Couples who cuddle before bed are less stressed and feel more secure.

A recent study from Auburn University (USA) shows that couples who cuddle at the beginning of the night tend to experience lower stress levels and feel more emotionally secure in their relationships. This is the main conclusion of a study led by psychologist Josh Novak and cognitive development researcher Kaleigh Miller of Auburn University (USA). Nighttime cuddles? Yes; it could be an easy and free way to improve mental health and relationship quality.

Sleep isn't just a pleasure: it's a vital necessity for the body and mind. Sleep boosts our cognitive abilities, balances our mood, strengthens the immune system, and is key to overall well-being. Although it's often analyzed as an individual experience, the truth is that most adults share their rest with a partner .

Researchers analyzed data from 143 mixed-race couples who shared the same bed at night (not everyone sleeps in the same bed or the same room as a couple). On average, these couples had been together for 13 years, and some had been together for nearly three decades. Participants shared information about their usual sleeping positions, stress levels, and feelings of attachment.

The authors of the study, published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships , Josh R. Novak and Kaleigh C. Miller, observed that while couples tend to keep their own side of the bed, they frequently cross this barrier to cuddle, show affection and, why not, even have sex, taking advantage of their partner's proximity.

They also noted that people may adopt different sleeping positions when sharing a bed than when sleeping alone; that is, while individual sleeping preferences did not coincide with the positions couples adopted at the beginning of the night, closer positions (such as cuddling, intertwined sleeping, or sleeping face to face) generated the psychological benefits reported in the study.

"This finding may suggest that individual sleeping position may not be a determining factor in how a couple chooses to cuddle at night, but rather is driven by the desire or need to be close to their partner ," the authors write.

The relationship between cuddling and well-being remains, in many ways, a mystery. In their research, the team found no conclusive evidence that cuddling before bed actually improves sleep quality. This suggests that while physical contact can be comforting, it doesn't always translate to more restful sleep. But in no case did they find that closer sleeping positions were linked to sleep disturbances, either directly or indirectly (so more research is needed in this area, and there is still much to explore and understand about couples' sleep).

"Perhaps intimate positions disrupt sleep because holding such positions for prolonged periods of time can be uncomfortable ," they wrote, noting possible problems such as increased body temperature or preexisting sleep disorders.

So the conclusion is clear: a simple, fleeting hug at bedtime could be enough to activate those emotional benefits , just before each person settles into their most comfortable position to surrender to Morpheus' arms all night.

A recent study from Auburn University (USA) shows that couples who cuddle at the beginning of the night tend to experience lower stress levels and feel more emotionally secure in their relationships. This is the main conclusion of a study led by psychologist Josh Novak and cognitive development researcher Kaleigh Miller of Auburn University (USA). Nighttime cuddles? Yes; it could be an easy and free way to improve mental health and relationship quality.