How Your Relationship Affects Your Sleep: The Power of a Responsive Partner
Friday, May 17, 2024.
Recent research shows that having a responsive partner is closely linked to better sleep quality.
Responsiveness in a relationship goes beyond mere listening; it involves being attuned to your partner’s needs and showing genuine compassion.
What Does It Mean to Be Responsive?
Being responsive means more than just hearing your partner out. It’s about deeply understanding what they are experiencing and responding with sympathy and compassion. This kind of responsiveness fosters a sense of validation and makes your partner feel cared for.
Dr. Emre Selçuk, the lead author of the study, explains:
"Our findings show that individuals with responsive partners experience lower anxiety and arousal, which in turn improves their sleep quality."
The Benefits of High-Quality Sleep
High-quality, uninterrupted sleep has the most restorative effect on our bodies and minds. People tend to sleep better when they feel safe and secure. Dr. Selçuk emphasizes this point:
"Having responsive partners who would be available to protect and comfort us should things go wrong is the most effective way for us humans to reduce anxiety, tension, and arousal."
How the study was conducted
The conclusions are drawn from a study involving 698 married and cohabiting couples. Each participant completed measures of partner responsiveness and reported any sleep problems they experienced. The results revealed a clear pattern: those who felt the most cared for, validated, and understood by their partners enjoyed the best sleep.
Dr. Selçuk further notes:
"Taken together, the corpus of evidence we obtained in recent years suggests that our best bet for a happier, healthier, and a longer life is having a responsive partner."
Be Well, Stay KInd, and Godspeed.
RESEARCH:
Selcuk, E., E. Stanton, S. C., Slatcher, R. B., & Ong, A. D. (2016). Perceived Partner Responsiveness Predicts Better Sleep Quality Through Lower Anxiety. Social Psychological and Personality Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550616662128
