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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Zahna Eklund

Common sleeping habit is ruining Brits' sex life - and it's even worse in the heat

This weekend is set to be a scorcher for many parts of the UK, with some places potentially seeing temperatures as high as 29C or 30C. While the weather will be great for sunbathers and beachgoers, it'll be less pleasant when it comes to getting into bed and facing a clammy night.

And according to new research, there's one sleeping habit that drives Brits up the wall in hot weather, and arguing about it could even impact your sex life.

Sleep experts at Mattress Online asked 5,000 Brits to reveal their biggest bedtime grievances with their partners and found that topping the list was temperature disagreements - as many couples who share a bed can never agree on how hot or cold the bedroom should be.

Disagreements over sleep have caused an intimacy drop in 33% of people (Getty Images)

The research showed that over 24% of people surveyed said that arguing about temperature was a bedtime annoyance for them, which doesn't bode well for those trying to get a good night's sleep during this weekend's heatwave - especially if your partner objects to having a window open.

Next on the list was eating in bed, while loud snoring, sleepwalking or sleep talking, and insisting on complete darkness or silence rounded out the top five.

What's more, Mattress Online found that a staggering 33% of Brits asked said their bedtime grievances have reduced sexual intimacy with their partner, while one in 10 said they've actually ended a relationship over sleep habits.

Around 27% admitted they regularly sleep in a separate bed to their partner to avoid clashing sleep habits, and one woman said she and her boyfriend now "sleep much better" since giving each other space.

Luana Ribeira said: "We sleep much better alone. If we have a bad night's sleep, we can't blame the other for snoring or shuffling around. Likewise, there's no issue if one of us wants to go to bed later or get up earlier than the other, and we can spread out as much as we want!

"We both work from home, we have our own space if we want to be alone or need peace to focus on work. We enjoy spending time together in the evening then saying goodnight and going to our separate rooms to relax before bed. We get excited about seeing each other in the morning."

However another couple insisted they could never sleep separately from one another, and actually believe that having separate sleeping arrangements could negatively impact their marriage.

Sally Baker, who has been married to Arnold Dobbs for 13 years, said: "I can't imagine ever choosing not to sleep with my husband, even though he can be truly annoying at night. For every annoying thing he does, he also reaches for me and I can reach for him. Sleeping together feels like the greatest treat; sanctuary at the end of our busy days.

"One of the first warning signs that a relationship is in trouble is the diminishing importance of intimacy. Withdrawing can be a passive-aggressive sign that all is not well between you both."

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