How better it is for adults to share the bed with a partner or spousa o come clear a new study by researchers at the University of Arizona claims that sharing a bed with a partner or spouse gives a better sleeping experience than sleeping alone.
The researchers said that those who shared a bed with a partner most nights reported less severe insomnia, less fatigue, and more time asleep than those who said they never.
SHARING
Those sleeping with a partner also fell asleep faster stayed asleep longer after falling asleep, and had less risk of sleep apnea. However, those who slept with their child most nights reported greater insomnia severity, greater sleep apnea risk, and less control over their sleep.
They claimed that sleeping with a partner led to lower depression stress anxiety and greater social support and satisfaction with life and relationships. Sleeping alone was associated with higher depression scores, lower social support and worst relationship.
Lead author Brandon Fuentes said, “Sleeping with a romantic partner or spouse shows to have great benefits on sleep health including reduced sleep apnea nisk, sleep insomnia severity, and overall improvement in sleep quality.
METHOD
The study analysed data collected in the Sleep and Health Activity. Diet, Environment, and Socialization (SHADES) study of 1,007 working-age adults from south-eastern Pennsylvania. Bed sharing was evaluated with surveys, and sleep health factors were assessed with common tools such as the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Insomnia Severity Index, and STOP-BANG apnea score,
“Very few research studies explore this, but our findings suggest that whether we sleep alone or with a partner, family member, or pet may impact our sleep health,” said senior study author Dr. Michael Grandner, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona,
“We were very surprised to find out just how important this could be.”
