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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Couples who cuddle before sleep reap key health benefits, study reveals
Snuggling with your partner could be a win-win for your health. Cuddling at night promotes more secure attachment between partners and lowers stress levels, according to a new study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. Researchers from Auburn University examined data from 143 heterosexual "bed-sharing" couples, analyzing associations between physical closeness at sleep onset, perceived stress, attachment insecurity and sleep disturbance. Most Sleep-deprived Cities In Us Revealed In Report: Where Does Yours Rank? Factors including daytime sleepiness, income, age, relationship length, sleep diagnoses and whether children or pets sleep in the bed were also considered. The results revealed that couples who assumed a physically closer position upon going to sleep were indirectly linked with "lower couple insecure attachment" (when they have trouble connecting emotionally) and lower stress. Read On The Fox News App The researchers found no "significant" associations between physical closeness at sleep onset and the chances of sleep disturbance. While stress was found to be lower among cuddlers, the research found that cuddling did not increase sleep quality. The researchers concluded that physical closeness at sleep onset "may be a promising and amenable avenue for improving relational and physiological well-being." Here's Why 90% Of Americans Don't Sleep Through The Night, According To Expert Sleep expert Wendy Troxel, PhD — a RAND Corporation senior behavioral specialist and licensed clinical psychologist in Utah — shared with Fox News Digital how these findings highlight the "vital role" that shared time and physical touch play in emotional well-being. Troxel, author of the book "Sharing the Covers: Every Couple's Guide to Better Sleep," commented on the "interesting" finding that cuddling did not influence sleep quality. "This suggests that it's the moments spent together before falling asleep — not necessarily sharing the entire night — that have the greatest positive effect on a relationship," said the expert, who was not involved in the study. "The simple act of cuddling before sleep likely triggers powerful psychological and physiological responses, such as increased emotional security and the release of oxytocin — the 'bonding hormone' associated with intimacy." Heat Exposure Linked To Better Sleep, Experts Say — Here's Why These effects help reduce stress and deepen connection, which makes pre-sleep cuddling a "meaningful ritual for emotional health," Troxel said. "Whether you and your partner sleep together or apart, don't skip the cuddle before bed," she advised. "Even brief moments of closeness can enhance your relationship and overall well-being." While the study found that most couples sleep in the same position as their partner, 36.3% reported not touching or cuddling at night. Those who did touch reported sleeping back to back (19.6%), having some contact, like touching an arm or leg (23.1%), spooning (13.3%), intertwining (4.2%) and sleeping face to face (3.5%). Study co-author Josh R. Novak, PhD, associate professor at the Auburn University Department of Human Development and Family Science, confirmed in a statement to Fox News Digital that the more physically close position couples are in, the more feelings of "relational safety" were present due to lower stress. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "Sleep is one of the most important ways we can manage our physical, relational and mental health," the researcher said. "Research has substantiated that sleep and relationship functioning are bidirectional and cyclical — meaning that bad sleep can negatively impact your relationship, and difficult relationship dynamics can lead to worse sleep." Novak added that non-sexual physical affection has generally been deemed "critical" for relationships, but there seems to be more "emotional and relational benefit" when there's full-body contact. "My study suggests that cuddling with a partner can be both a barometer of how a relationship is doing and a way to maintain or repair a relationship, as well as lower stress levels," he said. The researchers did not study how much time was spent in a cuddling position, leaving Novak to be "skeptical" of whether it leads to sleep disturbances. "What happens most often is that cuddling only happens for a bit until both partners fall asleep, but there could be a select few that cuddle throughout the whole night," he said. For more Health articles, visit "My hunch is that most use cuddling to induce sleepiness and the feeling of safety and to reduce stress and anxiety, and that afterward either their body temperature increases too much, or there is discomfort and the need to shift around becomes necessary." Novak encouraged couples to cuddle if stress levels are high, as it's a nonverbal way to feel "secure and safe." "Although research needs to substantiate this further, it might also imply that, in the face of conflict during the day that is not solved or repaired … cuddling might be a way to start that process and move toward repair," he article source: Couples who cuddle before sleep reap key health benefits, study reveals
