Under-the-covers survey reveals why our sleeping habits are leading to bust-ups

Sleeping together can be a curse for couples as well as a blissful experience.

That’s according to a recent survey that reveals the average American couple has 24 fights a year thanks to a poor night’s sleep.

The ‘between-the-sheets’ peek into the nightlife of 2,000 Americans shows that annoying sleep habits, such as snoring, are driving a wedge between loved ones.

Other habits driving them apart include hogging the cover and wakeful tossing and turning in the middle of the night.

Shockingly, it’s even driving some of them to consider breaking up, with bad habits meaning separate bedrooms for some.

Bad breath and the simple act of breathing can also grate, as can sharp toenails digging into each other.

We all need a good night’s rest – and a serious lack of sleep can have an impact on our day-to-day health – not only do we function badly without enough quality sleep, it can also lead to long-term health problems.

A recent study of 10,000 16-19 year olds discovered that their sleep quality was directly related to the quantity of time spent on a smartphone or laptop or tablet before going to bed.

Experts recommend that smartphones are switched off at least an hour before bedtime bur few of us stick to these rules.

Here in the UK, statistics suggest around 4% of middle-aged men and 2% of middle-aged women have obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), which can lead to other night-time problems, such as bruxism.

Also, an estimated 30% of us might be keeping our loved ones away with snoring – this statistic increases to 60% once we hit the age of 60, with problem snoring more frequent in blokes and any of us who are overweight.

Snoring may be an indication of OSA so it’s worth having it checked out.