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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not like sleeping 'face to face'

76 replies

tentimesaday · 02/02/2021 09:01

I dislike facing my partner when I sleep. I don't want to breath bad breath into their face all night (and I don't want them breathing my way either). Logically, sleeping back to back or in spoon formation are preferable. AIBU?

OP posts:
Monkeytapper · 02/02/2021 09:03

I’m same, dont like go be breathed on, I shove a pillow in between us.

TwoZeroTwoZero · 02/02/2021 09:16

Urrghh no. I don't like being breathed on.

DinosaurDiana · 02/02/2021 09:18

No, I face the other way.
I hate it when he breathes his wine breath in my face 🤮

onemorecupofcoffeefortheroad · 02/02/2021 09:19

Me neither - can't stand it. Spoons all the way!

Original poster
tentimesaday · 02/02/2021 09:21

So far no disagreement. OH thinks I'm nuts, and in films, TV, photos etc it always shows people asleep facing each other with their noses practically touching. Why????

OP posts:
TwoZeroTwoZero · 02/02/2021 09:22

I don't even like being touched when I'm trying to sleep. We lay back to back as far apart as possible.

KatyClaire · 02/02/2021 09:23

I’m the same, hate being breathed on!

Sakesman · 02/02/2021 09:23

I need to show my dh this thread. Sure he thinks I’m a bitch for saying this.

Cornishmaiden · 02/02/2021 09:23

No I don't like this either. If he turns over and faces me, I roll the other way or gently (ish) turn him back the other way and say 'you're snoring!' even if he isn't. Grin

Whenwillow · 02/02/2021 09:23

We'll have a face to face cuddle for a few mins then one or both of us turns away. I think it's perfectly normal to not want to breathe in someone else's breath all night!

PinkyParrot · 02/02/2021 09:23

Surely he is the cuddler and you the cuddlee a la billy connelly sketch

BobbinThreadbare123 · 02/02/2021 09:24

Nope, back to back/spoons only. Then you can dig your knuckle into their kidneys if they snore Grin

hiptobeasquare · 02/02/2021 09:24

I hate sleeping face to face. I always think “Stop breathing on me!”

DaisyChainsForever · 02/02/2021 09:24

I'm with you OP. I do not want to feel DPs breath on my face! Also when he does a loud random snorty snore in my face it scares the cr*p out of me!! Grin

Whenwillow · 02/02/2021 09:24

Haha @Cornishmaiden I do that too!

KarensChoppyBob · 02/02/2021 09:25

YANBU at all, spooning ftw.

MisiSam · 02/02/2021 09:27

Agreed!
I think I was scarred for life when I was a little girl as my dad moved into a new house and for about a week he only had his bed and my brother and I shared with him, I was in the middle and they were both facing me!! Big brothers horrible breath one way and my dad's beery tobacco breath the other. Ewwwwww.

CouldItBeJeffrey · 02/02/2021 09:27

Back to back and spread out with a proper no man's land fart space in the middle. 15 years in and it's all romance Blush

MedusasBadHairDay · 02/02/2021 09:27

I feel really claustrophobic lying face to face, like I can't properly catch my breath. Definitely can't fall asleep like that because I can't relax. DH had given up on trying to persuade me, but he used to get all sad about how I turned my back on him in bed. 🤨

Original poster
tentimesaday · 02/02/2021 09:30

@MedusasBadHairDay

I feel really claustrophobic lying face to face, like I can't properly catch my breath. Definitely can't fall asleep like that because I can't relax. DH had given up on trying to persuade me, but he used to get all sad about how I turned my back on him in bed. 🤨
THIS!!!!! DH thinks I'm fussy or strange for turning my back to him when I want to get to sleep. Is this a man thing? They like people breathing in their face in the night, or do they just not think it through???
OP posts:
BigSandyBalls2015 · 02/02/2021 09:32

Yuk no, can't bear breathing on me or even touching when I'm trying to sleep, thankfully DH feels the same …. I think!

I did go through a phase at the beginning of being upset that he wouldn't sleep naked …. insists on boxers in case there's a fire Hmm. 30 years on I'm over that though Grin

JaquelineBeanstalk · 02/02/2021 09:32

Oh I hate this! I don’t even like feeling breath on the back of my neck, so I prefer back to back for sleeping. And I hate having an arm flung over me.

( if I had the space I’d prefer separate bedrooms, but that’s maybe too far)

Londontown12 · 02/02/2021 09:37

I thought it was just me !! I HATE sleeping face to face it’s horrible ! Spooning all the way ! X

Catwoman123 · 02/02/2021 09:43

This is the reason we have separate bedrooms! Sounds weird but did wonders for our relationship. We both get amazing sleep and do occasionally sleep next to each other.

SwedishK · 02/02/2021 09:44

No way am I inhaling secondhand air. Had to google to find a good reason and here it is:

Inhaled air is by volume 78% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen and small amounts of other gases including argon, carbon dioxide, neon, helium, and hydrogen. The gas exhaled is 4% to 5% by volume of carbon dioxide, about a 100 fold increase over the inhaled amount.

And here's what inhaling carbon dioxide does to you:

What are the potential health effects of carbon dioxide? Inhalation: Low concentrations are not harmful. Higher concentrations can affect respiratory function and cause excitation followed by depression of the central nervous system. A high concentration can displace oxygen in the air.

Now we all have a valid reson not to sleep face to face.