According to the latest Hilton 2025 Trends report, an increasing number of couples are adopting the concept of 'sleep divorce' during their vacations, choosing to sleep in separate beds to enhance their rest and maintain personal space. Furthermore, a report from the National Post indicates that while sleep divorce is a somewhat traditional approach to sleep management, it has gained notable traction among millennials.

Researchers have provided insights into sleep divorce and other methods couples are exploring to address sleep-related issues.

Millennial couples opting for separate sleeping arrangements to preserve their relationship

A study conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine in 2023 revealed that 35 percent of 2,005 adults surveyed occasionally or consistently sleep in a different room to accommodate their partner's needs, with nearly half (43 percent) of millennials engaging in this practice. Additionally, 20 percent of respondents indicated they sleep in another room occasionally, while 15 percent do so on a regular basis.

The findings suggest that men are more likely to seek refuge from their partners in the living room or a guest room, with nearly 45 percent of males reporting that they occasionally or consistently sleep separately, compared to 25 percent of females.

Further research 

A 2016 German study published on Pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov highlighted that while sleeping together has evolutionary benefits—such as providing a sense of physical and emotional security against threats—sharing a bed does not always enhance relationship dynamics. Factors such as one partner's snoring, movements, restless legs, sleep apnea, body heat, or other disturbances can negatively impact the other partner's sleep quality.

According to a public education brief from the Sleep Research Society, research indicates that up to 30 percent of an individual's sleep quality can be affected by their partner's sleeping habits.

In a notable study conducted in 2017 by researchers at the Ohio State University College of Medicine, it was discovered that couples who had each obtained less than seven hours of sleep over the preceding two nights tended to exhibit more negative behaviors during discussions regarding marital issues.

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