The secret to a long healthy marriage seems to sleeping apart regularly for many people and couples from Northern Ireland are twice as likely to do so than any others in the UK.
More than a fifth (21%) of couples in Northern Ireland prefer to catch their shuteye in separate beds, compared to a UK-wide average of 12%, and just 9% in the East Midlands and the South East.
The survey of 1,000 UK residents also reveals that females have a slight preference for sharing a bed with their partner compared to males, while those who’ve typically been married the longest – aged 65 and over – are most likely to sleep apart.
No 18 to 24-year-olds said they prefer different beds.
| Region | Per-cent that prefer to sleep separately |
| Northern Ireland | 21 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 17 |
| North West | 14 |
| South West | 14 |
| East Anglia | 13 |
| Wales | 12 |
| London | 11 |
| North East | 10 |
| Scotland | 10 |
| West Midlands | 10 |
| East Midlands | 9 |
| South East | 9 |
| Gender | Per-cent that prefer to sleep separately |
| Female | 13 |
| Male | 11 |
| Age | Per-cent that prefer to sleep separately |
| 65+ | 22 |
| 55-64 | 13 |
| 25-34 | 12 |
| 45-54 | 8 |
| 35-44 | 5 |
| 18-24 | 0 (Zero) |
There are lots of factors that result in a couple choosing to sleep separately, and it certainly shouldn’t be seen as a reflection of an unhealthy relationship. There are complexities around sleep, and we think it’s really important that couples choose the arrangement that best suits their needs.
In fact, it’s quite sensible to sleep apart if your partner causes you disturbed sleep on a regular basis. However, it is interesting to see how preferences differ across regions and age groups