For Your Health, Share a Bed with Someone Who Makes You Feel Secure

Sharing a bed with someone is not always easy. There’s the snoring, the fidgeting, the late night toilet flushes and epic battles over the blankets that don’t always leave you warm in the night. But, according to a new study published in Social Personality and Psychological Science, having someone to share sack time with can lead to better sleeping habits, thus a healthier life.

“Our findings show that individuals with responsive partners experience lower anxiety and arousal, which in turn improves their sleep quality,” said the study’s lead author Dr. Emre Selçuk, a developmental and social psychologist at Middle East Technical University in Turkey.

The study explains that restorative sleep (otherwise known as “high quality uninterrupted sleep”), is most common for an individual when he or she has a responsive partner that provides feelings of safety, security and protection.

“Having responsive partners who would be available to protect and comfort us should things go wrong is the most effective way for us humans to reduce anxiety, tension, and arousal,” continued Selçuk. “[The] evidence we obtained in recent years suggests that our best bet for a happier, healthier, and a longer life is having a responsive partner.”

Surely, a great pillow and the right mattress must also play a role in obtaining a solid sleep.

-Adam Grant