Snores, kicks, and tosses: Resolving sleep disturbances in relationships
Disrupted Slumber Due to Partner's Actions
Tossing and turning throughout the night, rude awakenings caused by relentless snoring - these familiar frustrations can distress couples more than anyone cares to admit. If they sound familiar, take solace in the fact that this is one problem that isn't unique to your relationship.
Health expert Kneginja Richter often hears women complaining about their partners' snoring or restless behavior during their consultations at the CuraMed day clinic in Nuremberg. These disturbances disrupt their sleep and leave them feeling groggy and worn out the next day.
Gender differences
Studies show that gender plays a significant role in the type and frequency of sleep issues. In general, women are more easily awakened and react more sensitively to noises, particularly during certain life stages like puberty, pregnancy, motherhood, or menopause. This extra sensitivity to noise can be attributed to hormonal changes, as Richter explains.
On the other hand, men are more likely to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, characterized by breathing pauses and snoring. Anatomical features like a larger neck circumference and increased abdominal fat are common reasons for this condition in men, Richter reveals.
A paradoxical bond
Despite the troubling sleep disturbances, Richter notes that women often feel better sleeping in the same bed with their partners, even though their sleep quality is objectively poorer. Research suggests that the "cuddle hormone" oxytocin could be to blame. This hormone, released during the REM sleep phase, promotes deeper sleep and attachment when a person is physically close to their partner.
Finding solutions
If you have trouble sleeping due to your partner's restless habits, start by using earplugs. Trying to go to bed earlier than your partner and sticking to a consistent routine can also help improve your sleep quality.
If these measures don't work, consider purchasing a new, larger bed that allows ample space between sleepers. An XXL size bed, which measures 2 or 2.20 meters in width, is a good investment for couples with sleep troubles. You can also try out separate mattresses to ensure that each partner's movements are minimized.
However, even a larger bed may not be enough to solve the problem entirely. If that's the case, a wall or partition between sleepers can offer effective separation, while still preserving the intimacy shared by the couple. This might initially feel unconventional, but separate beds can actually strengthen a relationship by alleviating stress and promoting better sleep, which, in turn, increases overall quality of life and satisfaction in the partnership.
Sources:- ntv.de- Ricarda Dieckmann, dpa
Sleep Disorders, Relationship, Space, Connection
Enrichment Insights:- In long-term relationships, separate beds or sleeping environments have been shown to improve sleep quality, reduce sleep-related irritation, and even increase relationship satisfaction, as couples are able to create their own personalized sleeping environments while still preserving physical and emotional connection [1][2][4]- A study found that sleeping in separate beds can decrease sleep-related anger, improve overall relationship quality, and enhance sexual satisfaction [1]- Dividing the bed into separate zones with a partition is a more subtle solution to the issue of sleep disturbances, allowing couples to maintain physical presence in bed without the disruption of shared sleep [1]- Customizing sleeping environments to individual preferences (e.g. mattress firmness, room temperature, noise levels) can significantly improve sleep quality and reduce sleep disturbances [3][5]
- In long-term relationships, sleep quality may improve when couples individualize their sleeping environments, such as with separate beds or sleeping zones, while preserving physical and emotional connection.
- Studies suggest that separate sleeping arrangements can lead to a decrease in sleep-related anger, an improvement in overall relationship quality, and an increase in sexual satisfaction.
- Dividing the bed into separate zones using a partition can allow couples to maintain physical presence in bed without the disruption of shared sleep, offering a subtle solution for resolving sleep disturbances.
- Customizing individual preferences for factors like mattress firmness, room temperature, and noise levels can significantly reduce sleep disturbances and improve sleep quality in both partners.
