Why is it better for lovers to sleep separately?

The benefits of sleeping together

In the USA Sleep in America. from 2001 to 2005, the number of young couples who slept separately increased from 12 to 23%. In 2015, there were already about 40% of them More couples opting to sleep in separate beds, study suggests. … In Russia, such studies have not been carried out, however, everyday experience suggests that the trend is to a certain extent characteristic of our country.

Why do people take such a step? After all, sleeping together has its advantages. First, it is beneficial in terms of maintaining a sexual relationship. Of course, in theory, no one forbids a couple to make love and then scatter to their bunks. But in practice, sleeping separately reduces the chance of spontaneous desire arising.

In addition, in one study, Marital quality and the marital bed: Examining the covariation between relationship quality and sleep. it has been shown that the sleep of women in relationships is significantly stronger than the sleep of single women. This is because sleeping together gives us a sense of security. At the hormonal level, this is reflected in a decrease in the amount of cortisol, which is responsible for the state of stress.

Disadvantages of co-sleeping

However, these benefits are offset by the disadvantages of co-sleeping. So, in the laboratory for the study of sleep and depression at Ryerson University, a study was conducted on Sex differences in the reactions to sleeping in pairs versus sleeping alone in humans., in which married couples were instructed to sleep together for 10 days, and then as many more - separately. The sleep process was monitored using actographic equipment. As a result, both the meter readings and the subjective statements of the test subjects indicated that when falling asleep with a partner, the quality of sleep was lower.

Colleen Carney, laboratory director, states the following:

People say they sleep better together. But brain scans show that they cannot reach deeper stages of sleep, as they constantly wake up to movements and sounds.

Dr. Neal Stanley, founder of the Sleep Lab at the University of Surrey, claims Bed sharing is ‘bad for your health’. that when sleeping together, the number of his violations increases by 50%.

Newfangled tradition

Thus, from the point of view of health and psychological comfort, it is more beneficial for us to sleep separately. However, the strength of tradition prevents many from seriously considering such a thought.

Neil Stanley makes a very interesting point:

The modern tradition of sleeping together dates back to the Industrial Revolution, when overcrowded cities lacked living space.

That is, according to him, this tradition has no deep roots, it arose as a practical necessity. If so, then now it has become completely rudimentary, not carrying any meaning in itself.

Moreover, if people more or less coped with the limited living space, then the problem of lack of time is relevant for almost everyone. Poor sleep is fraught with heart and lung diseases, depression, decreased performance. So now we are faced with another pressing need: to stop sacrificing precious sleep in the name of romantic whims.

However, if you are satisfied with the quality of your sleep, then it is not at all necessary to follow the newfangled trend. Otherwise, take note of a life hack: if you suffer from chronic sleep deprivation, sleeping separately can solve your problem.