When your partner hogs the covers, an empty bed can become the new ideal. But as a new study suggests, there might actually be greater benefits to sleeping with a romantic partner than just the ability to spoon in the evening.
With the arctic tundra that has been winter in Australia, it’s safe to say that there’s a reason they call it cuffing season. For those weathering the colder months alone, you have to resort to things like pocket warmers, thermals and electric blankets simply to get warmer. It makes the thought of extra body heat a tempting one, even if past experiences have told you that few things are as covetable as an empty bed and more leg room. Sharing a mattress with a romantic partner might have its limitations, but according to a new study there are also some helpful benefits, too.
Few things can adequately prepare us for that first sleepover with a romantic partner. There are just so many uncertainties, from what side of the bed they prefer, to whether they toss and turn, snore, or even kick in their sleep. While no-one is the perfect sleeping beauty when it comes to nighttime routines, if you’re someone who profanes the idea of sharing a bed with your significant other simply because of a few trivial concerns like doona hogging, this study might make you reconsider.
According to a study published in Sleep journal, sleeping with a partner could actually be beneficial for your sleep as a whole. The study required participants to explain how often they slept with a partner or slept solo, before going on to answer a range of questions about the quality of their sleep. The results found that on average, those who shared the bed with a romantic partner recorded longer, deeper sleep and less fatigue. If all that wasn’t enough to convince you, they also woke up less than people who slept on their own.
It might be good news for the romantics out there who enjoy feeling the warmth of their partner nearby when it comes to the evening slumber, but before you go thinking the same results would apply to any other body in the bed with you – think again. The study found that the opposite was true when children enter the equation, with parents who co-sleep with their kids reporting more disrupted sleep and more stress than those who slept on their own.
Sadly, the study does appear to have its limitations. Little research was done to explain just why sharing the bed with a romantic partner equates to a deeper, longer sleep. Nor did the study single out any behaviours that could refute such claims, like if your partner is a snorer or perhaps even talks in their sleep. Still, the romantics amongst us are loving this information and for those singles, perhaps it’s time to lean into cuffing season now once and for all.
Source @womenshealth.com.au: Read more at : womenalive.org
