In fact, a research study with 778 participants found that the physical and sexual intimacy caused by sleeping next to a partner triggers the release of a hormone known as oxytocin. 5 The authors of the study note that oxytocin not only promotes better sleep, but it also reduces stress and promotes bonding.
Being in a healthy relationship has several benefits, and one of these is that your snoozing hours are peaceful and uninterrupted every night. According to a study published in the journal of Social Psychological and Personal Science, people tend to sleep better if they feel their partner is responsive to their needs.
Boosting estrogen levels in women, which helps promote deeper sleep. Being physically close to the one you love means your brain will release oxytocin, the "love hormone" and serotonin, the "happy hormone."
But how much sex should couples really be having? Research has shown that couples who have sex at least once a week are happier than their less-bedded counterparts. (A caveat: Happiness levels don't rise with more time spent under the sheets.) Still, that number doesn't quite apply for everyone.
It's All about the “Cuddle Chemical.”
Levels of oxytocin rise when we make physical contact with another human being. So when you hop into bed and spoon with your honey or take it to the next level of intimacy, the chemical is released and you feel calm and protected.
Bedtime couple intimate activities include cuddling, massaging, kissing, and making love. Sleeping habits are also essential for couples, and couples should lie down together whenever possible.
Although more research is needed, experts believe pleasant touch from a loved one may stimulate release of the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin is believed to promote social bonding and relieve anxiety. Gentle touch can also alleviate symptoms of stress and depression, which may be helpful if stress keeps you awake at night.
Reduces anxiety
It is believed that skin-to-skin contact while in bed can reduce anxiety and therefore, aid a better nights rest. Often, light sleepers will benefit from having their partner dozing off next to them as this brings a sense of safety and security while at their most vulnerable.
Intimacy
This is one of the major reasons why couples who don't sleep together should do their best to remedy this. Under normal circumstances, going to bed at the same time helps build that deep emotional and physical connection (intimacy) with your partner.
The findings
In addition, sleeping with a partner or spouse also saw far less stress and lower levels of depression and anxiety. It also saw a boost in life and relationship satisfaction. By contrast, those sleeping alone suffered from greater insomnia, more fatigue and sleepiness, and a greater risk of sleep apnea.
'Sharing a bed may also reduce cytokines, involved in inflammation, and boost oxytocin, the so-called love hormone that is known to ease anxiety and is produced in the same part of the brain responsible for the sleep-wake cycle, suggested the WSJ.
Sleeping close to someone you love not only helps you fall asleep faster but has a host of other health benefits too as per a study. It so happens that when we sleep alone, we are by ourselves and our mind begins to wander which leads to overthinking. This mental activity makes it more difficult to sleep.
In general, it seems that people who sleep next to their partner sleep better than those who sleep alone. In fact, a survey of insomniacs shows that out of the test group, 27% of insomniacs were people who sleep alone at night.
Couples of all types — straight, gay, young, old, healthy couples or those facing illness — experience all sorts of challenges when it comes to the shared sleep experience. Over 60 percent of us are sleeping together, according to one study done in the US.
Bedtime couple intimate activities include cuddling, massaging, kissing, and making love. Sleeping habits are also essential for couples, and couples should lie down together whenever possible.
It's Actually Good For You
Plus, the oxytocin released when sharing a bed with someone else not only releases feelings of happiness and security, but it also yields some pretty solid health benefits, like decreased inflammation and even may reduce blood pressure.
However, various research studies have found that despite these factors, partners who sleep next to each other tend to experience better sleep, greater intimacy, and improved mental health. National Institutes of Health.
Intimacy between couples goes beyond sex, and when you sleep with your partner, your heart rhythms synchronize. View Source . If you touch while sleeping, that can lead to further benefits. Physical touch can prompt the release of oxytocin, which is soothing and makes you feel less stressed.
When a couple stops sleeping together, a distance is created between the two that occurs naturally within the relationship. This may occur without either person realizing it at first, but it can grow and put a strain on the relationship and the bond between both partners.
Research by scientists like Troxel has shown that sleeping together in bed for at least some portion of the night can have positive benefits for long-term relationship health (and even individual physical health). It's not a golden ticket to a happy relationship, though.
The average adult has sex about once a week, but that doesn't always mean you should, too. However you choose to be physically intimate with a partner, the where and how often matter much less than the quality of the connection or encounter. Having sex more often is not a guarantee your relationship will be successful.
Somniphobia is an intense fear of sleep. It's what happens when stress and anxiety about sleeping or falling asleep turn into a phobia.
Oxytocin (also known as the 'love hormone') is a sleep-promoting hormone released when you sleep with your significant other. Sex, cuddling, kissing, and even holding hands can significantly boost the production of oxytocin.
Just like many other areas in marriage, sex and its frequency also require compromise. But studies show that a weekly frequency is good enough to keep your marriage happy.
Sleeping apart is more common than one might think: One in five couples sleep in separate bedrooms, and almost two thirds of those who do, do so every night, according to a January survey of 2,200 Americans conducted by the International Housewares Association for The New York Times.