The CDC reports that 36.1% of U.S. adults get fewer than seven hours of sleep per night.

How the Trend Has Grown

Sleep divorce is not new, but the willingness to talk about it is. The UK's National Bed Federation tracked the shift: in 2009, just 7% of British couples slept in separate beds. By 2024, that number had roughly doubled to 15%.

In the U.S., AASM surveys from 2023 through 2025 have consistently shown 30-35% of adults sleeping apart. On TikTok, sleep divorce content went viral in 2023 after Swedish influencer Cecilia Blomdahl posted about the Scandinavian sleep method, racking up over 2.5 million views on a single video.

Sleep Divorce by Generation

Millennials are the generation most likely to try a sleep divorce. According to the AASM, 43% of millennials occasionally or consistently sleep in a separate room from their partner.

Source: AASM Sleep Prioritization Survey, 2024

The 2025 AASM survey broke this down by age range instead of generation. Adults aged 35 to 44 are the most likely to sleep apart (39%), while adults 65 and older are the least likely (18%).

The pattern is clear: younger adults are more willing to prioritize sleep over sharing a bed. This likely reflects a broader shift in how younger generations think about sleep as a health priority rather than a romantic obligation.

Sleep Divorce by Gender

Men are nearly twice as likely as women to sleep in a separate room. According to the AASM, 45% of men occasionally or consistently sleep in another room, compared to 25% of women.

A report confirmed a similar gender gap, with men significantly more likely to report sleeping apart.

Why the difference? Men are more often the ones causing the disruption (snoring, restlessness) and may be the ones who voluntarily move to the couch or guest room. The 2025 AASM survey also found that men were more likely than women to go to bed at a different time to accommodate a partner and to use a silent alarm.

The sleep quality impact also differs by gender. Research published in Sleep Health found that women spend a greater proportion of time in bed awake when sharing the bed, while the average man gets more sleep when he has a bed partner versus sleeping alone.

Why Couples Choose to Sleep Apart

Snoring is the number one reason couples sleep in separate beds. The ResMed 2024 Global Sleep Survey found that 57% of couples who sleep apart cite snoring as the primary reason, with 56% also citing mismatched schedules.

Here is how the reasons break down:

• Snoring or loud breathing (57%, ResMed 2024)
• Different sleep schedules (56%, ResMed 2024; 15% of those sleeping apart, Sleep Foundation 2023)
• General sleep disruption (30%, Sleep Foundation)
• Relationship issues (25.8%, Sleep Foundation)
• Temperature preferences (cited frequently in surveys but less often quantified)

How Common Is Snoring?

The snoring problem is bigger than most people think. An estimated 90 million Americans snore, with 37 million snoring regularly. Chronic snoring affects roughly 40% of adult men and 20% of adult women, and prevalence increases with age.

A Mayo Clinic study found that bed partners of people with sleep apnea lose roughly one hour of sleep per night. When the snorer was treated, the partner gained back 62 minutes of sleep and saw a 13% improvement in sleep efficiency.

Research on bed-sharing couples found that about one out of every three awakenings during the night is caused by the other partner. Over the course of a year, that adds up to hundreds of hours of disrupted sleep.

Snoring can also be a sign of a more serious problem. The AASM estimates that obstructive sleep apnea affects nearly 30 million adults in the U.S., and approximately 80% of cases are undiagnosed.

Does Sleep Divorce Actually Improve Sleep?

More than half of people who try sleeping apart say it improves their sleep quality. According to Sleep Foundation research, 52.9% of adults who started a sleep divorce reported better sleep quality.

The sleep gains are measurable. Adults who maintain a separate sleeping arrangement average 37 minutes more sleep per night than when they shared a bed.

UK data tells a similar story. The National Bed Federation found that 56% of people who moved to separate beds reported their sleep improved "a lot."

