You are counting the numbers backward. You have invested hundreds of dollars in sleep supplements and herbal remedies. You are working out in the gym until completely exhausted. And yet, your sleep quality remains unchanged.
Well, here is some good news. What if you could sleep like a baby, without spending a penny? Forget supplements and counting sheep. Instead, grab your romantic partner's favorite T-shirt and wrap it around your pillow.
A study published in the journal Psychological Science suggests that the scent of a romantic partner can improve your quality of sleep. This is true regardless of whether or not you are consciously aware that the scent is even present.
How your romantic partner's scent improves your sleep
"A growing body of evidence has shown that close relationships are essential to our health and well-being. But far less is known about the role of scent in relationships and social support processes. The current study provides new evidence that the mere scent of a romantic partner improves sleep efficiency," Frances Chen, a researcher at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, and co-author on the paper, said in a release.
Earlier studies have linked romantic relationships and close physical contact with physical and mental benefits, including better sleep. Some studies have also shown that scents have an effect on the brain. However, the direct connection between the two has not been clearly demonstrated.
Connection between scent and sleep
Chen and graduate student Marlise Hofer investigated the connection between romance, scent, and sleep. As part of the research, they asked one member of a heterosexual couple in a long-term (three or more months) relationship to wear a plain cotton T-shirt for 24 hours. The wearer had to avoid typical scent-producing behaviors, like eating spicy food or doing vigorous exercise, during this time. They also avoided perfume, cologne, and antiperspirants. Afterwards, this T-shirt was hermetically sealed and frozen. The second member of the couple was given two identical shirts to wear: one previously worn by their partner, and another that had either been previously worn by a stranger or was scent-free.
The findings were striking. The researchers found that the participants who wore their partner's T-shirt as a pillowcase had an average of over nine additional minutes of sleep per night. This means an additional one hour of sleep per week. They spent less time tossing and turning in bed this way. The researchers also tracked sleep efficiency using a wrist-worn sleep monitor that tracked movement throughout the night.
Participants also gave self-reported measures of sleep quality each morning. Their sleep quality increased on nights they thought they were sleeping with their partner's scent.
"The effect we observed in our study was similar in magnitude to that reported for melatonin supplements--a commonly used sleep aid. The findings suggest that the scent of our loved ones can affect our health in powerful ways. These findings reveal that--whether or not we are aware of it--a fascinating world of communication is happening right under our noses!" Hofer said.
So, the next time you are struggling to get some sleep, grab your partner's scarf or shirt, and sleep on it. The researchers also noted that future research is essential to determine if the scent of a romantic partner has additional health benefits beyond the domains of stress and sleep.
