According to popular belief, couples should share a bed during their nighttime rest, especially when living together. However, medical professionals argue that this isn’t always the case.
Researchers are increasingly focusing not only on the benefits of sleeping together but also on its potential negative effects on partners’ well-being.
A Hormone for Marital Longevity
Of course, sharing a bed with a loved one has several potential advantages. One of them is the increase in oxytocin levels.
The production of this hormone is stimulated by physical touch. When people touch each other, a physical connection is formed, which is necessary for the release of oxytocin.
Oxytocin, often referred to as the love hormone, is associated with a range of positive effects. It helps partners feel relaxed and close to one another, which scientists believe is one of the prerequisites for a long and happy marriage.
Teresa Schnorbach, a sleep specialist at the international company The Sleep Company, supports the idea of the benefits of sleeping in the same bed. After all, it involves cuddling, which has a healing effect on both lovers. According to the expert, sleeping next to a partner improves sleep quality, as evidenced by numerous studies.
Sleep and Sex
Another undeniable benefit of sharing a bed is sex, which helps relax, fall asleep, and achieve the best quality of sleep, adds Teresa Schnorbach.
It’s worth noting that one of the main reasons for poor sleep is elevated cortisol levels—the stress hormone. Sex, in turn, helps reduce stress levels and promotes the release of the aforementioned oxytocin, as reported by the Independent.
Additionally, orgasm leads to the production of prolactin, another special hormone that plays a role in facilitating quick sleep onset.
At the same time, scientists not only advocate for sleeping in the same bed but also dispel the myth of its absolute benefits.
When Night Turns into a Nightmare
Several factors are essential for a good night’s sleep. These include “darkness, coolness, and quiet,” notes Dr. Zoe Gotts, a consultant psychologist at the London Sleep Centre.
However, sharing a bed doesn’t always guarantee these conditions. If one partner snores and tosses and turns, or if it’s hot and uncomfortable, sleep can have detrimental effects on well-being.
Interestingly, Teresa Schnorbach agrees with this. She points out that frequent nighttime awakenings disrupt our movement between different sleep stages, which can harm health. When one partner sleeps very restlessly, the other has less access to restorative early sleep stages—those that help improve memory, reaction time, and logic.
Experts are convinced that if someone regularly disrupts your sleep, future visits to the doctor are inevitable. Lack of nighttime rest decreases receptor sensitivity and reduces connectivity between areas of the brain, ultimately even altering its structure.
Incompatible Sleep Schedules
A negative factor for couples sharing a bed can be differing attitudes toward day/night routines. For example, what should one do when one person prefers to go to bed much later than the other? Or when one partner wants to watch TV or read in bed at midnight, while the other needs silence and darkness at a certain time?
Medical professionals warn that these issues should be taken seriously. First and foremost, it’s essential to work together to find a solution that suits both.
If partners decide to sleep in the same bed, both should go to bed at the same time. Establishing a shared routine will take more than a day or two. In any case, communication and a willingness to compromise are key to resolving the issue.