A woman who stopped sharing a bed with her partner because of his 'horrendous' habit has claimed putting some distance between them has improved their relationship.
Chantel Billy, 26, spoke out about her decision to sleep apart from her fiancé Jackson after actress Cameron Diaz said that long-term couples sleeping in separate bedrooms should be "normalised". The woman said her husband-to-be is a loud snorer when he sleeps, and it had been impacting her ability to get a good night's sleep so they chose to begin sleeping separately so they could both get enough rest. And while some have claimed their romance must be "failing", Chantel is adamant that she and Jackson, 27, are now "more intimate than ever".
She said: "I think it's fantastic that Cameron Diaz wants to normalise couples having separate bedrooms. Many people accused my relationship of failing, saying that my partner didn't love me anymore and that he didn't find me attractive anymore. Me and my partner have been more intimate than ever, now that I'm able to get eight hours of sleep."
Chantel, a legal support worker from Melbourne, Australia, began dating Jackson in 2020 and the pair moved in together two months later. For the next few years, the couple shared a bed, but due to Jackson's snoring habit, he ended up spending most nights on the sofa so that Chantel could get a good night's sleep.
"The snoring completely impacted my ability to fall asleep," Chantel said, "I would toss and turn for hours and would often have to shake my partner awake to get him to change sleeping positions so that it would minimise the noise he was making. I would often wake up tired and irritated."
The routine impacted the mental health of both Chantel and Jackson as neither of them was getting the rest they needed, so two months ago, Jackson proposed a solution - sleeping in different bedrooms. Chantel was hesitant at first but eventually agreed to give it a go, and the pair have noticed a "massive change" in their energy levels and mood.
Chantel explained: "Since having separate beds, I have noticed such a massive change in Jackson's mood and energy levels. We have both started going to the gym in the mornings and feel so much more motivated in our day-to-day lives - it's amazing what eight hours of sleep can do.
"I hesitated a little at first because I was worried that it would cause issues in our relationship. I realised that I only thought that because of what society has told me a healthy or unhealthy relationship is. Once we communicated how the arrangement would look to us and our relationship, I was fully on board.
"We spend more intentional time together, which I am a huge advocate for. This means not just scrolling on your phone in bed and actually planning movie nights together, nights where we have pillow talk for 30 minutes before bed. I believe it has fuelled our individuality too. Jackson has gotten so much more into reading, and he is excited to have his own space to explore his hobbies."
The woman admitted that sleeping separately has been a "sacrifice" for the couple, but she believes the benefits far outweigh any negatives of not sharing a bed with her fiancé. She added: "Not sleeping in the same bed with my partner is a sacrifice, of course. However, our health is so important, and therefore we need to ensure that we are both getting a good night's sleep.
"For us, that means separate beds. It's as simple as that; it's not as deep or controversial as everyone is making it out to be. I think the idea that you HAVE to sleep with your partner is very outdated and is carried on the basis of instilled shame and stigma in relationships."
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