Sleeping Apart In Relationships: Growing Stronger Together

What is the argument or main message of your source? (Write a 1-paragraph summary).

The main crux of the article is that relations and love can grow even when you share different beds and rooms. This is a misconception that sleeping together is a must in a relationship (Richter, Adam, Geiss, & Niklewski, 2016). Haley McGee has suffered from insomnia and her parents always tried their best to bring her to sleep. She described an incident of sleeping next to one of her crushes and the uncomfortable feeling of sharing a bed with someone. Her insomnia and fear of sleeping with a loved one changed when she moved to London, began a new distance relationship, slept in different beds, and thus growing their love and happy moments by choosing different rooms for sleepovers. Sharing a room was a money saving step as she recognized it and this is why she could happily live with her boyfriend by staying in different rooms (McGee, 2020).

If you're using an Argument: 

In what ways is the argument logical, fair, and reasonable?

The argument covers the facts that Haley McGee has stated truthful facts about sleeping on different beds and it is important to help people rectify their thoughts about commonly held misconceptions about sleeping together so that they can understand why and how is it important to improve their relationships. The relevancy of her description lies in the actual brief about her past few relationships throughout the article. Sleeping apart is generally seen as a sexless and loveless relationship that is not true at all. There are different percepts about sleeping beside your partner, it can be sacrosanct and failed to do so will be taken as a relationship on rocks by some, but it simply means to want a better and peaceful sleep (CBC News, 2013). Sleeping together and in different rooms is based on an individual’s own perspective about their sleeping patterns. For some it is only cause they feel more themselves while being in a different room and for some it can be another way to maintain a healthy relationship.

Even if you happen to think it's weak, why might some reasonable people agree with the author? 

The one main reason why some people in today’s world agree to the concept is because almost everyone relates a relationship with how the two of them share their personal spaces with each other which includes moving in together or more specifically sharing an apartment and beds (Muska, 2017). Majority of people suffer from sleeplessness or insomnia due to their busy schedules and sleep is the only step which can bring a huge improvement in their mental growth and stability. Partner share different sleeping patterns and struggle with difficulties with their habits. To enjoy a healthy relationship and better sleeping arrangements, couples must find their comfort zones which can either be sleeping together or sharing different beds, the only thing that matters here is the easiness of an individual’s own sleeping patterns and habits.

Summary

If you're using a Narrative: 

What makes the narrative seem truthful, important, and relevant?

Why should the narrative matter to other people now, today?

If you're using an Argument: 

What are the problems, flaws, or gaps in the argument?

The most common perspective that is hidden in Haley McGee’s article is that how people often misunderstand the concept of sharing beds. It does not have anything to do with the whole concept of a healthy relationship and people most often think that their sleeping habits will lead them to be alone forever (Austin, 2021).

Even if you think it's basically strong, why might some reasonable people disagree with the author?

People who believe that sleeping together is the only way one can show their love and affection towards their partner will strongly agree with sharing different beds. For them, that would lead to marital conflicts and maybe even divorce, so they do not want to stay in different beds.

What objections can you raise about the argument?

It is not true as the mentalities of both partners must be matured enough to understand about each other’s comfort zones and respecting their choices. A healthy relationship is built on the self-respect and self-appreciation that is commonly misled by the fact that not being able to share a bed will lead to an unhealthy or unhappy relation. From a different perspective, this problem can be linked with lack of proper communication and lack of trust (Illing, 2021). This can also be viewed as the couple experiencing a lack of assets because of what they have to share a bed. It is however not true and only a part of the social myth that is proven to be true because of the customary sign that highlighted the importance of separate rooms to be symbol of wealth in Victorian England. 

Try hard to be rigorous, but if you really can't find "flaws," what new questions and areas for development does the argument raise?

If you're using a Narrative:

What voice or perspective does the narrative allow us to hear that is perhaps often hidden?

Moreover, what do you think are some *other* possible perspectives on the same issue/problem raised in the narrative? In other words, how would the same experience/issue/problem look from a different perspective?

Refer to the source linked in the relevant Unit 7 page. 

