A doctor has warned couples against sharing a bed at night due to the damaging effects sleeping next to someone else can have on your health.
According to Dr Karan Rajan, if your partner has a tendency to snore or move around a lot during the night, this will prevent you from falling into REM (rapid eye movement) sleep - the deepest stage of the sleep cycle.
Given how essential a good night's sleep is to maintaining an individual's over overall health and wellbeing, those not getting enough quality kip are more likely to suffer from physical and psychological problems, the Mirror reports.
Not everyone shares the same sort of sleep cycle, according to Dr Rajan, meaning one partner may well be chronically sleep-deprived, while the other is well-rested, or the other way around.
Sleeping in separate beds is apparently also a good idea because of the triggers that help people drift off, including body temperature.
Dozing off beside another person raises body heat, and this can therefore lead to a person getting insufficient rest at night.
In a TikTok video shared with his 4.8 million followers, Dr Karan, who works as a surgeon and lecturer at the University of Sunderland, said: "One of the triggers you need to be able to fall asleep, is the drop in core body temperature.
"Sharing a bed increases body heat so it'll take longer for you to fall asleep."
The viral video has since been viewed more than 242,500 times, clocking up over 25,000 likes and counting.
Followers have, of course, been left somewhat divided on Dr Karan's pearls of wisdom. While some swear by separate beds, others just can't imagine falling asleep without their other half by their side.
One married person approved, writing: “My husband and I have totally different sleep schedules and styles, we have slept separately for eight years, love it!”
Another agreed: “Post-divorce, THE BEST sleep of my life!"
However, a third individual disagreed, arguing that they "like cuddles" too much, while another person joked, "Tell that to my spoilt, over-indulged Yorkshire Terrier."
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