More & more Indian couples are not sleeping together: What’s really going on?
Bedtime: Bedtime range is expanding
According to health technology company Resmed’s 2026 Global Sleep Survey, 85% of people in a relationship share a bed with their partner most nights. However, these patterns vary greatly from country to country. People in Brazil (75%) and France (70%) are much more likely to sleep with their partners every night than in South Korea (39%) and Japan (29%).
In India, sleep divorce is on the rise; Only 47% of Indian couples share a bed.
The survey, which polled 30,000 people in 13 countries, reveals a widening gap between understanding the importance of sleep and actions to improve sleep health.
Co-sleeping remains closely linked to relationship well-being in India. Approximately 67% of participants report a positive impact on their sexual life, while 72% say their sleep arrangements positively impact their emotional connection with their partner.
But almost half of Indians in relationships say sleep is under pressure. Forty-six percent say their partner disrupts their sleep at least once a week. Considering these disruptions, 53% state that they sleep separately from their partner at least one night a week. The most common causes include using a phone or tablet in bed (28%), snoring or noisy breathing (27%), and different sleep and wake schedules (21%).
Knowing that sleep is important but not acting accordingly
While 44% of respondents in India say adequate, quality sleep is one of the most important contributors to long-term health, alongside diet and exercise, many are not taking meaningful steps to improve their sleep health.
The findings point to a clear opportunity to improve education, screening and diagnosis so more people can detect sleep problems earlier and access treatment.
Sleep is increasingly recognized as a pillar of long-term health; 90% of respondents worldwide understand that consistent, quality sleep can help extend a healthy lifespan. However, awareness did not translate into consistent results. Forty-seven percent of Indians report getting a good night’s sleep only four nights a week or less; This underscores the persistent gap between knowing that sleep is critical and being able to prioritize it as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Three in four Indians, or 75 percent, track their sleep using a wearable device at least occasionally. Smart watches and fitness bands lead the way in this regard; More than half of respondents use them to track sleep. 66 percent of wearable device users say they would seek medical attention if their device signaled a potential health risk.
Tracking of health care conversations remains uneven. While 78% of respondents said they would see a healthcare professional for persistent sleep problems, only 69% recalled being asked about sleep during a routine medical visit.
The findings suggest an opportunity to close the gap between awareness, screening and treatment for potential sleep disorders, including sleep apnea.
Sleep: Stress, screens and the workweek
The survey also highlights the daily pressures that shape sleep patterns across India.
More than a third of women surveyed, or 38%, had difficulty falling asleep, compared to 29% of men in 2025. For 42% of women surveyed, stress and anxiety are key barriers to consistent, quality sleep; For men, this rate is 36%. Family responsibilities further exacerbate gender inequality, negatively affecting sleep in 39% of women and 33% of men.
Overall, the biggest obstacle to consistent, quality sleep for 39% of Indians is stress or anxiety; This is followed by work or business responsibilities with 37% and home responsibilities with 31%.
Insufficient sleep is closely linked to a higher risk of anxiety and depression across age groups. After a bad night’s sleep, 39% of participants reported feeling more stressed, 35% more irritable, and 30% more depressed.
Workplaces are also within the frame. Approximately 71% of employee respondents agree that not getting enough sleep impacts their ability to focus and perform at work, while 57% feel that sleep health is not prioritized in the workplace culture. More than half of respondents in India, 58 percent, feel that heavy workload negatively affects their sleep. Seventy-seven percent of working respondents report having a “procrastination day” by calling in sick after a bad night’s sleep. At the same time, 72% say flexible work arrangements help them manage their sleep better.
Resmed Chief Medical Officer Dr. “People are increasingly recognizing sleep as the cornerstone of long-term health, which is encouraging,” said Carlos Nunez. “But recognition alone is not enough. We need to help people move from awareness to action by addressing everyday barriers and improving access to screening, support and care.”
Struggles with sleep are becoming more common and growing across genders. Almost half of women, or 48%, report having difficulty falling asleep; This rate was 38% last year. A similar trend is observed in men; The rate of difficulty falling asleep reportedly increased from 29% to 42%.
These increases point to a common challenge: Quality sleep is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve for everyone. But the data also shows that women continue to face greater barriers.
The consequences of inadequate sleep are tangible and experienced globally. The most common effects after a restless night were irritability, reported by 36%, and high stress, reported by 33%, highlighting how poor quality sleep can affect emotional health.
