Grumpy b*tch: Could sleep be the reason you’re arguing with bae?

Battling for covers and space, getting a kick or elbow to the side or waking up to something poking you in the back isn’t what we dreamed of sharing a bed with bae.

Although it does have its special moments when you’re cuddled up and you can hear the rain pelting the window, or he hands you a coffee as you wake up – nothing beats sleeping in your own bed.

Which begs the question; how does your sleep impact your relationship with your other half?

We are know how irritable we get when we don’t get enough of it and according to science, the lack of Zzz’s aren’t good for your love life either.

Cue the mad arguments, hypersensitivity and short-tempers.

In fact, sleep neurologist, sleep expert and author Christopher Winter explained how your brain changes when you don’t get enough shut-eye.

"Your brain’s ability to do things gets whittled down to: find food, urinate, get through the day,” he says.

So basically, you revert back to being a caveman – your brain switching into survival mode, which means you can forget sexy time, cuddling and anything else that requires more effort than a trip to the loo.

This means when it comes to bae and messing up – you won’t be quick to forgive and you can say things you mightn’t mean in the heat of your fatigue.

And sleep patterns are one thing psychotherapist, Heather Holly looks for when couples come to her.

“One of the first things I assess for as part of couples counselling are lifestyle factors. This includes the amount of sleep each person experiences on a nightly basis.”

“In many cases, we find a lack of sleep to be a contributing factor to relationship problems. More often than not, couples are oblivious to this issue” she added.

We all know that our sleep (and now relationships) often contend with our phone addictions and demanding lifestyles, which means we don’t usually get our eight hours of sleep.

But there are signs you need to watch out for, which indicate you’re suffering from sleep deprivation.

If you’re arguing more with your loved one, feeling resentful, or your enthusiasm and rapport are declining – it’s time to evaluate your sleep routine.

You could be damaging your relationship beyond repair – with the fun, wonderful aspects of your duo turning into what feels like a chore.

If you aren’t getting roughly eight hours of sleep – your body and mind won’t be functioning the way they're supposed to and you could find yourself single.

Your room is really important for a good night’s sleep, so make sure your mattress, the lighting and temperature are right – and throw your phone out of the room altogether – if you need an alarm, buy a clock.

If you can’t pinpoint the cause of your lack of shut-eye, talk to your doctor as there can be medical conditions which will disturb your sleep.

No one wants to be a grumpy b*tch or a caveman, so make sure you get a good night sleep, your body and bae will thank you for it.