Unlucky in love? It might be the reason you can’t drop off at night, according to a new survey.
The CQUniversity study, which surveyed almost 800 people aged 18 and up, found that your relationship status may have an impact on how long it takes you to fall asleep – people sleeping in the same bed as long-term partners tend to doze off faster than singles, or people in more casual or occasional relationships.
Madeline Spracjer, Lecturer in Psychology at CQUniversity Australia, writes in The Conversation that around 40% of Australians report not getting enough sleep – and that sleeping next to a partner can have an impact.
“Due to a range of psychological and evolutionary factors, such as the need for strong social bonds to feel safe, it seems sleeping next to someone results in better sleep, and how well you sleep is linked with your relationship quality. Getting along well with your partner might lead to a better night of sleep – and vice versa.
“Our study, to be published in the March edition of the Sleep Science journal, finds it takes people who have casual or occasional partners just over ten minutes longer to fall asleep than people who live with a regular partner,” she says, adding that even four to eight minutes’ delay in falling asleep can be the difference between healthy sleepers and insomniacs.
According to Ms Spracjer, people in new or casual relationships may be more excited or anxious about their new partner, or worrying about their relationship, while sleeping next to them – while being in a long-term relationship may result in feeling physically and emotionally safe.
“It’s possible we find it easier to sleep next to someone we trust because it is an evolutionary adaptation. That is, we feel safer from predators when sleeping in an environment we perceive to be ‘secure’,” she says.
Good news for the singles among us, though: the survey says that at least you’re sleeping about the same amount each night as the long-term lovebirds.
