How sleeping next to your partner is improving your relationship and mental health

Have you often noticed, you tend to fall asleep faster when you’re next to your partner? I certainly do. Additionally, it's also the most sound sleep. And we think, it’s not just the cuddling that improves the sleep quality, but also the emotional and physical connection that deepens every time you sleep next to them. 

Improved sleep quality

Sleeping next to the person you love releases dopamine, which is linked to feeling a sense of pleasure, and serotonin, the happy hormone. Findings from research papers titled “Are We in Sync with Each Other?” Exploring the Effects of Cosleeping on Heterosexual Couples’ Sleep Using Simultaneous Polysomnography: A Pilot Study and Bed-Sharing in Couples Is Associated With Increased and Stabilized REM Sleep and Sleep-Stage Synchronization revealed an increase in the duration of sleep, a better sleep efficiency, and improvement in the quality of sleep along when sleeping with their partner. The studies also reported that a person gets 10 per cent more REM sleep.  

Why we sleep faster next to our loved one

While sleeping, we usually let our guard down. When we sleep next to a loved one, there is a sense of safety and security, which may or may not be when we sleep alone. Feeling safe helps lower the cortisol levels in your body, thus resulting in falling asleep quicker and getting better rapid eye moment (REM) sleep. 

The health benefits of sleeping with a partner 

Sleeping next to your partner helps reduce your blood pressure, anxiety, and inflammation due to lower levels of cortisol being released (which is often released in response to stress, fear and danger) and also helps strengthen your immune system. 

It’s not just sleeping next to your partner but syncing your sleep cycle that does you both good. It gives you some time together before you hit the sack as well as gives you a chance to make the most of the day once you are up. Having your circadian rhythm synced brings immense bliss to the relationship. 

How it helps intimacy

The physical intimacy goes up a notch when you’re hugging, cuddling, kissing or holding your partner’s hand in bed. As far as emotional intimacy is concerned, lying in bed next to each other is the perfect safe space you create to talk about your deepest thoughts and feelings. It brings you and your loved one closer on a physiological and spiritual level.