The couple who don't have sides of the bed: Man sparks Twitter meltdown after innocently revealing he and partner 'don't sleep on the same side each night'

  • Steve O'Rourke admitted he and his wife Amy swap sides of the bed regularly 
  • Tweet sparked debate with thousands of re-tweets and people feigning outrage 
  • Dublin journalist said they swap pillows and move their bedside books as well  

Twitter users have been left baffled after a man admitted he and his wife change which side of the bed they sleep on.

Steve O'Rourke tweeted to ask his followers if not having a specific side of the bed was unusual after a debate with his colleagues.

The Irish journalist wrote: 'We were just chatting in work and apparently it's weird that Amy and I don't sleep on the same side of the bed every night. 

'Some nights I like to sleep by the window, some nights the door. It's not really that unusual, is it?'

To his astonishment his post triggered thousands of comments, likes and re-tweets, with most people unable to process his 'shock' confession.

Irish journalist Steve O'Rourke tweeted to ask his followers if not having a specific side of the bed was unusual after a debate with his colleagues and was baffled by the outraged response

Irish journalist Steve O'Rourke tweeted to ask his followers if not having a specific side of the bed was unusual after a debate with his colleagues and was baffled by the outraged response 

Twitter users were infuriated by the journalist's confession about sleeping in bed with his partner. File image used 

One person wrote: 'That's extremely f****** weird, actually,' while another posted: 'My head is broke from this.'

Someone else commented: 'Wrong, wrong, wrong. Once 'the side' is established there can be no change no delineation, it must be a constant. Home, hotel, doesn't matter.'  

Mr O'Rourke, who lives in Dublin, tweeted again to clarify a few of his points - which led to even more disbelief.

He posted: 'Feel like I need to point out the following: 1. First one in chooses 

'2. We've never disagreed over it. 3. We move pillows and books as we move 

'4. We don't change every single night. 5. Neither of us are aliens' 

The writer argued that people do not usually have their own sides of the sofa or chairs at the dinner table, so sides of the bed should be no different.

He urged his bemused followers to try it, claiming he has done it for '20 years with no complaints.' 

Mr O'Rourke, who lives in Dublin, tweeted again to clarify a few of his points - which led to even more outrage

Mr O'Rourke, who lives in Dublin, tweeted again to clarify a few of his points - which led to even more outrage 

While most of the commenters disagreed with him, several rushed to support Mr O'Rourke.

Branding it the act of 'cross-sleeping', one person wrote: 'Steve I hear you and I identify!'   

But food writer Jack Monroe replied: 'I just read this aloud to Mrs J and we are clutching each other in horror. What do you do about all the s*** beside the bed?!'

When Mr O'Rourke explained he and his wife move their bedside items on a regular basis, Ms Monroe refused to believe it.

Someone else posted a meme of someone hyperventilating and wrote: 'This is my husband even contemplating such a thought. 

'The 'side' is maintained regardless of where we might be holidaying!' 

Research shows that 50 per cent of all sleep disturbances come as a result of sharing a bed with a partner. 

Last week TV presenter Susannah Constantine went on Good Morning Britain to reveal she sleeps separately from her husband.

She says she is a 'better wife' and a 'better mother' when she has a good night's sleep free from disturbance.

Singer and TV personality Michelle Heaton was also on the show, arguing that her anxiety levels increase when she doesn't sleep next to her husband.  

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