Women Who Can't Stand Sleeping Next To Their Husbands Often Do These 11 Things At Night

Sometimes getting quality sleep outweighs getting cuddles before bed.

Written on Sep 13, 2025

Women Who Can't Stand Sleeping Next To Their Husbands Often Do These Things At Night Maridav / Shutterstock
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While your initial thought when you hear about a woman who can't stand sleeping next to her husband might be that their relationship is losing love, that isn’t always the case. But the truth is that no matter how much you love someone, the quality of your sleep is important.

While issues in a relationship can lead to different sleeping arrangements, it's important to remember that there are plenty of other reasons a woman may have a hard time sleeping next to the man she married. In order to address those issues, there are several things women who can't stand sleeping next to their husbands will do at night in order to try their best to get a good night's rest.

Women who can't stand sleeping next to their husbands often do these 11 things at night

1. Sleep in another room

women who can’t stand sleeping next to their husbands often do these things at night sleep in another room Shutterstock AI / Shutterstock

When a woman can’t stand sleeping next to her husband, she will most likely choose to sleep in another room. That may be on the couch in the living room or the guest bedroom. She will choose to do this so that she can actually get quality sleep.

There are several reasons why a woman may want to sleep in a separate room from her husband. If he snores too loudly, prefers a temperature that makes it harder for her to sleep, or if they simply have different sleep schedules, she will prioritize her sleep quality and avoid the disruptions. This also has the potential to strengthen a relationship if a lack of sleep causes relationship issues.

RELATED: My Husband And I Sleep In Separate Rooms And We're Happily Married

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2. Create a barrier

women who can’t stand sleeping next to their husbands often do these things at night create a barrier StockPhotoDirectors / Shutterstock

If a woman creates a barrier between her and her husband while they sleep, she may be doing so because she can’t stand sleeping next to him. This does not always mean that their marriage has lost its love.

While the barrier may hinder intimacy and create an emotional wall, it may also be for other reasons that are not related to emotional distancing. Different sleeping habits, health-related issues, or just a simple need for space to aid in comfort could also all be contributing factors for a woman creating a barrier at night.

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3. Sleep with her back turned

women who can’t stand sleeping next to their husbands often do these things at night sleeping with her back turned Lordn / Shutterstock

While at first, sleeping with your back turned to your partner may seem like it's the result of an argument, a woman sleeping like this shows more positive traits that she possesses, as well as the relationship. This signals that she has a sense of independence within the relationship, but still, there is a significant amount of trust and security that she finds within her marriage.

Cuddling may seem sweet and may create a sense of connection between the couple, but for some, it messes with their quality of sleep. There can actually be a connection built between people who sleep back-to-back, too, because it shows that they feel together even when not intertwined.

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4. Wear headphones

women who can’t stand sleeping next to their husbands often do these things at night wear headphones Dzmitryieu Dzmitry / Shutterstock

If a woman wears headphones to bed, it may be because she has trouble getting quality sleep when sleeping next to her husband. Her husband may be a loud snorer, causing her to need some way to drown out the noise while trying to go to sleep.

She may also just enjoy using sleep-specific headphones that help her relax and reduce stress while also tuning out all the sounds of movement her husband makes throughout the night. The noise cancellation factor, along with the reduction of stress, is a major reason why, for her to achieve quality sleep, she may wear headphones, especially when sleeping next to her noisy husband.

RELATED: How To Stop Snoring From Destroying Your Relationship

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5. Use a white noise machine

women who can’t stand sleeping next to their husbands often do these things at night use white noise Svetlyachock / Shutterstock

Similar to the reasons a woman may wear headphones to bed when sleeping next to her husband, a woman may listen to white noise to improve her quality of sleep. Not only will it block out any of the disturbing sleeping habits her husband may have, but it will also aid in her sleep by providing a calming effect for her body and mind.

