Internet, meet Chrissy and Tom Clark, a Utah couple who married in 2008 and have been together for the past 16 years. (So cute!)
In a video that has amassed nearly a million views, Chrissy shared a shot of her husband's room...
...as well as her own, right down the hall.
The video invoked quite a response, leading thousands to flood the comment section with their views on sleeping arrangements. Some people shared that they feel sleeping in the same bed is an essential part of marriage, but others disagreed.
Couples who, like Chrissy and Tom, also sleep apart from their spouse chimed in. One user wrote, "Does not mean we don't love each other. Sometimes it just works better for many reasons."
Their sentiments were echoed by other couples who agreed that sleeping apart can work well for those partnered with people who snore, toss and turn, or enjoy reading late into the night.
![We have slept apart for about 20 years, have a wonderful marriage and could not imagine any other way. He snores, I toss and turn. We meet together [fire emoji]](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2022-02/14/17/asset/e8d4721da4d8/sub-buzz-629-1644861495-13.jpg)
According to Chrissy and Tom, they began sleeping in separate beds after Chrissy became sick one year and had a persistent cough. "Because of my cough, one of us would end up sleeping on the couch or in the guest bedroom. After the cough went away, we kept sleeping in the other rooms because we both had much better sleep for several reasons," Chrissy told BuzzFeed.
"I need a dark room, and my husband sleeps better with natural light. I sleep better on a firm bed, and he loves the pillow top. We had tried several mattresses over the years and could never find one we both loved. Not to mention his snoring and taking all the covers."
Since shifting to individual beds, Chrissy said their quality of sleep significantly improved, as well as their moods. "Sleep quality has improved our marriage," she said. "I am not cranky, and neither is he. We still cuddle in bed and watch TV, but when it is time to sleep, he will go to his bedroom to sleep."
The 47-year-old wife also pointed out that the couple works from home together, travels together, share children, and spend most of their time together outside of dozing hours, so there's no lack of quality time. "Sleeping in separate beds does not equate to a bad marriage. If anything, it improves it for us."
Chrissy hopes that by sharing their sleeping arrangements, more couples will feel comfortable trying it for themselves or speaking about their own unconventional marriages. "[I think] many couples [sleep apart] and are not comfortable admitting it," she said. "My husband and I have our quality time awake, and we have our quality sleep time apart. I don’t think that makes us an odd couple. I guess that makes us secure and happy. If there are couples out there considering this, I say go for it. In our marriage, it has made time together just that much more special! I get excited when he comes into my room every morning with a cup of coffee."
In conclusion, the arrangement can work for many, and that's a great thing...
...but it's a personal preference, and whatever you're comfortable with is great too.
