pillow talk

"Someone once said that two halves make a whole. And when two halves move in together, it makes a whole lot of stuff."

-Carrie Bradshaw, "Sex and the City"

Tired of being involuntarily slapped on the face at 2 a.m.? How about realizing your partner's hogging the covers midway through an arctic freeze?

Help may be near.

Separate bedrooms for partners are all the rage in real estate now, according to this article. It says that over 60% of upscale homes will feature two master bedrooms by 2015. The reason? Partially to sleep better. "The 75% of Americans who sleep poorly or snore, according to the National Sleep Foundation in Washington, D.C., would undoubtedly be better served by some additional space," the article notes.

And surprisingly, some experts maintain that separate bedrooms could actually enhance couples' sex lives. Some sex therapists say sharing a bed space actually adds a dangerous element of monotony to some relationships. His and hers living quarters, therefore, could resurrect some of the mystery that generally characterizes a relationship's honeymoon phase.

As a woman, I guess I'm to some extent a natural cuddler, but I've always hated sharing a bed with guys who feel the need for incessant cuddling throughout the night. My biggest beef with shared sleeping arrangements? Temperature issues.

I'm pretty much always hot at night -- literally and figuratively -- and I hate it when guys force the covers on me or refuse to turn on the AC.

But will separate sleeping quarters ever catch on? I doubt it. First, I think there will always be something grandma-like about sleeping in a different bed than your significant other. More importantly, though, sleeping together -- even with annoyances like snoring and cover-hogging -- is one of the chief bonding elements in a couple's life.

Why else would we put up with bad breath and bed head? Because the benefit -- the satisfaction of seeing someone you care about first thing in the morning -- far outweighs the drawbacks.

Happy Hump Day, guys.