When sleeping with the spouse becomes impossible

Remember the days of courtship, before you were married? The idea of cuddling up with your spouse night after night was so blissfully romantic! But reality has its own ways of overwhelming us. While most love stories end with the 'happily ever after' of blissful cohabitation, in the real world of domesticity, compatible sleeping is often an impossible dream.

Many couples have basic incompatibilities when it comes to sleep styles. In fact, it is a major deal-breaker in marriages around the world. A study found that more than a quarter of cohabitating adults in the US were victims of their partner's sleep problems -- everything from sleep talking to late night TV watching. These bedtime activities negatively affected the quality of their sleep. Some partners even resorted to moving their sleep areas into another corner of the house, well away from the bedroom.

Sleep-deprived couples, especially those who also have children, often end up more irritated, angry, and even physically unhealthier. A harmonious relationship between husband and wife cannot be achieved under such conditions. Also, spouses hardly ever discuss what makes them comfortable during sleep. The mentality at work here is – ‘let sleeping dogs lie’. Yes, lie they should, unless the ‘sleeping dogs’ start kicking, snoring, or behaving like night-owls.

So don’t spend sleepless nights in fear of hidden anger spilling out into the open. A lot of times just getting it out and talking about it can make a huge difference. A tip for heavy snorers: do not consume alcohol in the evening and have a light, early dinner. A tip for people who can’t sleep without the TV running in the bedroom: indulge in a day-time activity that gets you so tired that you yearn to close your eyes the moment you hit the sack!