But sleeping apart doesn't work for everyone:

• 10% of couples who moved to separate rooms said their partner still disturbed their sleep (Sleep Foundation)
• Some people sleep worse alone. Adults who returned to sharing a bed reported sleeping 10 to 12 minutes more than when they slept separately.
• 41.5% of people who share a bed full-time fall asleep within 20 minutes, compared to 36.7% of those who sleep separately

What Polysomnography Shows

A 2020 study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry measured the sleep stages of 12 couples using polysomnography (the gold standard for sleep measurement). The results were surprising:

Source: Drews et al., 2020, Frontiers in Psychiatry

Couples who shared a bed had approximately 10% more REM sleep, fewer REM disruptions, and longer uninterrupted REM periods. REM sleep is critical for emotional processing, memory, and creativity.

The trade-off: couples who shared a bed also had more leg movements during the night. They slept more actively, but their REM sleep was more stable.

So while the majority benefit from sleeping apart, sleep divorce is not a universal fix.

Sleep Divorce and Relationships

Most couples who try sleeping apart say it helps the relationship. But the data is more mixed than the headlines suggest.

Recoupling: Who Comes Back?

About 25.7% of adults who tried sleeping separately eventually returned to sharing a bed, according to the Sleep Foundation. The top reason? They missed each other. 34.9% of those who recoupled said that was the driving factor.

Those who returned to sharing a bed reported sleeping 10-12 minutes more per night than when they were apart. And about 40% of recouplers said their sleep quality improved after reuniting.

In the UK, sleeping apart tends to stick. The National Bed Federation found that 85% of couples who started sleeping separately maintained the arrangement for over a year, and 38% have slept apart for more than five years.

Does It Help or Hurt?

The ResMed 2024 Global Sleep Survey found a near-even split:

• 31% said sleeping apart improved their relationship
• 30% said it worsened their relationship
• 28% said their sex life improved
• 22% said their sex life worsened

What the Research Says About Sleep and Conflict

The connection between sleep quality and relationship quality is well-documented in academic research.

A 2014 study in Social Psychological and Personality Science found that couples who slept poorly were significantly more likely to engage in conflict the next day. Even one partner's poor sleep affected both people's moods and ability to resolve disagreements.

A 2017 study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology found that couples who reported shortened sleep showed greater inflammatory responses during marital conflict, as measured by interleukin-6.

And research cited by the AASM showed that sleep loss reduces "empathic accuracy," meaning sleep-deprived partners were less able to understand or interpret each other's feelings.

Wendy Troxel, a senior behavioral scientist at RAND Corporation and Sleep Foundation advisory board member, has called choosing to sleep apart a form of "pro-relationship behavior." Her framing: by getting better sleep, both partners show up as better versions of themselves during waking hours.

The Health Cost of Poor Sleep from Bed-Sharing

Sleep disruption from a partner doesn't just make you tired. Chronic sleep loss has measurable health consequences.

Chronic Disease Risk

According to the National Institutes of Health, adults sleeping five hours or less face significantly increased health risks compared to those sleeping seven to eight hours:

Sources: NIH/NCBI, various studies compiled

Even moderate sleep loss matters. Adults sleeping six hours per night are 1.7 times more likely to develop diabetes than those sleeping seven to eight hours, per the same Sleep Heart Health Study.

Immune Function

Sleep deprivation weakens the immune system quickly. Research compiled by the NIH shows:

• One night of four-hour sleep reduced natural killer cell activity by 28%
• Six nights of four-hour sleep caused a 50%+ decrease in antibody production after flu vaccination
• People with chronic insomnia are 3.5x more likely to develop clinical infections

Accidents and Injuries

Sleep-deprived workers are 70% more likely to be involved in workplace accidents. A Swedish study found workers with disturbed sleep were twice as likely to die in work-related accidents.

On the road, drowsy driving is a factor in an estimated 21% of fatal car crashes, resulting in roughly 6,000+ deaths per year. Being awake for 17 hours impairs driving ability comparable to a blood alcohol content of 0.05%.

The Economic Cost of Sleep Deprivation

The financial case for better sleep is staggering. If partner disruption contributes to even a fraction of the national sleep deficit, the downstream costs are enormous.

Lost Productivity

Source: RAND Europe / Why Sleep Matters, 2016

The combined cost across these five countries: up to $680 billion per year.

A separate Gallup study found that poor sleep costs U.S. employers $44.6 billion annually in lost productivity alone. Workers who report poor sleep quality miss an average of 2.29 unplanned days per month, compared to 0.91 days for well-rested workers.

