Sharing a bed with your partner is usually seen as a given in a relationship, especially if you and your partner live together.
Sharing your bed with someone else can impact the quality of your sleep, both positively and negatively. But it all depends on your regular sleep patterns, and those of the person you're sharing with.
So, if you're sharing a bed with someone else, consider the conditions that sharing a bed creates for you, including what time you both normally go to bed, and what you do before sleeping.
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Here's what you need to be considering, according to the experts:
Sleep conditions
Dr Zoe Gotts, consultant clinical psychologist at The London Sleep Centre, identifies three things needed for a good night's sleep: "dark, cool and quiet." She said: "Sharing a bed with someone can be bad news. If your partner snores, fidgets, makes you feel too hot, or simply has unrestful sleep, this will inevitably have an impact on you."
Theresa Schnorbach, sleep scientist at Emma, The Sleep Company, said: "When we are woken during the night, our movement through the different stages of sleep is interrupted. It can also have a knock-on effect on health. We may get less of the restorative early stages of sleep – the stage that helps improve memory, learning, reaction time and logistical reasoning."
She added: “If disturbances from a partner become a regular issue, it could lead to long-lasting health problems. Sleep deprivation has been found to reduce the sensitivity of receptors and communication between brain regions, ultimately changing the make-up of the brain.”
What do you do before going to sleep
Sharing a bed with someone can boost the levels of oxytocin in your body, which is a hormone that is associated with a range of positive effects, including helping us feel relaxed, close and bonded. Schnorbach said: "Multiple studies have shown that sharing a bed with a partner can help improve slumber.
"It opens up the possibility of cuddling, which can reduce your core temperature. Sleeping with your backs touching, or with your hands or feet touching, can offer a similar effect.
"These sleep styles give you enough physical connection to release oxytocin, while allowing you more freedom under the covers.”
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Cuddling isn't the only part of your nightly routine with a partner that can affect your sleep. Sex before bed can help you get a better night's sleep.
Schnorbach said: “One of the biggest contributors to poor sleep is raised levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Sex helps to reduce stress by releasing oxytocin, a hormone that works as a stress regulator. This helps us relax, allowing a better quality of sleep
“Orgasming also releases prolactin, a unique hormone that has the primary function of promoting rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.”
Incompatible patterns
Sharing a bed with a partner could be bad for your sleep cycle if the two of you are on different sleep schedules. For example, what if one person likes staying up much later than the other? What if your partner wants to watch TV or read in bed, but you need silence and the lights out at a certain time?
It’s important to take these things seriously and find solutions that work for everyone.
Schnorbach said: “You need to assess the needs and sleep patterns of both you and your partner, and make a decision that is right for you both. If you choose to sleep with your partner, I recommend that you aim to go to bed at the same time, in order to reap the benefits of sleeping together.
“It may take some time to work out a routine that suits you both, but as with any relationship, communication and compromise are key.”
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