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Proper bed etiquettes are a set of ground rules that partners follow in the bedroom to ensure peaceful co-existence and make it easier for you to fall asleep.
Many sleeping habits, such as snoring, late sleep schedule, noisy night routines, pets and children intruding on sleep time, untidy bed-making, etc., can disrupt sleep. And many people spend their entire lives without making the required changes in the bedroom, leading to sleep disorders and deteriorating health. That’s why you should talk to your partner and establish a few boundaries catering to your preferences and dislikes.
To help you with that, we will walk you through various bed etiquettes that partners can utilize without any delay. Read on.
Misunderstandings and arguments are common when it comes to settling on a room temperature for the night. While some sleepers feel cold easily, others prefer colder temperatures since their bodies may run hotter at night. So, there will be an inevitable dilemma about setting the room temperature.
Many sleep experts and professionals recommend 65 degrees Fahrenheit as the ideal temperature to let your body relax and lull to sleep. Our body temperatures naturally lower themselves while asleep, but a very hot, humid, or stuffy room can negatively affect sleep duration and quality.
Another way you can ensure the perfect sleeping temperature is by investing in a mattress pad or bedding that promotes airflow and has cooling abilities.
Many couples engage in deep conversations at bedtime to catch up on what happened during the day or a certain event. However, when you’re both tired and sleepy, your bedtime should be exclusively set aside for sleeping. This way, you can get a good night’s rest and wake up the next morning with a fresh mind and a better relationship.
If you see your partner getting under the duvet or blanket and about to sleep, turn off the lights and let them fall asleep without any conversation. You’ll have plenty of time to catch up at the breakfast table.
The bedroom, especially the bed, is an exclusive and intimate place for you and your partner. That’s why you should discuss and agree on who you will share it with and for how long. If you have a pet, you should limit the time they spend in bed and put them in their designated sleeping place at night.
For example, pets, especially dogs, aren’t aware of human bed etiquette and what can cause harm to their owners, so they sleep wherever they want to. You’ll find that pets always gravitate to the bedroom at night to find a cool sleeping environment. This can make you wake up in the middle of the night, disrupting your precious sleep.
There are two ways you can deal with this issue. One, you can place a pet bed in the bedroom and enjoy your time with them without losing out on sleep. Second, you can switch your bed to one that’s large enough to fit the pet as well.
Since people spend a third of their lives on the bed, it's important to make your bed very properly - with fitted sheets, comfy blankets, and pillows. However, many people don’t know how to make a bed properly. Let’s look at a few elementary steps.
Strip your bed off all the sheets, layers, pillows, duvets, and the bed skirt - don’t forget to put the linens and covers for washing or laundry if they’re soiled. If they are in good condition with no dirt, drape them over a chair while you make the bed. Always wash the bottom sheet.
Cover the bed with a fitted sheet. Ensure you start tucking sheets with the long end over the top edge at the head and then extend it vertically over the foot on the same side. Continue until you’ve secured all four corners and smooth out any wrinkles.
Place the top sheet in a way that an equal portion of the top sheet hangs from both sides of the bed. Then, tuck the top sheet into the mattress at the foot and sides of the bed, and ensure you’ve put the right side down.
To make your bed look extra tidy, we recommend making “hospital corners,” which are used in hotels to give a crisp and neat look. You can start making hospital corners after you’ve neatly tucked the four corners under the mattress.
After doing this, you’ll find a panel of sheets hanging from each side. Start with one side, grab the fabric, lift it, and lay it on the surface. When you fold this edge, you’ll be left with a triangular-shaped material - carefully fold it and tuck it away beneath the mattress.
Finish the process by placing a comforter or duvet and arranging the pillows.
There are two kinds of sleepers - ones who can sleep even with the lights on, while others are so sensitive that they’re disturbed by the slightest noise. So, if one of the partners is a light sleeper, certain restrictions must be put into place.
To reach a middle ground, install reading lights on either side of the bed. Reading lamps illuminate a comparatively smaller area, so there are low chances of any sleep disruption. If either of you feels like staying up all night reading, you can do so using reading lamps - ditch the skylights and bulbs during bedtime.
Moreover, if you’re a light sleeper, consider wearing earplugs and eye masks to reduce auditory and visual stimuli at night.
You should be very careful about your partner’s sleep schedule - ask them when they need to wake up and try to coordinate waking times.
If you wake up earlier than the other person, set the alarm with a comparatively soothing tone to avoid disrupting their sleep. When your alarm sounds, immediately wake up and shut it off before your partner is awakened by it. Ensure you don’t put the alarm on snooze since that will wake both of you later.
If you need to get ready early in the morning, consider arranging the clothes you’ll wear in the morning the night before to minimize the noise while getting ready. Everything should be ready to grab - this is the best way to incorporate two different work routines in your co-existence.
Similarly, if you stay up late and your partner goes to bed early, avoid switching any main light on. Utilize the reading lamp to light up the space instead.
If you have a habit of snoring during sleep, there is a high chance that your partner is getting disrupted sleep. When sharing your room, it’s always helpful to minimize your snoring. Go to a doctor for insights into why you snore if it gets chronic. Moreover, sleeping on your side can help reduce snoring - ask your partner if the snoring has reduced in this position.
Another cause of noise pollution in the bedroom is video games and screen time, which many people use for relaxing after a long day. If you have the habit of playing video games before going to sleep, play them in a different room away from your partner's earshot.
Always arrange a room for guests - this can come in handy if you unexpectedly host an overnight guest or need an extra room after fighting with your partner! When the guest room has been used the night before, ensure proper cleaning so that it’s ready for the next guest or an unexpected emergency.
Good sleep is essential to a healthy life, and proper bed etiquette significantly improves the chances of restful sleep. Beds are the major source of relaxation and comfort after a long, hard day at work. But when you share them with a partner, your mismatched preferences and dislikes can lead to stress.
Being aware of your different schedules and incorporating certain etiquettes and boundaries into the bedroom can make co-existing enjoyable and convenient. The best way to start avoiding bad sleeping habits from your life is by making the bedroom exclusive and removing any unwanted distractions. This way, you’ll find it easier to incorporate other bed etiquettes, such as reducing visual and noise pollution, making the bed properly, limiting verbal stimuli, etc.
That being said, we’ll be signing off for now. See you next time!
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