Mortality Risk

An individual sleeping fewer than six hours per night faces a 13% higher mortality risk compared to those sleeping seven to nine hours. If those under-six-hour sleepers increased to six to seven hours, it could add $226.4 billion to the U.S. economy annually.

Sleep Divorce Around the World

Sleep divorce is not just an American trend. Cultural norms around bed-sharing vary widely.

United States

• 31% have tried a sleep divorce (AASM, 2025)
• 45% of men vs. 25% of women sleep apart (AASM, 2024)
• 36.1% of adults get fewer than 7 hours of sleep (CDC)

United Kingdom

• 15% of couples sleep apart regularly (National Bed Federation)
• Up from just 7% in 2009, roughly doubling in 15 years
• 56% of those sleeping apart said their sleep improved "a lot"
• Over-55s: 23% sleep separately. Retired couples: 25%.
• 71% of those who sleep apart cite snoring as the reason

Australia

• 38% of couples have tried sleeping in separate rooms (Real Australian Sleep Report, 2023)
• 26% say their partner's sleeping issues keep them awake
• 40% of those whose partners have sleep issues say it strains the relationship

Japan

• Sleeping on separate futons is the cultural default. Single-size futons have no "king" or "queen" equivalent.
• 87% of preschool-age children share a bedroom with their parents, according to a 2013 National Sleep Foundation study, pushing many couples to separate sleeping arrangements after children arrive.
• Japan averages fewer than 6 hours of sleep per night, the lowest among developed nations (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).

Scandinavia and Germany

• The "Scandinavian sleep method" (sharing a bed, using separate duvets) is standard practice in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.
• Only about 10% of Americans have tried the Scandinavian method (AASM).
• In Germany, the "Doppelbett" tradition uses two single mattresses pushed together in one frame, giving each partner their own sleep surface and bedding.

Global

• The ResMed 2024 Global Sleep Survey covered 30,026 people across 13 countries including the U.S., UK, Australia, Germany, France, Japan, India, and China
• 18% of couples globally sleep separately due to snoring and restlessness
• Multinational studies report that 65-85% of married or cohabiting couples share a bed

Sleep Divorce, Parents, and Children

New parents are among the most sleep-deprived adults. That makes them prime candidates for sleep divorce.

A survey of 1,300 parents found that new parents lose an average of 44 days of sleep during their baby's first year. Seven in ten parents lose about three hours of sleep every night in the first year.

Mothers bear the brunt. Research published in Sleep Health found that after entry into parenthood, women experience 42 minutes more sleep loss per night than men.

In the UK, parenthood seems to discourage sleep divorce rather than encourage it. The National Bed Federation found that 17% of couples without children sleep separately, compared to just 8% of couples with two children.

The age pattern reverses later in life. Among over-55s, 23% sleep apart. Among retired couples, 25%. As children leave and health issues increase, separate sleeping becomes more common again.

Sleep Divorce and Housing

Sleep divorce is influencing how people buy and build homes.

Real estate agents report growing demand for homes with dual master suites. According to Realtor.com data, homes with more than one master bedroom sit in the top 10% of the market and are priced about 9% higher on average.

Adding a master suite to an existing home costs $80,000 to $200,000 depending on size, materials, and location. That investment yields roughly a 60% return when the home is sold, and homes with an extra bedroom sell for 5-15% more than comparable properties.

Sleeping in separate bedrooms has traditionally been common among wealthier couples, but it is now increasingly embraced by average-income families.

The Mattress Industry Response

The sleep divorce trend is reshaping the mattress market. The global adjustable bed market was valued at $4.56 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $8.44 billion by 2031, a CAGR of 9.2%.

Nearly 48% of mattress shoppers now prefer beds with adjustable features, according to industry data. Split-king configurations let each partner control their own sleep surface independently.

A 2024 AASM survey directly connects the dots: over one-third of respondents who sleep in separate rooms cited partner-related disruption as the reason.

The Science Behind Sleep Divorce

Even when sharing a bed hurts our sleep, we keep doing it. A 2023 University of Michigan study published in Current Biology helps explain why.

Researchers found that mice consistently sacrifice their preferred sleep locations to stay close to their sleeping companions. They coined the term "somatolonging" to describe this drive for prolonged physical contact during sleep.

