Could Living Under Separate Roofs Strengthen Your Relationship?

by Sarah Jio


Courtesy of Getty Images
Courtesy of Getty Images


Wedded bliss means togetherness-and that means sleeping in the same bed, under the same roof. Right? And yet, some couples are speaking out about the unique bliss of, well, separation. The trend of couples sleeping in separate beds has been getting buzz for a while (in the name of better sleep quality), and now some couples claim that living under separate roofs helps make their love work, too.

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A recent article in the UK's The Guardian poses the question: Is living apart the key to a happy relationship? UK actor Martin Shaw claims that living in separate home from the love of his life is the reason why they're so happy. Writer Angela Neustatter and her husband share a home, but they live on separate floors. And actress Helena Bonham Carter and her longtime love, Tim Burton, also reportedly live apart.

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In fact, there are even entire books that explore the topic, including Living Happily Ever After, Separately by Lise Stryker Stoessel and Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone by Eric Klinenberg.

This all prompts us to ask the question: Does being together, but living separately, really ... work? Some experts say yes. In an article published last year in the New York Times, Klinenberg, a sociology professor at New York University, said, "The arrangement has surprising appeal, perhaps because it protects against the constant churning in people's domestic lives."

We admit, we're fascinated. But isn't it also nice to have someone to cuddle you first thing in the morning, and, um, take out the trash at night?

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