Forbes
17-05-2025
- General
- Forbes
Is Your Partner Your Best Friend? A Psychologist Shares Why It Matters
In an April 2025 study from the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, researchers asked 940 adults in romantic relationships to name their seven closest friends. However, they left one thing intentionally vague: whether or not participants could include their romantic partner. It was entirely up to each person to decide if their significant other counted as a friend. In total, just 36% chose to include their partner on the list — of this subset, only 39% labeled their partner as their best friend. That amounts to about 14% of the entire sample. It's a finding that invites reflection: If you're in a relationship, would you name your partner as a friend — or even your best friend — without being prompted to do so? According to the study, there's two reasons why this might be more meaningful than you'd give it credit for. Loving your partner is (hopefully) a given. But while we can assume that all couples love each other, the same can't be said as easily about genuinely liking each other. And, according to the 2025 study, these couples — who have romantic chemistry, but not platonic — might be unknowingly worse off than their counterparts. The study found that participants who considered their partner a good friend reported much higher levels of closeness in their relationship. Notably, this isn't an isolated finding either. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships similarly emphasizes that friendship is a powerful predictor of love, commitment and overall relational and sexual satisfaction. In short, friendship can make the difference between a relationship that just works, versus a relationship that flourishes. But, unfortunately, those in the 'just works' category are likely none the wiser. For instance, some couples are driven mad by the mundane routines in their relationships (like chores, errands and so on). Couples who are friends before lovers, on the other hand, likely see these as opportunities to goof off with their best friend. For them, the mundanity of it all pales in comparison to the enjoyment they share; the task itself is overshadowed by the fact that they get to do it with their favorite person. In many ways, couples who value each other as partners, but less so as friends, miss out on golden opportunities to turn otherwise trivial moments into joyous ones. All the markers of strong friendship — like having shared hobbies, inside jokes, a shoulder to cry on or simply a plus-one for fun outings — shouldn't be neglected once it progresses into a romantic relationship. In fact, these might be the very factors that elevate a good relationship into a truly great one. Beyond stronger emotional closeness, the 2025 study also found that romantic partners who saw each other as friends reported significantly higher levels of companionship overall. Likely, this treasured sense of companionship is rooted in the highly voluntary nature of friendship. Many narratives around relationships paint love as something that should be unconditional. However, this isn't the case in friendships; they are maintained solely by choice. When someone chooses to be our friend, we know this decision is subject to our meeting of certain criteria — like our kindness, our attentiveness or our humor. In short, our overall value as a friend is always a point of consideration. In relationships, however, there's an enduring notion that partners should always love each other, no matter what. In turn, this entails accepting both the good and bad in one another as just part of the package. There's no reason to look for more reasons to love each other, or less, because they wouldn't change anything. Friendships, on the other hand, require a different level of exploration and commitment. Unlike romantic relationships, there's no rulebook dictating that you have to keep loving your friend, no matter what. Rather, for a friendship to work, two people must continually keep finding reasons to love each other — to be in each other's lives. This idea is backed by broader well-being research, too. In a large-scale analysis of UK data, a 2017 study from the Journal of Happiness Studies found that while marriage alone is associated with greater life satisfaction, the benefits are twice as strong for people who consider their spouse to be their best friend. In other words, the emotional quality of a relationship doesn't hinge solely on the partnership itself, but, likely, from the companionship and camaraderie that it's founded upon. In this sense, friendship within a relationship entails an added layer of commitment. To maintain both platonic and romantic love at the same time requires actively choosing to continually see the good in one another: the value the two of you possess as both confidants and as lovers. This negates the narrative that partners must love each other simply because they're supposed to. Instead, they love each other because of who they are to one another — trusted allies, chosen companions and unwavering sources of joy and comfort. Is your partner your best friend, or do you see them solely as a partner? Take this science-backed test, and find out how this could be impacting your relationship: Relationship Flourishing Scale
