A good night’s sleep is key to our well-being, and recent research reveals that sharing a bed with a loved one may offer additional emotional benefits. Psychologist Josh Novak and cognitive development researcher Kaleigh Miller from Auburn University, in Alabama, found that sleeping beside a partner—particularly in intimate positions—can significantly lower stress levels. Their findings indicate that reduced stress contributes to stronger feelings of attachment and emotional security within the relationship.
The study involved 143 heterosexual couples who share a bed, with men averaging 43 years old and women 40. The couples had been together for around 13 years on average, but one impressive duo had nearly reached their 30th anniversary. To make sure the results were accurate, the researchers took other important factors into account—like whether kids or pets often shared the bed. This helped them focus just on the impact of sleeping positions at the beginning of the night.
Even though each individual in the couples had their own preferred sleeping position, they often prioritized being closer to their partner as they drift off to sleep. The researchers explain, “This finding may suggest that individual sleep position may not be a driver or a factor in how a couple chooses to cuddle at night and rather is driven by a desire or need to be close to one’s partner.”
The study found that when partners slept in closer, more intimate positions—like spooning, intertwining limbs, or facing each other—they benefited from reduced stress and increased emotional connection. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the study has some limitations. It only looked at one moment, right at the start of the night, and relied on what couples said about their experiences, rather than direct observation. We can’t say for sure that cuddling causes people to feel more secure. In fact, the researchers believe it likely works both ways and that feeling secure might also make couples more likely to cuddle.
However, choosing to stay physically close at night doesn’t necessarily guarantee a more restful sleep. The researchers suggest, “Perhaps intimate positions are disruptive of sleep because sustaining long cuddling positions may be uncomfortable, may increase body temperature, one or both partners have sleep problems or disorders, or a myriad of other reasons.”
The researchers concluded something many of us probably already know from experience—a quick cuddle as you’re drifting off might be all it takes to get those emotional benefits, even if you both roll over into your usual sleeping spots afterward.
If you don’t have a significant other to sleep beside, there are plenty of other ways to reduce stress and improve your health. Petting a dog, for example, can give us the same benefits of socializing with humans, and a simple walk in nature can do wonders for our stress levels.
Find out more about the study by Novak and Miller on Sage Journals.
Source: “Cuddle buddies”: Couples sleep position closeness at onset is indirectly related to lower insecure attachment through lower couple perceived stress
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