Relationship Problems in Bed:

Lack of Personal Space, Lack of Sleep

“Inspired by an episode of the hit TV series "How I Met Your Mother", we plan to evaluate one

common, yet sensitive and least talked about, problem of sharing a bed with your better half.

In the TV show, the couple Lily and Marshall, after spending a weekend sleeping in separate beds at a

hotel, realize they both enjoy their personal space and come back home to an uncomfortable

scenario where they are again in one bed. They start to realize the annoying habits of the other

person varying from itching and snoring to moving around too much, which eventually leads to lack

of sleep.

By using this as a case study, we will address the problem of personal space in bed for a couple in a

relationship, revisit the solution used in the TV show, and come up with our own creative yet effective

solutions to tackle this.”

100 Solutions into Categories

The solution that was tried tested and failed:

1. Twin beds plus a third Bed just for sex.

Bed Innovation

2. Having a detachable bed with wheels. In case you’re getting disturbed, roll yourself away with just

a click of a button.

3. A “Smart Bed” (inspired from the term “Smart Phone”) that is also on wheels but automatically

separates at the detection of a certain level of noise or movement.

4. Another concept of “Smart Bed” that gives a slight electric shock to the person who is guilty of

making a certain level of noise or movement. That can be a source of discouragement for that

person to make the sleep uncomfortable for both.

5. Having bunk beds both of them are sleeping on different levels. But Wait! There is a slight change.

The bottom level can be made into a double bed so incase the couple wants to get naughty; there is

enough space to do so.

6. Having a king sized “Cocoon Beds” so both people can just nicely curl up and sleep peacefully.

7. Having twin hammocks in your room and just in case you want to get cozy with your partner,

there is a nice comfortable bed right below it.

8. Having a normal double bed, but with large drawers in the bottom, which are also fitted with

mattress. In case you are uncomfortable just roll and fall down in the drawer space.

9. Having a massage bed to ensure your relax and well rested.

10. Having a bed made like a conveyor belt. A detection of extra movement or sound initiates the

conveyor belt at your side of the bed that you, taking you straight on the floor in a painful manner. A

lesson learnt for the person found guilty of disturbing sleep.

11. A new innovation called a “Z” shaped bed. It is made as sort of a mirror image. On the click of a

button, both sides join to make one double bed.

12. Mothers rock their babies to sleep. How about get the same feeling with a “Rocking Bed”

Healing, Herbal or Remedy Solutions

13. Doing yoga before sleeping might help calm and relax the mind and body.

14. A renowned Guru in India, Ram Dev Baba has launched his own brand of herbal products. It is

said to be extremely helpful and might do the trick for the uncomfortable couple.

15. Treating yourself as a magnet, the art of Feng Shui states that sleeping on the north side of the

bed can help get rid of the sleep problems

16. Since many years, Lettuce Tea has been used for putting babies to sleep. How about try a more

potent version for adults?

17. The ancient Buddhist practice of Vippasana has been known to help people attain Nirvana. If you

can use this to attain to Nirva, a mere sleep problem is a small problem to tackle with the use of this

practice.

18. A herb called Valeriana is known to possess a sedative supplement that aids in sleep problems.

19. Bach flower remedy is an act that requires dilution of flower material into medicinal form.

Available for purchase in stores, the combination of different material helps overcome several

problems. It can be learnt by anyone and is easy to understand.

20. The Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT, a psychological acupressure, can help overcome

sleep problems.

21. Everyone knows what hypnotizing means. How about both people learn the interesting practice

of hypnotism and hypnotize their partners to sleep if need be.

22. Chinese oil is a very popular for aiding in relaxation. Putting a dab on your head and nose might

help you breathe easy, relax and sleep well.

23. The concept of concentric buddhist diagrams called “Mandalas” can be put to good use. These

objects aid in meditation and use of them as illuminating colouring books might give you a peace of

mind to get good rest at night.

Substance induced sleeping aids

24. You can never go wrong with a glass of beer to make you feel so sleepy that there you will

consider the problem of space with your other half.

25. A glass of red wine on a lazy day might just do the trick as well.

26. Maybe for the oldies, a warm glass of brandy is a good way of temporarily getting rid of your

sleeping issues.

27. A hot chocolate in the middle of a sleepless night is a good solution to getting good sleep for the

night.

