The concept of a sleep divorce sounds dramatic, but relationship and health experts are increasingly suggesting that couples who struggle to share a bed might actually benefit from spending some nights apart, and biohacker Bryan Johnson has inadvertently brought the conversation back into the mainstream.
Johnson, the 48-year-old entrepreneur who spends around $2 million a year on his anti-ageing efforts, is well known for his strict approach to sleep. For years he has maintained a solo sleeping arrangement, citing sleep quality as one of the most critical factors in his health protocol. He has previously said the only activity he and his girlfriend Kate Tolo engage in while sharing a bed is intimacy, and that sleeping together is otherwise not part of his routine.
That changed recently when Tolo revealed she had convinced him to let her sleep in his bed as a reward for completing 100 days of her own health protocol. What began as a three-night experiment has since stretched to 15 days, with Tolo posting about it online with a winking emoji.
The story has reignited a wider conversation about sleep divorces, a term used to describe couples who choose to sleep in separate spaces either occasionally or permanently. Far from being a sign of relationship trouble, experts increasingly suggest it can be a practical solution to a very common problem.
Performance scientist Dr Andy Galpin explained the science behind it on the Diary of a CEO podcast. "People generally don't sleep as well when you're in the same bed as others," he said. The disruption caused by a partner moving, making noise, or generating heat can meaningfully affect sleep quality over time, and poor sleep has well-documented effects on mood, health and relationship dynamics.
Dr Galpin stopped short of recommending permanent separation, instead suggesting what he called a "partial sleep divorce," where couples spend some nights apart rather than making it a permanent arrangement. Practical fixes like separate duvets, a pillow barrier or ear plugs can also help before going that far.
The key distinction experts make is between couples who sleep apart by necessity and those who do so as a deliberate and mutually agreed strategy. When both partners are on board and sleeping better as a result, the evidence suggests the relationship itself tends to benefit rather than suffer.
Johnson, for his part, appears to have found a middle ground. The experiment is ongoing.
