PACT Principle(s): Care and feeding of your couple bubble; Put your partner to bed each night, wake up together each morning. 

Topic: Bedtime Routine

Considerations: This practice is for couples who do not already go to bed and get up together. Going to bed together and waking up together increases a couple’s connection with each other. Even when couples have differing sleep schedules partners can have a bedtime routine that begins when the first partner goes to bed. For example, when the first partner is ready for bed both partners can go into the bedroom together and talk or cuddle for a few minutes. Another option is for the second partner to go to the bedroom and give a goodnight hug and kiss as the first partner is getting into bed.

Discuss: If you don’t currently go to bed together or for some reason sleep in different rooms, discuss any changes you can make to go to bed together and wake up together. If that is absolutely impossible, discuss ways you can create a bedtime routine before one of you goes to bed, and a morning routine when you wake up.

Practice: Focus for one week on going to bed together and waking up together or creating a bedtime routine that increases connection. Acknowledge any accommodation either of you makes to create this routine. Discuss any differences you notice after one week, and then after one month. After a month, do the benefits outweigh any inconvenience or accommodation either of you made to accomplish this? 

Check-in: Check-in with each other daily about any changes you notice in your connection with each other.