Whether or not someone showers before bed is entirely a personal choice but when sleeping beside someone else, a certain level of good hygiene is generally expected. However, one man has stirred up some controversy after revealing that he refuses to sleep next to his wife and opts for the couch instead if she comes home from her work and doesn't shower before bed time.
The husband admits that his wife tells him he is being 'unreasonable' but explained that she works in a hospital and after she recently admitted she's 'exposed to a lot of bodily fluids' each day, he doesn't feel comfortable sharing a bed with her.
The post has caused divided opinions after some people sympathised with his concerns while others told him his wife is probably cleaner than he is due to the 'precautions' she'll take in work.
The anonymous 33-year-old man took to Reddit to explain that his wife's a gynaecologist, and insists he's proud of her for doing such an important job'. However, he added: "I'm uncomfortable with the idea of sleeping in the same bed as her without her showering first."
He continued: "I've asked her to take a shower before coming to bed, but she thinks it's unnecessary and feels like I'm being unreasonable. She argues that she wears gloves and takes precautions to avoid any contamination, and that her scrubs are changed regularly.
"However, I still feel uneasy about the potential exposure to bodily fluids, and I don't think it's an unreasonable request for her to take a quick shower before bed. Since my wife doesn't want to shower before bed, I have been sleeping on the couch in the living room instead."
The man said his wife doesn't understand his reasons for his demands and thinks he is 'overreacting and being ridiculous by sleeping on the couch' but he is not willing to 'compromise' on his 'comfort and health'. Other Reddit users were split by the man's post and flocked to the comments to share their thoughts on the situation.
Some people sympathised with the husband as one person reassured: "There is absolutely nothing wrong with a quick shower after coming home. And nothing wrong with staying away from someone until they do.
"You were free to ask and she was free to say no.......while accepting the consequences of refusing. You sleep on a lumpy couch and she sleeps alone."
A midwife, who always showers after her shifts agreed: "Healthcare workers should shower first thing after a shift imo. But i also think everyone should shower after work, and at the very least a quick wash before bed."
However, others were not as understanding about the man's opinion as one replied: "My guy, do you know the precautions they take? She's not getting fluid on herself and just leaving it there, you are basically calling her unsanitary when she's probably cleaner than you are."
Another remarked: "Your wife sees multiple patients a day. If this was any threat to you she'd have to shower between patients. I bet she doesn't have to do that.
"Of course she gloves up and wears whatever gear is necessary to not bring 'fluids' home." In an update to the post, the man acknowledged that he had received contrasting responses but agreed he may have 'overestimated the hazard her not showering represents', as he added: "I will try to find a compromise with her."
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