Health Is Everything: A Medical Blog

Couples Counseling Can Help Resolve Conflict Over Sleep Schedules

Sharing a bed together is something you might have always done with your partner. But recently, you might be finding it more difficult to get a good night's rest. The differences in your sleep schedule might have an impact on your day-to-day life and can also affect your relationship. If conflicts related to bedtime are affecting your marriage, it's important to bring this up in a couples counseling session.

The Importance of Couples Counseling

Regardless of the issue you face, it is important to approach it with help from a couples counselor. If you have not been able to resolve the sleep conflict on your own, it makes sense to want to seek out a different perspective. With a fresh pair of eyes, the counselor might be able to determine that conflict over your sleep schedule is a major component of the strife you are experiencing.

Some individuals are early birds and others are night owls. However, this might become a problem when you and your partner go to bed at different times. Even though you can both wake up and go to bed at different times, trying to tiptoe around and avoid and avoid waking up your partner can be a hassle. Also, if you or your partner is suffering from a sleep disorder, it can be difficult to fall asleep at the same time each night. 

When to Sleep Separately

When you are struggling to avoid waking your partner up at night, you might feel the need to sleep separately. You might choose to get a separate bed for example. This can allow both of you to feel less tired and stressed. However, you or your partner might miss sleeping in the same bed, and this will need to be discussed during couples therapy.

A couples counselor can examine your unique situation and provide you with objective advice. There might be a solution to your problem that is right under your nose. The counselor can also help you cope with other consequences of not being able to manage your sleep schedule effectively. Because the counselor does not know either of you outside of your sessions, they can help you solve your problems without playing favorites.

Counselors are trained professionals who can use proven methods to help you overcome the problems you are facing. Therefore, it is very important to make sure that you meet with a couples counselor sooner rather than later. If differing sleep schedules is causing conflict in your marriage, talk to a counselor like those at Bay Area CBT Center.