Divorce is a potent tool, and some people use it as a permanent solution for what might actually be a temporary marital issue. When one spouse believes they can no longer tolerate their living situation or marriage, they may file for divorce.
The reasons that people give for filing range from infidelity and financial issues to sleep issues. The idea of a sleep divorce has recently gone viral, for good reason. Couples have started to admit that they sleep in separate rooms as a way to preserve their marriages. By choosing a sleep divorce, some people can save their daytime relationships.
Sleep deprivation is a serious issue
When you don’t get enough sleep, every aspect of your life suffers. Your cognition and work performance will decrease. Your mood will be worse, and your lack of sleep could exacerbate pre-existing medical conditions.
Chronic lack of sleep can have a negative impact on your interpersonal relationships and your mental health. Sometimes, your spouse might be to blame for you not getting enough sleep. Maybe they constantly toss and turn at night, waking you every time they adjust themselves. Perhaps they snore or have a medical condition like sleep apnea.
When their actions at night affect your ability to sleep, you may get into more fights. You may also grow to resent them for their negative impact on your overall quality of life. Little issues that you may have previously ignored may suddenly seem like insurmountable relationship obstacles. Agreeing to sleep in separate rooms for the foreseeable future could do wonders for your physical and mental health. It could also take the strain off of the relationship.
Maximize the benefits of your sleep divorce
Agreeing to sleep in separate rooms can lessen many of your marital tensions, but it won’t necessarily fix everything. Addressing the other issues that your lack of sleep has highlighted, such as issues with communication or incompatible daily schedules, can help you.
You might be in a position to negotiate a marital agreement with your spouse so that you can address those conflicts now and have a happier marriage in the future. If you do end up filing for divorce after trying the separate bedrooms first, your marital agreement would lead to an easier and less antagonistic process.