28. For the extreme couples, one joint of marijuana. And you are sorted! Sleep will be guaranteed.

You wouldn’t care who is snoring or who is moving around too much.

29. In case you want to use substance in a very subtle way, grind some sleeping pills or marijuana in

brownies and have it as dessert. It will definitely help the personal space situation.

30. How about a crazy invention! A nasal spray that has just a bit of chloroform that will knock you

out.

31. Scented candles with a hint of chloroform might be another alternative.

32. If the previous four solutions don’t help you, go smell some worn socks. That will surely knock

you out.

33. Warm milk with honey for those who don’t like to get too adventurous.

Sleep Aiding Accessories

34. Have your own sleeping bags to sleep in. If you want to get naughty, get into one sleeping bag.

35. The use of ear muffs is helpful to eliminate the snoring noise.

36. The person facing a problem of the partner snoring can quietly go put a nose band on the

partner in the middle of the night. These nose bands ensure a snore-less sleep environment.

37. With the advancement of technology, it is possible to get a hard mattress with memory foam

technology. Memory foam ensures that the mattress takes the form of your body for better sleep.

On a hard mattress, it makes it easy to get sleep as you are impervious to movement.

38. Cotton clothes and sheets can give you the proper comfort to sleep in case the clothes are

causing to move too much.

39. Wearing large sized clothes and a bed time cap to cut the noise can be a good alternative as well.

40. In case the previous two also don’t help, try sleeping naked. That might just do the trick.

41. Inspired from the bed with electric shocks, having clothes made with static shocks might not be a

bad idea. This will eliminate unnecessary movements in bed.

42. Use of a head gear that ensures proper acupressure on your head to ensure proper sleep.

43. Blind folds that you get on a flight are a forceful way of shutting your eyes and trying to sleep.

44. For the ones who might find blind folds cumbersome, try taping your eyes shut!

45. Inspired from an episode of the hit TV series F.R.I.E.N.D.S, where snoring causes a big ruckus, a

medically proven Mouth Piece ensures that snoring is not a problem anymore.

46. Reading a book I always a good solution to put those adventurous and physically active people to

sleep.

47. Playing with a computer or cell phone in a dark room can cause tiring of your eyes out due to the

brightness of the screen, leading to proper sleep.

48. A radio with bed time stories playing on it might strike the “child” in your mind, putting you

straight to sleep. Aah those childhood memories!

49. If that doesn’t help, maybe your partner can tell them to you. Both can take turns every night.

50. A claw shaped needle-laden instrument for a head massage is a very good way of relaxing

yourself with a hint of a tickle.

51. Wrapping your head in a hot towel might be just thing you need to calm your head to sleep.

52. An instrument that projects a music visualizer on the ceiling can be used to daze yourself to

sleep. It gives a good non-substance related high feeling.

53. Hard coated bubble wrap for extra comfort over bed spreads and pillows might give that relaxing

feeling needed for a good night’s sleep

54. A radio with psychological proven hypnotic tapes can work wonders when the problem is in your

mind.

55. If that doesn’t cut it, try listening to Indian classical music on that radio. That will surely solve

your sleep problems.

56. Writing a diary to get your thoughts out in the open, so there is nothing on mind and you are at

peace while sleeping.

57. A reclining lounger, so you have no qualms about leaving your partner in bed, and getting a nice

snooze on the chair.

58. Inspired from the character “Linus” in the comic “Peanuts”, have a patent blanket you carry

everywhere around. Something which never leaves by your side and you always feel comfortable in.

That is sure to have some psychological significance and give some peace of mind in bed .

Tiring one self to sleep

59. A tiring gym session in the morning so by night time, you are exhausted and waiting to get to

bed.

60. Difficult sex positions in bed so once you’re done, sleep is the only thing on your mind.

61. A night time swimming session to tire your limbs and muscles.

62. A boxing match with your partner so the one who is knocked out definitely gets sleep and the

other partner is sure to be tired enough to get into sleep mode.

63. A pillow fight can be fun yet tiring enough for a good night’s sleep.

64. Many of you might have seen those dancing games, where a game consol is attached to a dance

mat that illuminates and you have to tap your feet on the lights that make you dance. That is a good

way of having a night full of fun as well as sleep.

The Crazy yet Effective Solutions

65. Get a hotel loyalty card on which you collect points from hotel stays to avail a lot of benefits. This

can encourage each partner to stay in a hotel once in a week or so to get good sleep.

