The 50s Bedroom

If one were to understand the sleeping arrangements of the couples in 1950s, one would think they all slept in separate twin beds. Since I was born in the 50s, I knew that wasn't so. The only married people I knew that slept in twin beds were my Grandma Terry and her husband. I thought it was odd, but not so much until I knew what sex was. I don't think they were having that much of it. They were married much later in life after they had both lost their spouses.

My parents slept in the same bed, and how! I would walk into their bedroom only to find them wrapped up together. That's how I though married people slept until I got married myself to someone who didn't like to be touched while he was sleeping, and we slept in a king-sized bed, so he had plenty of room! But that's another story. Back to the 50's.....

All couples on TV slept in twin beds until the Bradys, but that wasn't until 1969. Ward andJune Cleaver, Rob and Laura Petrie, and Jim and Margaret Anderson all slept in twin beds. I find it ironic that even Lucy and Ricky Ricardo didn't sleep in the same bed and they were married in real life!

One of my students recently wrote that it was common for couples in the 50's to sleep in separate beds. I questioned that and did some research. I found that many couples in the 50s slept in twin beds as do many today. In fact, according to ask.com fully 1/3 of married couples sleep separately, either in separate beds or in separate rooms. I have to admit, that I am one of them. I never thought I would sleep away from my husband considering how I was raised and my problems with cuddling with my first hubby, but that is how it has ended up and I'm glad about it. My husband is a snorer and has restless leg syndrome, added to his insomnia which gets him up at 3 or 4 on the morning. I hardly ever got a good night's sleep!

Now I sleep alone in our queen-sized bed and love it! I can stay up and read as late as I want, don't have to share the covers, and the bed is easily made the next day. He visits regularly for our romantic rendezvous and he stays to cuddle for awhile, but eventually he leaves for his own bed -- a recliner in the living room!