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Sleep Knowledge

4 min.

14 February 2023

Improving intimacy and attachment with your sleeping partner

#sleep and relationships #intimacy with partner

Sleeping with your partner should be intimate and comforting, whether you’ve been together for years or in something new. However, for some people, sharing a bed isn’t so great and they would much prefer sleeping alone. Sharing covers, listening to snoring, and other factors can make sleep difficult and in the long run, reduce intimacy and attachment.

This will be even more important with Valentine's Day drawing closer, as it’s the time when you should be sharing the most intimacy with your partner. If you don’t enjoy sharing a bed, it can sometimes lead to detachment from your partner, which is unwanted in any relationship.

Here at Sunrise by Emma, we have created this guide to help you find ways to improve intimacy in bed with your sleeping partner.

Sleep and relationships

While the time you spend awake with your partner is by far the most important factor, the time you spend asleep is also crucial to improving how intimate you want to be with your other half. Here are some ways you can increase intimacy with your partner during bedtime.

Cuddle before sleeping

Oxytocin is very important for building and strengthening attachment within a relationship. Physical touch can significantly increase the release of this hormone. The flow of this is typically linked to a warm, happy feeling, and it has been shown to lower stress and anxiety. Cuddling before going to sleep can be a great way to achieve this feeling, whilst also increasing the connection between yourself and your partner.

Romantic movie nights

In the lead up to Valentine’s Day, couples will be feeling the love more than ever. There are a number of Valentine’s ideas that you can try to make you feel more attached to your partner, and improve intimacy. For example, why not combine the feeling of love during Valentine’s Day by having a romantic movie night before bedtime while wrapped up in the duvet? This will be sure to make you feel more intimate and lead to a great night's rest next to your sleeping partner. 

Mood lighting

Romantic lighting is a fantastic way to set the mood and create an environment that both you and your partner can enjoy. This can especially make a difference come Valentine’s Day, as colours such as red, pink, or purple can create a loving vibe and improve intimacy. Mood lighting can also make us feel warmer, causing us to feel more relaxed, which can significantly improve our mood and ability to sleep. The Sky Lite Projector by BlissLights is perfect for unwinding and relaxing by transforming your room with a soothing skyscape of stars and nebula clouds.  

Physical touch without cuddling

Cuddling during sleep isn’t for every couple, so you might want to consider alternatives. Back-to-back sleeping with your backs touching can still give you both enough physical touch to release oxytocin while still giving you both the freedom you need. You can also sleep face-to-face with your hands or feet touching to get a similar effect.

Furthermore, sexual intercourse before sleep will have a significant impact on how intimate you are with your sleeping partner. It can also make you feel more attached to your partner. Having sex before sleeping will also induce pleasant and relaxing feelings that will help you sleep better as a result.

Don’t hog the duvet

It's easy to pull the duvet off your partner while sleeping without realising it, but it's one of the biggest pet peeves of sharing a bed. If you want to maintain a healthy relationship, it’s important to show care towards your partner, no matter how small the gesture may be. This may be especially important when Valentine’s Day rolls around. Every little act of kindness you show can significantly increase how intimate your sleeping partner feels towards you.

If you are a frequent duvet tugger, you can even purchase a separate duvet to avoid the terrors of duvet tugging. The Emma 4-Season Duvet is the perfect purchase to satisfy your needs.

Go to bed at the same time

Going to bed at the same time as your partner has a number of benefits, such as building a deeper emotional and intimate connection. This is because it increases the chances of pillow talk, cuddling, and sexual intercourse. It can also improve your sleep overall, as it helps regulate your body temperature during the night, which can lead to improved REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep.

Improving sleep intimacy and more with Sunrise by Emma

Having a strong intimate relationship with your sleeping partner can be vital to balancing sleep and love. Sunrise by Emma is here to give you all of the solutions to your sleeping partner problems and more! You can find sleep-related articles on our website that offer tips and advice on sleep health and wellness.

Visit our Emma Sleep store today to browse our collection of quality, science-backed sleep products. They will be sure to give you the best sleep possible, every night!

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