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 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.
Oxytocin is another chemical that's released during love-making. This complex hormone actually decreases the amount of cortisol in the body. This is good for sleep because cortisol is the body's fight-or-flight hormone.
You're also feeling that love hormone oxytocin rises, which can prompt feelings that impact other physical aspects of your relationship. Women have also reported more positive interactions and fewer negative interactions after sleeping in a bed with their partner.
“When you're at ease and in love with your partner, your body releases feel good hormones, mainly dopamine and serotonin,” wrote Kim at Slumber and Smile. “The secretion of hormones can cause you to feel more tired and sleepy than normal, and you may even fall asleep faster.”
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.
1 She's not getting enough sleep at night. 2 She's overworked. 3 She might be getting sick. 4 She drank too much the night before.
It is quite literally within our nature to catch feelings if we're being intimate with people. Vowels also notes that if you sleep with the same person frequently, you'll likely “associate that release of oxytocin and the feelings it brings with that person”.
Reminder: Sex, including casual sex, causes the brain to release oxytocin, which makes you feel more emotionally tied to the other person(s). Basically, you're biologically wired to attach to any sexual partners, so it's not only common, it's natural.
"Sleeping with a romantic partner or spouse shows to have great benefits on sleep health including reduced sleep apnea risk, sleep insomnia severity, and overall improvement in sleep quality," said lead author Brandon Fuentes, undergraduate researcher in the department of psychiatry at the University of Arizona.
You know you're falling in love when your someone begins to take up major real estate in your thoughts. You might find yourself rehashing your conversations in the middle of work, thinking about your next date days in advance, or even envisioning your future together.
Oxytocin and vasopressin, two other chemicals released during orgasm, are also associated with sleep. Their release frequently accompanies that of melatonin, the primary hormone that regulates our body clocks. Oxytocin is also thought to reduce stress levels, which again could lead to relaxation and sleepiness.
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.
Good Intimacy And Connection Feelings
Sleeping together promotes physical closeness and connection by releasing oxytocin and the love hormone, both of which promote relaxation and help reduce stress. Interestingly, sleeping together improves your sleep and makes you feel more at ease and secure with your mate.
To have sex with another person, all you need in a physical connection to them. In order to make love to another person, you need to have a physical and emotional connection.
“If he wants to spend the night, that is actually a very good sign. Obviously, this is assuming you have slept together–but if he stays over, it means he likes you. He likes spending time with you and doesn't want the night to end. This could be a sign that he wants to see you again—and soon!”
Sometimes after sex, they may become insecure or just highly curious and start wondering whether they were big for you or not. If they come right out and ask, then obviously it's on their mind. But even if they don't, there's a good chance this could be what they're thinking of.
When a person falls asleep too quickly, it may be a sign that they are fatigued and need either more or better-quality sleep. On average, a healthy adult should fall asleep within 15 minutes.
Sleeping next to someone can also help promote deep REM sleep. Emotionally, sleeping next to someone means reduced anxiety, a sense of safety, improved sleep quality, and increased happiness. Sleeping next to someone can also create a stronger relationship bond.
You May Feel Unstable in Bed
For those of us that move around a lot in our sleep, have to sleep on a slight incline, or share the bed with a heavier partner, having one leg bent up can act as an anchor to help with weight distribution and stop us from migrating around the bed.
Bras, especially the underwire ones impact the blood circulation. The wire also compresses the muscles around breast area and affects the nervous system. Other types of bras, which are too tight hurt the breast tissue. So, it's advisable to remove bra before you hit the bed.
Surprisingly, men actually sleep better when they sleep next to a woman. There are a lot more couples sleeping separately than you might guess, says Mark Mahowald, director of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center in Minneapolis and a professor of neurology at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
Oxytocin also naturally lowers stress levels, the enemy of sleep, so cuddling before or during the night can keep you feeling relaxed and sleeping soundly. Your immune system gets a boost. People who hug others or cuddle more often seem to get sick less, and there might be a clear reason for it.