We spend a third of our lives sleeping. But how much do we really know about the effects of sharing that time with someone else? The latest research is revealing a fascinating picture that challenges Western conventions about solitary sleep. Scientists are finding that the way we sleep together or with others can have profound implications for our physical and mental health, our emotional development, and even our evolution as a species.
Nature teaches us the value of sleeping together
Looking at the animal kingdom, scientists They have made enlightening discoveries on social sleep. I olive baboons, for example, reduce their hours of sleep as the group size increases. Even more fascinating is the ability of mice to synchronize their REM cycles. These behaviors suggest that sleep was never thought of as a solitary activity, but as a profoundly social experience.
Sleeping together from the beginning of life
In many cultures around the world, the Co-Sleeping between parents and children is a common and appreciated practice. The percentages speak for themselves: in some regions of the South America, Asia e Africa, bed-sharing rates reach 60-100%.
Many cultures do not expect children to self-soothe when they wake during the night and view nighttime awakenings as a normal part of breastfeeding and development.
Modern Science Reevaluates Co-Sleeping
Research conducted in the 90s revealed surprising aspects of the shared sleep. During co-sleeping, both children and caregivers show lighter sleep, but this may not be a disadvantage.
Scholars hypothesize that this feature can help protect newborns laid down by the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), providing more opportunities to control the respiratory system.
The Unexpected Benefits of Bed Sharing
According to research by National Sleep Foundation (I link it to you here), 80-89% of adults who live with their partner share a bed. It makes me smile to think of those long-term couples who opt for separate beds, perhaps because one (or both) of them snore like locomotives. Or of the “modern” couples who choose to sleep separately to rekindle the romantic spark.
Science suggests that they may be missing out on something important, because one of the most fascinating things that emerged from the research is the ability of couples to synchronize their sleep stages. This phenomenon not only increases the sense of intimacy, but it can also lead to longer periods of sleep and a general perception of better quality of rest. However, it's not all roses and flowers: in heterosexual couples, Women appear to be more easily disturbed by the movements of their male partners.
The Future of Co-Sleep Research
Many questions remain unanswered, especially regarding the developmental effects of co-sleeping on children. But one thing is clear: co-sleeping can provide comfort and promote physical synchronization between parents and children, similar to other forms of social contact.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to co-sleeping. But before blindly following Western norms, it’s worth considering that they may not be the ones we evolved with. The decision to bed-share should be based on factors like sleep disorders, health, and age, rather than social convention. Perhaps couples “divided” by snoring are right: better apart than living sleepless.