The trade-off is real: cuddling mice showed significantly more disrupted non-REM sleep. But they chose proximity over sleep quality anyway.

The human parallel is obvious. We know sharing a bed often means worse sleep, but the desire for closeness overrides the rational choice. This may explain why about 1 in 4 couples who try a sleep divorce eventually return to sharing a bed.

The broader sleep crisis adds context. The CDC reports that more than 1 in 3 U.S. adults (36.1%) do not get the recommended minimum of seven hours per night. The AASM recommends that adults get seven or more hours on a regular basis for optimal health. An estimated 50 to 70 million Americans have ongoing sleep disorders.

Alternatives to Sleep Divorce

Not every couple needs to move to separate rooms. Several solutions can address the root causes of sleep disruption without giving up a shared bed:

• Split-firmness mattresses. Some mattress companies, including Fawcett Mattress, offer options that let each partner choose their own comfort level on their side of the bed.
• The Scandinavian method. Share a bed but use two separate duvets. Eliminates blanket-stealing and temperature conflicts without separate rooms.
• White noise machines. Can mask snoring and other disruptive sounds.
• Temperature-regulating bedding. Natural materials like wool and latex breathe better than synthetic foams and help reduce temperature conflicts.
• Sleep apnea screening. If snoring is the issue, it may be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea. Treatment can eliminate the snoring and improve sleep for both partners.
• Staggered bedtimes. One partner goes to bed earlier and falls asleep before the other comes in.

FAQs

How common is sleep divorce in the U.S.?

About one in three American adults have tried sleeping in a separate bed or room from their partner. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that 31% of U.S. adults have opted for a sleep divorce, with adults aged 35 to 44 being the most likely to sleep apart (39%) and adults 65 and older being the least likely (18%).

Does sleeping apart actually improve sleep quality?

For most people, yes. Research from the Sleep Foundation found that 52.9% of adults who started a sleep divorce reported better sleep quality, with an average gain of 37 extra minutes per night. However, it doesn't work for everyone. Some couples actually sleep better together, and about one in four couples who try sleeping apart eventually return to sharing a bed, most often because they miss each other.

What is the most common reason couples choose a sleep divorce?

Snoring is the number one reason. The ResMed 2024 Global Sleep Survey found that 57% of couples who sleep apart cite snoring as the primary factor. This tracks with the scale of the problem: an estimated 90 million Americans snore, and a Mayo Clinic study found that bed partners of snorers lose roughly one hour of sleep per night.

Can you avoid a sleep divorce without moving to separate rooms?

Yes. Several alternatives can reduce partner-related sleep disruption without giving up a shared bed. Split-firmness mattresses let each partner choose their own comfort level. The Scandinavian sleep method (sharing a bed with two separate duvets) eliminates blanket-stealing and temperature conflicts. And if snoring is the issue, a sleep apnea screening may identify a treatable underlying cause. Natural materials like wool and latex also breathe better than synthetic foams, which can help with temperature disagreements between partners.

Is Sleep Divorce Right for You?

There is no universal answer. Signs it might help: you resent your partner over lost sleep, snoring complaints are a nightly issue, or you have very different schedules.

The key is open communication. Wendy Troxel of the RAND Corporation suggests reframing it as a "sleep alliance": a mutual decision to prioritize sleep so both partners can be fully present during waking hours.

As AASM spokesperson Dr. Seema Khosla put it: "A sleep divorce has more to do with mutual respect regarding the sanctity of the sleep space than with a troubled relationship."

At Fawcett Mattress, every mattress is built to order, so couples can choose different firmness levels on each side of the bed without compromising on comfort.

Is Sleep Divorce Right for You?

There is no universal answer. Signs it might help: you resent your partner over lost sleep, snoring complaints are a nightly issue, or you have very different schedules.

The key is open communication. Wendy Troxel of the RAND Corporation suggests reframing it as a "sleep alliance": a mutual decision to prioritize sleep so both partners can be fully present during waking hours.

As AASM spokesperson Dr. Seema Khosla put it: "A sleep divorce has more to do with mutual respect regarding the sanctity of the sleep space than with a troubled relationship."

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