Better in Bed

Sharing your sleeping space is no easy feat - how do you make it a warm love cocoon and not a war zone? For his new book, Two in a Bed: The Social System of Couple Bed Sharing, Paul C. Rosenblatt interviewed 42 couples about how they manage on the mattress. Here's what worked for them.

Develop a Bedtime Routine
Whether it's cozying up and reading together, taking time out to talk about your days, or sharing a prayer, bedtime routines and rituals help many couples connect and fall asleep more easily.

Sync Up Your Turn-in Times
Bedtime can be a great opportunity for bonding - too bad only 50 percent of couples go to sleep within 15 minutes of each other. If coordinating sleep schedules isn't a possibility for you, consider devoting a few minutes every night to touching and cuddling just before the early-to-bed partner hits the hay.

Downsize Your Bed Size
Although 78 percent of couples share a queen or king-size bed, most find physical contact very important for maintaining intimacy. Leave the king-size bed by the curb and opt for a full or a queen instead. It's simple math: With less room, you'll definitely feel closer.

Sleep in the Nude
Couples who sleep naked enjoy feelings of freedom, as well as the pleasure of skin-to-skin contact. Worried about the kids? Hang robes somewhere easily accessible.

Most Important, Communicate!
Want an extra pillow? Feel like the radio is driving you crazy? It's important to teach each other what you need in order to sleep comfortably. "The bed is an expression of a couple's place in the world together," says Rosenblatt. Which is why it's worth a little work to make it the safe, intimate space it should be.