66. One partner can convince the other to take a night shift job. Both can work separate shifts and

get good peaceful sleep. There are always the weekends for getting cozy with each other.

67. If that’s good enough, convince the partner to get a job involving a lot of travelling so both can

get good sleep on those days apart.

68. Eating a heavy dinner gets you lazy enough to not do anything but sleep properly.

69. If your bed is big enough, the couple can sleep at a 30 degree angle ensuring there is not hitting

each other while movement but you both can still see each other at close distance

70. The oldest trick in the book. Count sheeps in your mind and maybe that puts you off to sleep.

71. Wrap yourself in bandages like a mummy. Not only will your movement be restricted, but it will

cut the noise for some peaceful sleep.

72. A relaxing bubble bath with a salts and candles might get you into the relaxing mode so you can

sleep without a problem.

73. Or maybe one of the two can just sleep in the bath tub, if it is very relaxing and you just don’t

want to get out.

74. Each person can massage the other before sleep. Not only will it help both relax, but it will also

get the hormones running wild at times.

75. Design the ceiling like the night sky so you get the feeling your sleeping outdoors. Might just give

you the peace of mind you need.

76. A road trip and back each night so both can take turns to drive while the other sleeps. Despite its

uncomfortable set up, it seems like sleeping in car is always an effective tool.

77. Change the time to two hours ahead in bed clocks so psychologically it sets in your mind that you

have to go to sleep and there is no time to waste in thinking about the sleep issues that you might

have.

78. Challenge yourself or bet yourself to not open your eyes and to sleep within a certain time

frame. A self-ego battle can always help in sleeping.

79. Rest your legs against a wall. Maybe that’s the sort of comfort you need to sleep properly.

80. Watch funny videos on YouTube so in case you had things on your mind, you forget them

temporarily for a good night’s sleep.

Other solutions

81. If most of all fail, there is always couple’s therapy to deep dive into your sleeping problems and

issue with lack of personal space.

82. In some cases, it is possible that watching TV before sleeping can cause your body to switch off

but your mind to still be on. For example, watching a horror movie or a disturbing reality show It

best to just have no TV in the room.

83. In case you don’t want to do that, you can just watch a boring film on television every night

before going to bed.

84. Keep yawning and yawning. Maybe those yawns convert to simply dozing off.

85. Get your room sound proofed with black out blinds. Even if you open your eyes it will seem like

they are closed because its pitch dark. And you can’t even hear any noise from outside that might

disturb. Peaceful sleep might be possible.

86. Sleeping on the floor on just a thin mattress might help to become impervious to movement and

hence, ensure proper sleep.

87. Sleeping on opposite sides of the bed can take you away from any snoring noise that might

disturb and maybe loud breathing.

88. Putting things in order in the house before going to bed might give you a peace of mind that can

help you get proper sleep.

89. Get an MRI scan of your brain and consult a neurologist. Maybe a scientific solution to your sleep

issues is the best solution.

90. Make a game out of it. The person who moves a lot in bed or cause disturbance gets a

punishment and has to sleep on the couch or the floor.

91. Doing brain teaser questions just before sleeping can lead to mental tiredness ensuring proper

sleep.

92. Each person can discuss every minute detail of their day in length so by the end, both are so

bored and tired, they can’t just bother about anything but sleep.

93. Tickle each other to sleep. It will be fun and tiring.

94. A relaxing hot shower before going to bed can always give you a peace of mind.

95. Let your imagination run wild. Think of hypothetical situation and youself in different roles and

characters. You are bound to fall asleep during the whole thought process. This is tried and tested.

96. Watch a movie that gives some self-realization about your life and helps you see things a

complete different light. Then you just look forward to the next day and sleep with a clear head.

97. Hum songs in your head. And that too, slow and boring ones. That should get you to snooze

mode soon.

98. The couple can try spooning by wrapping each other together with use of legs. This can restrict

movement and give you a warm feeling that helps you sleep.

99. Have you experienced the morning phenomenon where your alarm rings but you keep saying

you have to get up in five minutes and then you doze off properly? Maybe telling yourself that gives

you the feeling of procrastination and you just doze off.

100. If all else fails, break up! If you can’t even sleep properly in bed together and nothing else

works, you both are not meant to be together!