What does partner disturbance mean to you?

We have a question for everyone. After chatting with Sealy the other day, they raised the valid point that we test for motion transfer, but that maybe that isn’t what people think of when we say partner disturbance.

I made a poll below to help us decide whether we should keep testing for this.

  • Snoring
  • Partner gets up or lies down (motion transfer)
  • Partner moves in their sleep
  • Partner keeps light on
  • Partner’s temperature different
  • Partner’s electronics keep me up

0 voters

If you wish to refine your answer about Partner moves in their sleep please answer the poll at this link further down the page What does partner disturbance mean to you?

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Keep testing…PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!! Moving in their sleep can be motion transfer I honestly swear.

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Thanks for the feedback :slight_smile:

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Could you make the request a bit clearer? I assumed I should only select one of the six options - then voted, but I thought afterwards, that maybe I should have selected more than one - in light of the results so far…

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Doesn’t this depend on the context of the question?
For example, “Partner’s electronics keep me up” is partner disturbance, but not in the context of a mattress test.
Partner moves in their sleep only if this is also “motion transfer”. Why is “motion transfer” not mentioned on this question?

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Hide the results and you can tick more if you wish. Only when the results are on display you can’t add to the vote.

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To further refine the “Partner moves in sleep” results please answer the following if you wish (both may be ticked if both matter). “No motion transfer” means by some other disturbance from moving such as pulling the sheets off you, and “motion transfer” means the movement through the mattress is what disturbs you.

  • Partner moves in sleep (no motion transfer)
  • Partner moves in sleep (motion transfer)

0 voters

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The reason is that they are trying to determine how we each define partner disturbance. Is it how they have viewed it ie motion transfer or are a lot of us taking it to mean something else eg “Partners electronics”. It may mean they need to change how they describe partner disturbance in the reviews so it tightens it up and is not misconstrued by readers.

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The partner moves or partner gets up or down may be more about sheet/duvet movement causing a disturbance rather than mattress sending movement to the adjacent person,

Does a movement through the mattress indicate a poorly made mattress design or construction?

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I understand that. I’m saying if I was asked as a general question by an independent person with no context, I’d include electronic devices. If asked in a bed shop I wouldn’t mention electronic devices - it wouldn’t be relevant.

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Yes my partner would like to wrap it around and take it with her - or seems like she’s trying to

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Not unless something like this is an option with the mattress…

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Mr Z can never bring himself to throw out a mattress, so we are on three, the oldest is over 40 years old, the newest are two singles as he has found he sleeps better with his lower leg wedged between the two. The bed’s now above my waist level and a chore to get in, but it does mean any movement is deadened by layers of latex, foam, springs & old pillows to pack up the depressions, It’s more the creak of the floorboards as he gets out or the prod & “Are you awake?” Partner disturbance. No mattress will save me. But I reckon most people buy a new bed if they are dissatisfied with their present one and look for a remedy for that failing.

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Ah, the old creaking floor boards. I keep reminding my partner it is an ancient Japanese or Chinese house design feature intended to warn of the approach of night ninjas.

On a more serious point @MattSteen.
It is worth noting for bed bases, most appear to have 6 or more feet on the bases, although typically these are not adjustable. Our base and mattresses combo squeak when getting in and out, partly due to the flexibility of our very old house. Not all 19th century timber houses were built as grand mansions, nor modern on ground houses constructed with precision levelled slabs. I’ve lived in some that have definite hills across the room.

I wonder how important it is to have the weight evenly carried across all. Just noting some comments on a recent purchase concerning the mattress warranty that seemed to negate it if the mattress and base are not supported correctly. What ever that means.

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Partner disturbance means “jingle jingle mrooowrrr?” No other humans in the house :slight_smile:

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Sometimes I tell my partner she’s disturbed. She assures me it’s ‘a divine disturbance’ and I should consider myself lucky to live with it :thinking:. I digress.

I suggest that partner disturbance in the context of mattresses needs to include those things that create a physical disturbance via the mattress. No mattress will stop snoring, electronics etc. As an analogy, if you’re disturbed by your partner sitting on the couch and watching sport on their phone with no earplugs it’s not an issue with the couch. WRT temperature difference if the mattress transfers heat between occupants and this causes disturbance it should be included, but if your partner is a heat seeker again no mattress can prevent that.

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A fairly common disturbance for those with feline occupants indeed! :joy:

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