29 Sep Goodnight, sleep tight!
Get better sleep with a bed partner.
Most couples start out a relationship by sharing a bed. The emotional benefits are clear but there are also some physical benefits you may not be aware of.
Some common benefits of co-sleeping have been proven including: better health and longevity, decreased anxiety and stress, better self-reported sleep quality, longer sleep times for men and decreased sleep latency and increased efficiency in women.
However, many couples end up sleeping in separate bedrooms at some time or another. Often is the case that one partner develops a sleep disorder disturbing the other to the point of taking up the spare room or kicking the offender onto the couch. How long could you sleep next to a chainsaw?
Often in these situations it is the bed partner who instigates an investigation into sleep disturbances which can often uncover a greater need for treatment than just some annoying snoring.
If our partners can be responsible for kicking us out of bed for snoring, shouldn’t they be responsible for helping our treatment and getting back into bed together for sleeping?
Studies have shown that men’s adherence to CPAP treatment was found to be strongly related to the number of nights his wife shared the bed during the first 2 weeks of CPAP treatment. As with any treatment, success requires support and encouragement.
Partners can play an important role throughout long term CPAP treatment by moving back into the same bed. They can provide vital feedback if snoring or choking episodes continue, if the mask is leaking or the user mouth breathing. Most importantly the user will feel supported and more likely to continue treatment. After all, who better to motivate you to use your sleep disorder treatment than the person who you sleep next to?