Why Sleeping Apart Might Save Your Marriage with Dr. Wendy Troxel

Is sleeping in separate beds a red flag for your relationship — or could it save it? Dr. Michael Breus talks with clinical psychologist and sleep scientist Dr. Wendy Troxel, author of Sharing the Covers: Every Couple's Guide to Better Sleep, about why the modern assumption that intimacy requires sharing a bed doesn't hold up. They cover the stigma around snoring and sleep apnea testing, how mismatched CPAP struggles can quietly breed resentment, and share practical fixes like the Scandinavian sleep method. Plus, a listener needs help navigating a toddler who's taken over the marital bed. For more information about the episode, head here: https://sleepdoctor.com/pages/podcast. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at lemonadapremium.com. Upgrade your sleep. Visit coopsleepgoods.com/BETTERINBED to get 20% off your first order. Chapters: 0:00 Resentment in the bedroom 2:35 How Wendy went from relationship researcher to sleep scientist 3:55 A brief history of couples' sleeping arrangements 5:51 Why sleeping apart feels taboo (but isn't) 7:34 When Wendy recommends a trial separation 11:04 Snoring, invalidation, and resentment 12:14 Sponsor break: Coop Sleep Goods 13:38 Why people resist sleep testing 16:17 Case study: CPAP struggles and switching to an oral appliance 17:21 Couples based sleep apnea treatment (WEPAP) 19:20 Dr. Breus opens up about his own sleep apnea 21:01 Listener question from Zack 22:52 Wendy unpacks a common parent issue 26:43 Dr. Breus's on call parenting schedule idea 28:57 Sponsor break: Sleep Doctor 29:46 Temperature differences and the Scandinavian sleep method 31:10 Real red flags: when a sleep divorce signals deeper issues 33:39 Wendy's #1 tip for better sleep 34:41 Where to find Wendy Troxel and her book 35:37 Recap and closing thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices