HOME & GARDEN The bed as battleground Experts study couples’ disturbed sleeping patterns HE SNORES. She steals the covers. He likes the window open. She likes the electric blanket on ‘‘high.’? He tosses and turns. She pushes him to the edge of the bed. He likes to watch TV late into the night. She needs complete darkness and silence to fall asleep. Do these scenarios sound famil- iar? When couples share a bed, they’re forced to try to mesh their “own personal sleep styles, which may be quite different. Unless compromises can be worked out, the bed may become a battleground, putting a strain on the relationship and robbing both partners of the sleep they need. Paraliel sleep cycles Some sleep experts believe that even the most compatible of sleep- ing couples routinely disturb each other’s sleep. Dr. J. Allen Hobson, a resear- cher in neurophysiology at Har- vard Medical School, discovered a remarkable degree of synchrony in movement and immobility in sleeping couples, which he says gives new meaning to the term .“‘sleeping together.’” “If one tends to go to sleep more quickiy and the other tosses and turns, the one will be awakened; neither will sleep easily until both do,’’ he notes in his book, Sleep. Another study of couples con- ducted by Dr. Larry Monroe of Ohio State University showed that when sleeping together, they dreamed more (more REM sleep) and had less of the deep delta ‘sleep that is needed for body re- covery, according to Dr. Peter Hauri in his book, No More ' Sleepless Nights, “It appears that it takes at least 10 minutes of undisturbed slee before such delta sleep can devel- op — and if one partner moves during those 10 minutes and disturbs the other, the clock ap- parently is set back to zero and the 10 minutes have to start all over again,’’ says Aauri, director of the May Clinic Insomnia Pro- gram and co-director of the clinic’s Sleep Disorders Center. Gender differences Research also shows that sicep- ing together may be harder on women, who typically have shorter periods of deep (non- REM) sleep than their sleep part- ners. The man may de the cause, perhaps because he is more likely than his mate to snore, and she is more easily awakened by noise and other stimuli. in her book, Fae Complete Book of Sleep, author Dianne Hales notes that men are also prone to sleep disorders that in- volve major body movements, such as uncontrollable leg twitches or kicks. “Or it may be a case of one mate putting weight on the other,”” says Hales. ‘“‘Each time the man rolls over, his movement may jar the woman, perhaps not to the point of waking her, but she may go into a lighter sleep stage. “If there’s a difference of more than 50 pounds in weight, the woman may find herself sliding into a ‘trough’ in the mattress, which forms as her bedmate shifts his weight.” One sleep researcher found that each time one person in a double bed moves, the other moves within 20 seconds, Room to move One oodvious solution that never occurs to some couples is to buy a bigger bed. In a full-sized double bed, each partner has oniy as much width as in a baby’s crib — hardly enough room in which to move about freely without disturbing the other. A queen-size set offers six more inches of width; a king-size gives 22 more inches, as well as addi- tional length. If your bed is eight to 16 years old, it no longer provides the comfort and support you need, and should be considered for retivement. , Quality Workmanship you can count on. _ © Custom homes of distinction 8 > Renovations large or small ga PAIGE PACIFIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Serving the North Shore for 7 years "W 5656 Covey Place, NVan. BURNS McLELLAN f 1400-400 Burrard St., Van. 983-2426 LACS SALE OF FLOOR SAMPLES UP TO 50% OFF « 40 years building custom furniture * Your choice of size, style and fabric * Special dedication to immaculate tailoring * The ultimate in craftsmanship * Designs catering to your individual lifestyle COME IN AND VISIT GREGG'S SHOWROOM FOR UPHOLSTERY, REUPHOLSTERY, FABRICS AND LEATHERS 34 Fast 2nd Ave., Vancouver (604) 879-5328 That’s an ideal time for you to consider moving up to a larger size. When you do decide that it’s time for a new bed, be sure to shop together. Lie down in your normal sleeping positions on sev- eral sets to find one that feels right to both of you. If you simply can’t agree, you may want to buy two twin-size beds fastened to a king-size head- board. That way, you can each choose the set that suits you, and still be able to cuddle up when you want to. Resolving nightly skirmishes Once you’ve eliminated the bed as the source of your problems, figure out ways to compromise steep habits and rituals that are not compatible with your mate's. Begin with an honest talk about your aighttime differences (in- cluding things that may have bothered you for years}, and work out a peace treaty you both can live with. For example, if your partner needs complete quict and/or darkness for sleep, you might try reading with a_ high-intensity reading light, or using television earphones. Your bedmate could try eyeshades, earplugs, or other noise-masking devices, such as “white-noise” machinzs. If your tossing and turning keeps your mate awake, go to another bed for the night. Don’t insist on the same bed- time if your biological clocks dif- fer widely -—— it is guaranteed to cause insomnia for the partner who needs less sleep. 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