Why Sleep Is Important For Your Marriage

Have you ever heard of the notion that better sleep makes a better marriage? Recent research has found that sleep-deprived people are more unpleasant, and even hostile, in their social interactions than those who get adequate sleep. That makes sense – being overtired can make me grumpy and if it’s a continual pattern of not getting enough sleep I can see how that could change a person’s entire personality and outlook – and then marriage.

Essentially, it’s the way sleep, or lack thereof, that impacts the way couples handle their spats. An Ohio State University study looked at 43 couples to explore how marital interactions influence a person’s health. While disagreements are universal among couples, how couples handled them were not. Some couples argued constructively and even with kindness, while others were hostile and negative. Now here’s the interesting bit, the hostile couples were also the most likely to be those who weren’t getting much sleep.

“Part of the issue in a marriage is that sleep patterns often track together. If one person is restless, or has chronic problems, that can impact the other’s sleep. If these problems persist over time, you can get this nasty reverberation within the couple,” said Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, senior author and director of the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends adults between the ages of 26-64 get seven to nine hours of sleep a night, however, according to a study published in 2016, Canada is the third most sleep-deprived country and the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation found that 33 per cent of men aged 30-49 were only getting four to six hours of sleep a night.

According to a report published in March, about 20 per cent of Canadians get between six and seven hours of sleep every night, and six per cent consistently get less than six hours a night.

That all doesn’t sound like anything good, does it? We know that developing good sleep habits and getting adequete sleep is important for overall health and wellness, and mental health and happiness is a part of that. Ahead of Valentine’s Day, if you’ve been feeling like your sleep habits could use some help, here are some tips from the Canadian Women’s Health Network.

Here’s a great way to create a restful atmosphere in your bedroom. First, ensure you reduce the clutter. It’s hard to relax when there’s clothes folded on the dresser, or yesterday morning’s coffee cold on your nightstand. Then make your bed as cozy and inviting as possible. We’ve recently done a sheet-makeover where we’ve donated a bunch of old sheets and pillowcases to charity (apparently no one in my household wanted a cookie monster or sponge bob pillow case anymore). We purchased new sheets for everyone too, and our go-to lately is Sweet Sheets!

Playfully named after some delicious delicacies, Sweet Sheets are made from high strength micro fiber yarns with the soft touch comparable to 1800 thread count. They’re also guaranteed against pilling, are wrinkle resistant and are shrink free. Sweet Sheets are made in 15 beautiful colours and are available in Twin, Double, Queen, King and California King sheet sizes. Shipping info can be found here!

I think Sweet Sheets are a great idea for Valentine’s gift giving for someone special. It shows that you care about their sleep and comfort (and if you happen to share a bed with your Valentine, it shows you want to be comfortable and cozy under the blankets too!) The biggest question though is, what color will you get?

Sweet Sheets is generously giving readers the chance to win a set of Sweet Sheets in the color and size of their choice! Entering is easy – first fill in your name and email address in the form below and click BEGIN! Then just visit Sweet Sheets to see all the colors and sizes available and leave a comment below sharing your choice!