Sharing a bed is good for you

Not to put down single people more, but studies have shown that sharing your bed with someone is psychologically good for you.

Scientists believe that sharing a bed with your partner ‘may’ contribute to a longer, happier and healthy life.

Even if your partner fidgets in their sleep, snores or talks, these minor disturbances to sleep are supposed to be almost cancelled out by the benefits of sharing.

Research has exposed that partners sharing a bed lowers boosts the hormone oxytocin, commonly referred to as the ‘love hormone, and also lowers cortisol which is synonymous with stress. This hormone balance eases anxiety and stress as well as bringing couples closer together.

Scientists also believe that sharing a bed can bring down cytokines; cytokines are proteins that can trigger depression, auto immune disorders and heart disease.

Wendy M. Troxel, Assistant professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Pittsburgh states;

“Sleep is a critically important health behaviour that we know is associated with heart disease and psychiatric well-being, It happens to be this health behaviour that we do in couples,”

Dr. Troxel’s has published studies where women in long-term stable relationships fell asleep more quickly and woke up less during the night than single women or women who lost or gained a partner during the six to eight years of the study.

The combination of research does point to couples sharing a bed leading longer, healthier, happier lives.

However what do you do if your body clocks are mismatched? It is quite often that a night owl could be married to an early bird. When you go to bed and get up at different times it is quite tempting to sleep in different beds or rooms, even more so if your partner snores. However there are ways to overcome these obstacles and still maintain close sleeping arrangements.

Experts do not advise trying to fit in with your partners sleep pattern but find some ways of being more considerate. Have your bed in the middle of the room so it is easy to get in and out of bed for both partners without disturbing the other. Try relaxing lavender on your pillow so if your sleep is disturbed you can easily drift off again.

It is also important to avoid things like the TV or phones while your partner is sleeping, not only will this prevent you from getting to sleep but could disturb your partner.

However, Scientists maintain that the benefits of co sleeping far outweigh sleeping on your own even if your partner does tend to disturb your sleep.

So if you are in a relationship, it’s time to cosy up in a nice big bed to get the benefits of a comfortable night’s sleep with your partner.