"Let's Sleep Separately for Comfort"... Why 40% of Married Couples in Korea Sleep in Separate Rooms

Disturbed by "Co-Sleeping"... Transition to "Independent Sleep"

"A Culture of Respecting Individual Sleep Preferences Is Taking Root"

It has been found that 4 out of 10 married couples in Korea sleep in separate, independent spaces.

According to the "2026 Korea Sleep Health Report," conducted on 1,000 men and women aged 19 to 69 nationwide by sleep-specialized brand Simmons and the Korean Society of Sleep Medicine on the occasion of World Sleep Day, 38.1% of married respondents answered that they "sleep alone."

When sharing a bed with a spouse, child, or pet, the main factors that disturb sleep were, in order: tossing and turning or movement (53.7%), snoring or noise (43.5%), differences in bedtime (37.3%), differences in lifestyle habits (25.8%), and lack of space (13.8%).

Kim Dongkyu, Public Relations Director of the Korean Society of Sleep Medicine, analyzed, "The fact that 4 out of 10 married individuals choose to sleep separately shows that people are actively seeking sleep methods best suited to themselves," adding, "With growing interest in sound sleep and wellness, a culture of respecting each other's sleep preferences and daily patterns is taking root."

In another survey conducted on March 5 by Philips Korea and Korea Research, which targeted 800 adults nationwide and 201 Philips CPAP users, 51.6% of the 674 respondents living with a partner said they had at some point separated sleeping arrangements to improve sleep quality. Furthermore, 41.5% stated that the sleeping habits of their partner affected their relationship.

An industry insider also commented, "As the social awareness that sleep is directly linked to health becomes increasingly clear, the product lineup in related industries is undergoing rapid change," adding, "A variety of sleep products catering to the trend of independent sleep will continue to emerge."

Meanwhile, Simmons and the Korean Society of Sleep Medicine also released the "Korea Sleep Integrity Quotient" (KSIQ) along with this sleep health report. This year, the Korea Sleep Integrity Quotient scored 66.25 out of 100 points, indicating that most people are in a state of accumulated chronic fatigue and experiencing inconvenience in daily life due to low sleep satisfaction. The most frequently cited issue was "reduced concentration during work or study (52.4%)," followed by physical discomfort such as headaches or skin troubles (46.5%), emotional changes such as mood swings or irritability (41.5%), and decreased memory or judgment (33.1%).

Additionally, 69.2% of respondents were not meeting the minimum recommended adult sleep duration of 7 hours. They were compensating for lack of sleep by taking naps (61.8%) or sleeping in on weekends (68.9%).

A representative from Simmons stated, "We hope that this announcement will not only spread a healthy sleep culture but also serve as a standard driving qualitative growth across the industry."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.