Television host Carson Daly has spent decades inviting America into his mornings — but the secret that transformed his marriage happened at night. Daly revealed that he and his wife, Siri Pinter, quietly embraced what some couples still consider taboo: a “sleep divorce.” And for them, it wasn’t a last resort — it was a revelation.
The couple began sleeping separately a few years ago, during a time when life already felt stretched thin. Siri was pregnant with their fourth child, Daly was juggling early-morning call times for Today, and the exhaustion was piling up faster than either wanted to admit. Daly says his sleep apnea — and the snoring that came with it — made nights unpredictable and mornings miserable. Eventually, they hit a moment of clarity.
“We woke up and just shook hands,” Daly recalled. “‘I love you, but it’s time to sleep divorce.’”
What sounded dramatic in theory turned out to be simple in practice: two people choosing to protect their rest and, in turn, their relationship. And they aren’t alone. A National Sleep Foundation survey reported that roughly one in four married couples now sleep in separate beds or separate rooms. The arrangement varies — twin beds, adjacent rooms, or entire wings apart — but the reasoning is the same: better rest leads to better connection.
And the science backs it up. Studies show that quality sleep improves emotional regulation, reduces irritability, sharpens communication, and even increases empathy — all ingredients crucial to keeping long-term partnerships healthy. Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, can magnify conflict and resentment without couples realizing sleep is the culprit, not compatibility.
Still, many people fear separate beds will kill romance. Relationship experts insist it doesn’t have to. Couples therapist Emily Jamea suggests easing into the transition: cuddle before going separate ways, stay intentional about physical closeness during the day, and check in regularly about how the arrangement feels. Intimacy, she says, is about connection — not geography.
For Daly and Siri, the decision was less about distance and more about harmony. With four children, demanding careers, and unpredictable schedules, nights had become battlegrounds rather than a sanctuary. Ending the nighttime struggle didn’t signal trouble — it signaled teamwork.
Daly says the change wasn’t just better for their sleep — it was better for everything. Mornings were calmer. Patience returned. Their energy, warmth, and humor — the qualities that define their relationship — resurfaced. And for a couple raising a family with very little quiet time, restful nights became the backbone of healthy days.
“The best thing for all of us,” Daly said, “was giving each other permission to sleep well.”
In a culture saturated with relationship “rules,” couples like the Dalys are proving that love doesn’t depend on sharing a pillow. Sometimes, the healthiest thing two people can do — for their sanity, their partnership, and their family — is simply to get a good night’s sleep.
