Sharing a bed with someone you love is one of life's comforts, right up until they steal the duvet at 3am. If you've ever lain awake listening to snoring, or woken up uncovered and cold, you're far from alone. Research for Direct Line Home Insurance in 2025 found that around 16% of UK adults in a relationship, roughly five million people, now sleep in a separate room from their partner, with sleep disturbance the main reason.
Separate rooms work brilliantly for some couples. But if you'd rather keep sharing, there are plenty of smaller changes that can make a real difference.
What keeps couples awake?
In that same research, the most common culprits among couples who sleep separately were snoring, bathroom visits during the night, and tossing and turning. Other frequent complaints include different bedtimes, one partner running hot while the other feels cold, and, of course, duvet hogging. An earlier survey by The Sleep Council found that more than half of couples who had moved to separate beds said their sleep had improved a lot, which shows just how much partner disturbance can matter.
1. Try the Scandinavian sleep method
Common in Scandinavia and much of northern Europe, this simply means sharing a bed but using two single duvets instead of one big one. Each person gets their own duvet, so:
- No more tug of war or waking up uncovered
- Restless sleepers don't disturb their partner as much
- Each of you can choose a different tog: lighter for the hot sleeper, warmer for the one who's always cold
It works best on a king or super king bed. You keep one fitted sheet over the whole mattress and add a single duvet cover for each duvet. Browse our single size bedding for duvet covers, and style the two duvets folded neatly side by side, or layer a throw across the foot of the bed for a finished look.
2. Consider going up a bed size
A standard UK double is 135cm wide, which gives each person less width than a single bed. Moving up to a king (150cm) or super king (180cm) gives you both room to move without disturbing each other. If you're planning to upgrade, our guide to UK bedding sizes explains the dimensions, and you'll find matching sets in our king size and super king size collections.
3. Solve the hot and cold problem
If one of you always runs hot, choose breathable bedding for the whole bed and let the warmer-blooded partner have the lighter duvet. Ackly Bamboo is smooth and cool to the touch, which many warm sleepers love. The partner who feels the cold can add a throw, wear bed socks, or use a hot water bottle on their side.
4. Tackle noise and light
- Comfortable earplugs or a gentle white noise machine can help light sleepers.
- If your partner reads or scrolls later than you, a small directional reading light or an agreed screens-off time keeps the room dark.
- Blackout curtains help when one of you is up earlier than the other.
5. Talk about snoring
Snoring is the number one complaint, and it's worth taking seriously. Simple changes such as sleeping on your side, cutting down on alcohol before bed and maintaining a healthy weight can help some people. Loud snoring with pauses in breathing, choking or gasping, or daytime sleepiness can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnoea, so it's worth speaking to a GP.
6. Agree a wind-down routine
Different body clocks are normal. If one of you is a night owl, the NHS advice on a regular, calm bedtime routine still applies: the later partner can get ready in another room and slip in quietly. Even agreeing on a couple of shared habits, like phones away at a set time, can make bedtime more peaceful for both of you.
The bottom line
There's no right or wrong way for couples to sleep. Some thrive in separate rooms; others just need their own duvet. Experiment, talk it through, and remember that good sleep is good for your relationship too. Every bed tells a Sheet Story, and the best ones have room for two happy sleepers.