White noise is known to have a lulling effect on the body and mind by slowing heart and respiratory rate, which ultimately helps the person listening to it fall asleep faster. If her husband snores, moves around a lot, or tends to be more of a night owl, his sleeping habits will have a harder time impacting her sleep when she listens to white noise.

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6. Sleep with lights on

women who can’t stand sleeping next to their husbands often do these things at night sleep with lights on Hananeko_Studio / Shutterstock

When a woman can’t stand or has trouble falling asleep next to her husband, she may choose to sleep with the lights on. While it may not be nearly as conducive to quality sleep as some other nightly habits of women, sleeping with the lights on is usually done out of fear or a need for security.

Rather than being afraid of the dark, her vivid nightmares, or a trauma response due to past relationships, sleeping with the light on may provide a woman with some security because it allows her to see her surroundings as well as have a better view of her husband.

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7. Stay up looking at her phone

women who can’t stand sleeping next to their husbands often do these things at night stay on her phone Shutterstock AI / Shutterstock

If a woman can’t stand sleeping beside her husband, she may stay on her phone throughout the night. There are several reasons why she may do this, but most of the time, this is due to a need for personal space or using the phone to help her fall asleep.

Even in relationships, people need their own space and time to themselves, so using her phone at night could be a way she keeps a sense of individuality. She may also use her phone to listen to music or podcasts to help her fall asleep faster.

RELATED: People Who Usually Scroll On Their Phone Before Falling Asleep Usually Have These 11 Issues

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8. Stay awake late

women who can’t stand sleeping next to their husbands often do these things at night stay awake late Kmpzzz / Shutterstock

If her senses are in overload, a woman may struggle and not be able to fall asleep next to her husband, causing her to stay awake much later. If her husband snores, fidgets a lot in his sleep, or prefers to sleep at a different temperature than she does, these are all issues that may impact her senses negatively when trying to sleep.

While these sleeping habits make it difficult for her to wind down and fall asleep, instead of lying awake until it’s super late at night, she could choose to speak up about these habits impacting her quality of sleep. Finding a compromise in this situation is key.

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9. Take frequent bathroom trips

women who can’t stand sleeping next to their husbands often do these things at night frequent bathroom trips Serge Vo / Shutterstock

Some psychological factors cause a woman to take frequent bathroom trips throughout the night when she can’t stand sleeping next to her husband. One of those is anxiety.

Especially when it's caused by emotional distress within a relationship, anxiety can cause the body to have stress responses. As a coping mechanism to these stressors and the anxiety, not only will the body release hormones that create an urge to use the restroom, but she may want to use it as an opportunity to exit an uncomfortable situation.

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10. Read or watch TV

women who can’t stand sleeping next to their husbands often do these things at night read or watch tv Nicoleta Ionescu / Shutterstock

When a woman feels uncomfortable or can’t stand sleeping next to her husband, she may stay up late throughout the night reading or watching TV. This becomes her way of procrastinating, which often leads to her falling asleep.

She may want to procrastinate due to a fear of intimacy with her husband or a need for some sense of control if her day is filled with stressful circumstances. Having an anxious attachment style could cause her to want to resist being too close to her husband, and night may feel like the only time she can truly consume her time with what she wants.

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11. Create a different sleeping schedule

women who can’t stand sleeping next to their husbands often do these things at night create a different sleeping schedule Chinnapong / Shutterstock

If her husband's behaviors are disturbing and negatively impact her quality of sleep, a woman may not be able to stand sleeping next to him, and she may choose to create a different sleeping schedule. It is not out of a lack of love but rather no longer being able to put up with his snoring, restlessness, or the temperature at which he likes to sleep.

In order to compromise and prevent further sleep-related arguments, she may decide it is better for her and her husband's quality of sleep to sleep on different schedules. So, while it may initially seem like there are issues within the marriage that cause a woman not to be able to stand sleeping next to her husband, in many cases, it comes down to just needing to find a compromise and prioritize better quality sleep.

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Kamryn Idol is a writer with a bachelor's degree in media and journalism who covers lifestyle, relationship, family, and wellness topics.

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