Ford Europe/YouTube/PAIt’s amazing how many relationship stresses can revolve around each another’s sleeping habits, with snoring, sleep talking and differing bedtimes all capable of firing up early morning arguments.
And perhaps the argument most capable of triggering a pre-Weetabix squabble is bed hogging, an annoying practice among those who treat the bed like it’s all theirs.
Meanwhile, their long suffering partner is left clinging to the edge of the mattress for dear life, growing grumpier and grumpier with every passing hour as they observe the guilty ‘sleep invader’ encroaching on their territory.
Hoping to address this problem is car manufacturer Ford, who have dreamt up the ideal couple bed using the same Lane-Keeping Aid technology you can find in most of Ford’s vehicles.
When used in cars, Lane-Keeping Aid tech monitors upcoming road markings, helping drivers to safely guide their car back into the correct lane by ‘nudging’ the steering wheel.
With Ford’s ‘Lane-Keeping Bed’, pressure sensors identify when a person is sneaking over from their side, and gently manoeuvres wandering sleepers back to their original position using an integrated conveyor belt.
Director of marketing communications for Ford Europe, Anthony Ireson, said:
Lane-Keeping Aid in our cars can make driving easier and more comfortable. We thought that showing how similar thinking could be applied to a bed, would be a great way to highlight to drivers a technology that they might not previously have been aware of.
Bed hogger 🐶💝😼 pic.twitter.com/FNMJFzVfhw
— Crystal Fish (@Crystal_Fishy) September 2, 2018
Of course, sleep is crucial in order to be able to function fully throughout the day and make the absolute most of life. Being deprived of it can have serious consequences on your health and wellbeing.
According to independent sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley, bed hogging can even ‘ruin relationships’:
When sleeping together, many couples each have less space than a small child has in a single bed. Humans are most vulnerable when sleeping, so we’re programmed to wake when something or someone touches us unexpectedly.
If someone moves onto your side of the bed this defence mechanism will kick in and you’ll have a broken night, often while they continue to sleep soundly. I’ve seen it ruin relationships.
Sadly, you might have to wait a while until getting one of these as there are no current plans for general public release.
However, perhaps our great-grandchildren will never have to know what it is to have to physically shove a snoring, drooling partner back to their side of the bed to avoid tumbling out altogether.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.