A sleeper hit
Of the more than 60 million couples who cohabitate in the U.S. alone, most,
presumably, share a bed, which might explain the massive response to
family social science Professor Paul Rosenblatt’s book Two In a Bed: The
Social System of Couple Bed-Sharing, published in July. In it,
Rosenblatt parses the relationship dynamics of sheet stealers, spooners,
snorers married to light sleepers, and others.
Rosenblatt interviewed 42 opposite- and same-sex couples to examine how slumbering side by side affects their relationship and vice versa and offers one of the first looks beyond sleep patterns alone to relational dynamics. Though many of the couples admitted they would sleep better alone, for example, they didn’t want to give up the intimacy and security of sharing a bed.
By early February, Rosenblatt had given 102 interviews to publications and broadcast outlets from more than 13 countries, including Cosmopolitan magazine and a two-part series on Good Morning America. A September article on Two In a Bed ranked among the New York Times’ most e-mailed stories for 30 days—the longest the online editors maintain the rankings.
The book also has inspired some surprising reactions. A choreographer is composing a ballet from parts of the book, and excerpts were re-enacted by actors for Italian television. A bedding manufacturer suggested that Rosenblatt arrange an appearance for both of them on The Oprah Winfrey Show. The professor declined; however, he was interviewed on Winfrey’s satellite radio network and by the beauty editor of O, The Oprah Magazine.
Though the media requests have slowed, Rosenblatt continues to receive e-mails from readers who are seeking advice or just a forum to communicate their own bed-sharing experiences. He also is developing a proposal for a self-help version of the book and discussing collaborative studies with scholars in Asia and Africa, where bed-sharing has entirely different dynamics.