There Are Health Benefits to Spooning

If you’ve been having trouble sleeping lately, you might want to consider finding a snuggle buddy. Scientific studies prove that sleeping with a partner is good for your health and will help you sleep better at night.

In a study from the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Wendy M. Troxel found that women in stable, long-term relationships slept better than women without a partner. Sleep is linked to heart disease and psychiatric well-being, meaning that a healthy and consistent sleep pattern leads to health benefits. In fact, some scientists hypothesize that one of the reasons that people in steady, intimate relationships live longer and are healthier is because they share a bed.

One of the reasons that sleeping with a partner is better than sleeping alone may be because couples who sleep together have feelings of safety and security, which may lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It's also possible that sleeping with a significant other increases oxytocin, which reduces anxiety and is produced in the same part of the brain that controls your sleep-wake cycle.

Some other studies suggest that sharing a bed is actually detrimental to getting a good nights’ sleep. Disturbance from the other person’s motions, sheet stealing, and differentiating bed times can make it difficult for a couple to sleep together. However, Dr. Troxel says that the psychological benefits of feeling connected with your significant other at night outweigh the drawbacks of sleeping together.

And even though Elite Daily used to this study to do a solid amount of single shaming, I say why not put your own twist on the research and cuddle with a friend or roommate? I always feel safe, secure, and happy when I have sleepovers with my BFF, and I love that we can hang out the minute we wake up. So next time you have the opportunity to snuggle with a friend or lover, go for it! You’ll have fun and you just might get a great night’s rest.

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