Sleep Is Better When a Partner Shares the Bed

For those trying to get a better night's sleep, a new study suggests one more tip: Share the bed with a romantic partner. Generally speaking, couples get better sleep than singletons, according to the University of Arizona study. Researchers looked at about 1,000 people who self-reported their sleeping habits and found that those who usually shared their bed fell asleep faster, stayed asleep longer, and had fewer problems such as insomnia, per a release published by Science Daily. But researchers make clear they're talking about a partner—those who regularly shared a bed with one of their children reported worse sleep than most.

"Sleeping with a romantic partner or spouse shows to have great benefits on sleep health including reduced sleep apnea risk, sleep insomnia severity, and overall improvement in sleep quality," says lead author Brandon Fuentes, per the release. Beyond the specifics of sleep, the researchers found other correlations: Sleeping with a partner was associated with lower depression and stress, and generally greater social support and life satisfaction. The study appears in the journal Sleep and was presented earlier this month at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. It has some drawbacks, notably that it relies on self-reported data, notes CTV. And, no, it doesn't appear to address snoring. (More sleep stories.)