What’s nicer than sleeping with your partner curled up next to you? If you and your partner have different sleep preferences, you might find it more of a struggle than a pleasure to get a solid eight hours of sleep every night.
Understanding your different sleep preferences can help you get a peaceful night’s sleep.
The Mattress Makes the Bed
When it comes to sleep preferences, few things are more important than your mattress. Do you prefer a firm and supportive mattress? Perhaps you wake up sore if your mattress isn’t soft? Some people like taller mattresses, while others prefer not to climb in and out of bed.
An alternative to the traditional mattress is a custom mattress that allows both of you to choose the firmness. A custom mattress is ideal for those who know how important quality sleep is. You could also use two twin mattresses on a king frame to ensure you’re both comfortable.
Both partners should test a mattress before making a purchase, but remember that you need to sleep on it a bit to determine if it’s a good fit. It’s important to find a solution that works for you and your partner. Lack of sleep can be dangerous and harmful for your health!
Hot or Cold?
While mattress preferences can undoubtedly impact your quality of sleep, they’re not the only sleep preferences that you need to consider when sharing a bed with your partner. Temperature is another crucial factor and one that can impact multiple sleep choices.
For example, you might want to avoid memory foam mattresses if you’re a hot sleeper, as the foam doesn’t always breathe as well as an innerspring mattress. Or you may opt for a cooling mattress topper or lightweight blankets made from natural materials rather than a heavy comforter. Instead of flannel sheets, crisp cotton may be more your style, and gel pillows might offer respite from your body heat.
Often, the best solution for partners who prefer different temperatures to sleep is not to share linens. Instead, you can each use a smaller blanket (and top sheet if you desire to sleep with one) or fold over a larger blanket so that it only takes up one side of the bed. The partner who is cooler can add more linens to their side with less impact on the partner who gets hotter when they sleep.
Light and Noise
Another consideration when sleeping next to someone is the amount of noise. When you pair someone who absolutely cannot sleep without the sound of music or the television in the background with someone who needs absolute silence, it seemingly spells disaster. However, there are solutions.
You can consider wearing earplugs if you need quiet, especially if the source of sound is your partner’s snoring. Second, you or your partner can sleep with headphones playing white noise to give you the silence the other needs to sleep.
White noise such as that provided by a fan or white noise machines or apps may be more tolerable to partners who prefer quiet while still providing a bit of background buzz for the partner who likes some noise.
Like sound, light can be a deal-breaker for a good night’s (or day’s) sleep. Whether you live in a well-lit neighborhood or are a night owl, you might find yourself tossing or turning as light streams across your face.
A simple solution is to wear a sleep mask, but not the flimsy satin blindfold kind. Instead, look for one that’s contoured to block out all light.
Your window treatments also matter in ensuring a dark room for better sleep. The following options block out more light (and typically more heat and sound if you want to accomplish multiple goals at once).You can also layer multiple of these window dressings to achieve the darkest room possible.
- Blackout curtains or liners
- Wood or faux-wood blinds
- Roller shades
- Solar shades
Once you’ve found the right mattress, linens, and window treatments, it’s much easier to enjoy a comfortable sleep next to the person you love. However, if you can only focus on one goal at a time, start with the mattress. You won’t believe the difference it makes in your life.
