The first night’s sleep in bed with a new partner is never easy. First, you have to contend with the ‘dead arm’ mid-hug debacle, test out whether they’re a spooner or a ‘don’t touch me’ kind of individual, then find out whether your other half is a warm-blooded sheet lover or an ‘always cold’ duvet snuggler.
However, after a while, it appears your bodies slowly start to learn each other’s sleeping habits; you acclimatise to a partner’s early morning rising, their preferred lighting and temperature, and sleeping positions that are affectionate but not disruptive to a deep sleep.
http://media.giphy.com/media/erFyAWGmnNf4A/giphy.gifGiphy
So much so, that it soon becomes hard to imagine a night’s sleep without your partner, which is something a new study titled ‘It’s More Than Sex’ claims isn’t as soppy as it may sound.
The research involved examining the sleep patterns (sleep location and social setting) of 15 heterosexual couples.
The study found that social setting had a specific effect in heterosexual young men, who were found to sleep longer and rise later when sleeping with their partner.
And while sleeping together didn’t improve the couples’ sleep quality or quantity, nor have any affect on the sleep continuity of women, both the men and women in the study said their perceived sleep quality was higher when they slept with their partner.
Researchers claim this perceived improvement in sleep is due to the love, trust and support partners commonly feel in close relationships.
The study supports a 2012 report by the Wall Street Journal which claimed co-sleeping was psychologically beneficial for partners.
‘Sharing a bed may also reduce cytokines, involved in inflammation, and boost oxytocin, the so-called love hormone that is known to ease anxiety and is produced in the same part of the brain responsible for the sleep-wake cycle, suggested the WSJ.
Happy slumbering!
From: ELLE UK