• Briefly summarize the four sections (1-2 sentences for each summary):

1. Sleeping together in couples is not a sign of unhealthy relationship but partner’s respect towards their self-analyses and choices.
2. Relevancy of Haley McGee’s article lies within her description about her personal sleeping patterns and insomnia. It should matter in today’s idea about relationship because sleeping together has become another way to seek outcome for a relation.
3. People’s own mentality towards their sleeping patterns is the reason why they think it will make them to be viewed as unhealthy couple.
4. Improper communication and unstable assets balance can be the different perspective about the issue.

• Response on Relevance to the Research Essay Project: The topic is relevant as 30 to 40% of Canadian couples today sleep in different beds and it is termed under sleep divorce.

1. Brainstorm a list of keyword search terms (5-10 phrases or strings)
   - Sleeping patterns

• Relationships
• Couples
• Sharing beds
• Insomnia

List sources that appear relevant (locate two (2) of each type; for each, briefly indicate the relevance of the source). Make sure to complete the first three types in full (2 sources per type). As noted below, the last one for “additional sources” is optional.

Newspaper-of-Record/ Public Scholarship Sources

Source 1:

• url title : https://globalnews.ca/news/4039314/sleeping-apart-good-for-marriage/
• Relevance: This article published by Global News in 2018 is relevant as it points out towards the increasing trend of sleeping quarters and relates the topic to sleep divorce.

Source 2:

• https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/more-couples-opting-to-sleep-in-separate-beds-study-suggests-1.1316019
• Relevance: The article is relevant as it lays emphasis on main reasons of sleeping apart and how it affects the relation in couples.

Source 1:

• https://ideas.ted.com/is-sleeping-in-separate-beds-bad-for-your-relationship-a-sleep-scientist-answers/
• Relevance: Troxel (2020) points out the pressure that couples face about shared beds which is just a socially constructed system of belief rather than proven by science.

Source 2:

• https://www.womansday.com/relationships/dating-marriage/g3133/relationship-benefits-sleeping-separate-beds/
• Relevance: Glantz (2017) points out the importance of couples sharing different beds.

Source 1:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5152533/
• Relevance: Richter et al. (2016) focuses on the researches that focus on indifferences arising in couples due to different sleeping habits and how it is responsible for couple functioning.

Source 2:

• https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00583/full
• Relevance: Drews et al. (2020) draws the attention towards potential implications of sleeping patterns on mental health.

• Source:
• Relevance:
• Source:
• Relevance:

Austin, D. (2021, August 7). For couples, sleeping apart actually could have health benefits. From The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/sleeping-problem-separate-beds/2021/08/06/61340332-e800-11eb-ba5d-55d3b5ffcaf1_story.html

This article focuses on the importance of sleeping pattern in preventing the health related struggles that arise due to sleeping next to someone. It specifically focuses on bedroom compatibility amongst partners.

CBC News. (2013, August 6). More couples opting to sleep in separate beds, study suggests. From CBC News: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/more-couples-opting-to-sleep-in-separate-beds-study-suggests-1.1316019

Here in this article the main focus is laid on relation between sleep quality and improvements in relationships which encourages sleeping in different rooms.

Illing, S. (2021, May 12). The case for sleeping in separate beds. From Vox: https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/22405469/sleep-relationships-wendy-troxel-sharing-the-covers

In this article, Sean argues that their personal relationship has improved as she and her husband came to the conclusion of sleeping separately that has also improved insomniac conditions amongst them.

McGee, H. (2020, February 11). Couples who sleep apart, stay together: In praise of separate beds. From The Globe and Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-couples-who-sleep-apart-stay-together-in-praise-of-separate-beds/

This is the article by Haley McGee where she points out how her long distance relationship worked well when both of the partners understood their space and prioritized the sleeping patterns and schedules by sleeping in separate rooms. 

Muska, S. (2017, October 9). Can Sleeping in Separate Beds Actually Be Good for Your Relationship? From NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/can-sleeping-separate-beds-actually-be-good-your-relationship-ncna807261

Muska shares her experiences about restlessness and insomnia and how it improved when she got better sleep by sharing different beds.

Richter, K., Adam, S., Geiss, L., & Niklewski, G. (2016). Two in a bed: The influence of couple sleeping and chronotypes on relationship and sleep. An overview. Chronobiology International, 33(10), 1464-1472. doi:

https://dx.doi.org/10.1080%2F07420528.2016.1220388

The main objective of this article was to how sharing beds between partners is a sign of intimacy in relationships and how it is also responsible for partner's disturbed sleep patterns.