Just like the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat, sleep is an essential part of life. It turns out that there is really something as to why your single self is going to bed at night alone and waking up miserable. It doesn’t matter whether you are sharing a bed with a snorer, kicker or blanket-stealer, it still might be better than no one at all. Sleeping together promotes feelings of safety and security, which may lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.
Snuggle up…It’s all about Cuddle Chemical
Sleeping with a partner in the same bed provides many health benefits. Some scientists hypothesize sleeping with a partner may be a prominent reason people in intimate relationships tend to be in better health and live longer than sad and lonely singletons.
Experience better quality sleep
We all strive for good sleep quality but we don’t always get it, especially if we’re laying there on our own. Sleeping beside someone, majorly if you’re in a solid relationship, is a good way to help you on your path to good quality slumber.
Women in stable relationships fell asleep faster and had fewer sleep disturbances in the night than single women or those whose relationship status changed during the experiment.
Fall asleep faster
Some say that time taken to fall asleep doesn’t matter as long as we fall asleep. Wrong! The average time it takes someone to fall asleep is actually seven minutes. It’s pretty common when you’re by yourself to get caught up in your own head as your mind begins to wander. Our brains become more and more active; we begin to overthink and, unsurprisingly, struggle to get much-needed shut-eye.
This is why sleeping next to someone you love is so beneficial. They’ll give you feelings of security so you begin to relax and drift off.
More restorative Sleep
Have you ever wondered “Why do I sleep better with my girlfriend or boyfriend?” It’s because having a lover in your bed will make you more likely to experience restorative sleep. They stimulate the release of a cocktail of chemicals that can help for a great night’s sleep.
Lowers Blood Pressure
A massive benefit of sleeping next to someone you love is that it can help you live a longer life! It reduces the chances of life-threatening cardiovascular diseases.
A Sleep and Intimacy experiment was conducted with few women, in which they were asked to dezire their hugs and cuddles, with their oxytocin levels and blood pressure checked on a regular basis. The findings were that those with the highest levels of oxytocin had the lowest blood pressure.
Improves your Immune System
Sharing your bed with your partner is likely to lead to sex which is actually brilliant for your health. Scientists have discovered that sexually active partners were more resistant to common colds and the flu because they produced more antibodies. Even cuddling your lover will have you high on oxytocin and will boost your T-regulatory cells, which are key ingredients for keeping your immune system both balanced and strong.
Reduces anxiety
Anxiety can play havoc with your sleep, from preventing you from falling asleep in the first place, to making you suffer with a restless night. The skin-on-skin contact sends signals to your adrenal glands to stop producing cortisol. When the women held each other’s hands their stress levels decreased, but when they held hands with their husbands, the women became even more relaxed.
Makes us Happier
You’re more likely to feel happier when you’re physically close to someone and there’s science behind this.
Touching someone releases dopamine and serotonin, both of which can boost your mood and curb depression.
Slows down Ageing
There’s an easy way to look and feel more youthful which doesn’t involve a stack of cosmetics. Quality time together cuddling, and, having sex, can actually shed years off of you.
Under these conditions and when you’ve got lower stress levels, your body feels a lot younger – 10 years younger!
Improves Relationship
It would seem that couples that sleep in bed together, stay together. A survey about snuggling up to someone in bed showed, “proximity in bed and relationships were interlinked; the closer the couples spent the night, the strong their relationship”.
Reduces Inflammation
Researchers firmly believe that sleeping next to someone reduces cortisol levels. When this is reduced, so are cytokines, proteins that are involved in inflammation, and can lead to pain. Inflammation can be a force for good as it helps with the battle against infection and injury.
Two in Bed sounds good as One is the loneliest number in itself. Next time you’re dreading sharing your duvet with your loved one, in fear that they might hog it, remember it’s going to make you feel great, healthier and happier!
