Things I’d never do in the bedroom, according to an etiquette expert
Bensons for Beds works with etiquette expert Laura Windsor to unveil how to be a more respectful bed partner
A recent Bensons for Beds study shows that searches online for ‘sleep etiquette’ and ‘how to cope with snoring partner’ have risen dramatically as Brits try to turn the tide on sleep divorce and bedroom battles.
And now the UK bed specialist has teamed up with The UK’s Queen of Etiquette, Laura Windsor, to reveal the dos and don’ts in the bedroom, for Brits who want to be seen as a respectful bed partner.
And top of the list of what not to do? Both snoring and hogging the duvet in bed are the biggest causes of rows in the bedroom, being seen as disrespectful and disturbing to a partner you’re sharing the bed with.
Having an alarm set too loud for the morning and scrolling on your phone late into the night are other big no no’s according to Laura.
“Sleep is vital to our wellbeing, and everyday good mood, so it can be frustrating and feel very disrespectful when your bed partner gets into bad habits,” says Laura Windsor. “Just because we’re relaxed in bed, doesn’t mean you should let etiquette slip – just as you behave politely in public, or at the dinner table, try to carry good manners and respect through to the bedroom as well.”
The top ten things Brits do in bed which annoy their partners
- Snoring (56%)
- Hog the duvet (24%)
- Leave the light on whilst the other is trying to sleep (20%)
- Scroll on their phone or watch videos whilst the other is trying to sleep (19%)
- Fidgeting (17%)
- Get up to go the loo (17%)
- Have an annoying or loud alarm tone (15%)
- Phone going off in the middle of the night (15%)
- Sleeping at a different temperature and need more / less covers (14%)
- Not tidy up the bedroom / leave clothes out (13%)
For anyone suffering with a duvet hogging or phone scrolling partner – Laura has some top tips for broaching the subject and being the most polite bed partner you can be.
- Consider separate bedrooms if the snoring gets too much
“Snoring is something that a lot of us actually can’t help, even though there are things that can be done to help ease the noise! If your partner’s snoring is too much to take every single night, consider having regular sleepovers in the spare room. This can help you to feel better rested in the morning and avoid unnecessary rows to bubble over.”
- Put an end to duvet hogging
“Not everyone is going to sleep at the same temperature or want the same amount of covers as each other. If you share the bed with a cover hogger, two separate duvets or a zip and link duvet can work wonders for stopping arguments at night.”
- A clean bedroom is a happy bedroom
“Our surroundings affect our mood and being in a clean and tidy environment, particularly when you want to relax and sleep, is so important. It’s not good manners to leave your dirty clothes just piled up or strewn on the floor – you wouldn’t do it in the living room, so don’t do it in the bedroom. And take it in turns to tidy and clean the bedroom – if you share it, it should be both your responsibilities to manage the upkeep.”
- Phones on silent!
“Mobile phones are the cause of so many bad manners and that remains the case for late-night scrolling whilst in bed. Agree on a time when you put the phones down and always make sure you set them to silent mode, not vibrate, so they don’t disturb your partner.”
- Agree on a wake up call
“It’s not surprising that 1 in 7 of us get annoyed by our partner’s alarm tone – our own is bad enough! If the alarm is particularly abrasive then it makes that wake up call even worse. It’s good manners to consult your partner when choosing your alarm tone – it’s something you have to ‘share’ just like the type of bedding, or colour of the bedroom walls.”
For more information on how to be a polite bedfellow visit the Bensons for Beds website.
