Sleeping apart can be a solution for couples seeking better rest and healthier relationships

The idea of married couples sleeping apart has long carried a stigma, often viewed as a sign of conflict or emotional distance.

- Amrita Kaur

But some in Singapore are rethinking that perception.

Known as "sleep divorce", the practice of sleeping in separate rooms is seen as a practical decision aimed at improving sleep quality and reducing tension at home.

For couples managing different sleep patterns, health issues like insomnia or disruptions such as snoring, sleeping apart has been found to be a beneficial alternative.

When Mr Vincent Wong and Ms Kate Cham noticed their seven-month-old son Noah waking up frequently at night, they suspected Mr Wong's loud snoring was to blame. The trio had been sleeping in the same room since the boy's birth.

At one point in October, Noah was waking up every hour, and Ms Cham would have to attend to him and put him back to sleep.

With the constant sleep disruptions, she felt very tired the next day. "I saw a huge drop in my productivity, found fault in small things, and became more irritable," says the 35-year-old.

Ms Cham and Mr Wong, 38, run Anglo Caregivers, a company that offers live-in caregiver services.

To test if Mr Wong's snoring was really the culprit, he slept in another bedroom. That night, Noah, now age one, slept soundly.

"From then on, he started sleeping through the night and my sleep quality improved too," says Ms Cham.

Mr Wong says: "If we hadn't started sleeping separately, we might have had marital issues. I felt guilty that my snoring was waking the baby and disrupting Kate's rest and mood the next day."

SNORING IS LEADING CAUSE OF DISRUPTED SLEEP

In February, Resmed, a global health technology company, released its fifth annual Global Sleep Survey. It had 30,026 respondents across 13 markets, including the United States, China, India and Britain. Of these, 1,000 respondents were from Singapore.