It is one of the most common struggles that couples face: Over the life of a relationship, partners can lose a sense of appreciation for one another. Holding onto a sense of gratitude for each other is one of the hallmarks of couples who stay content in their relationships over the course of many years. On the other hand, loss of gratitude and appreciation between partners can jeopardize a relationship’s long-term success.
A new study suggests that poor sleep may contribute to a lack of appreciation between romantic partners. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley conducted a multi-part study to examine how sleep may affect people’s feelings of gratitude and the ability to value and appreciate romantic partners.
After a night of sleep, people were asked to make a list of five things for which they were grateful. Those with poor sleep demonstrated less of a sense of appreciation than those with better sleep quality and sleep quantity.
Participants were asked to keep a daily record for two weeks of both their sleep and their feelings of gratitude — and lack thereof. Researchers identified a decline in levels of gratitude that was associated with poor sleep. People were more likely to report feelings of selfishness after a night of sleeping poorly.
The third section of the study looked specifically at how sleep affects the dynamic of gratitude and appreciation between couples. Their results showed that people tended to feel less appreciated by their partners if either they or their partner slept poorly.
The last finding is particularly interesting: A lack of sleep by one person in the relationship resulted in greater likelihood of diminished feelings of appreciation by both partners. This suggests just how deeply sleep can influence the emotional dynamic of a relationship.
Research shows as many as 25 percent of couples are sleeping separately, and this is a number that’s been rising for years. The separate-bed strategy may seem like an attractive option for couples struggling to sleep together well. But it’s important to consider what might be lost in this choice. I’m talking about the intimacy created by sharing a bed. And I’m not only talking about sexual intimacy, although that’s certainly a risk of sharing separate beds. (At the very least, couples are much less likely to have spontaneous sex if they’re not sleeping together.) I’m also talking about the sense of togetherness and emotional connection that comes from sleeping together.
What’s more, sleeping together can actually reinforce good sleep habits. Partners who sleep together can be a positive influence when it comes to keeping reasonable bedtimes and not falling asleep to the television. Studies have shown that sleep apnea patients who use CPAP therapy are 60 percent more likely to stick with the treatment if their partners continue to share a bed, rather than sleeping separately. Sweet dreams!
Source: Huffington Post
