What is a 'sleep divorce' and why are more Americans having one?

BOSTON - Instead of dissolving the entire marriage, many couples are now opting for a "sleep divorce."

According to a survey conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, more than a third of Americans said they occasionally or consistently sleep in another room from their partner so that they can go to sleep and stay asleep without disruptions such as snoring, alarms, and shifting covers. Plus, one partner may be an early bird while the other burns the midnight oil.

The popularity of "sleep divorce" differed by generation, with 43 percent of millennials signing on, followed by 33 percent of those in Generation X, 28 percent of those in Generation Z and 22 percent of baby boomers.

In:
• Health
• Sleep

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

Twitter Facebook