For some time now, you have woke up systematically at the same time as your spouse? Far from being extremely rare, these insomnia “in duet” are not the fruit of simple coincidence. They could even explain it according to Dr. Jonathan Taieb, sleep specialist at the Hôtel-Dieu de Paris and the Sleep Medical Institute.
Synchronization of sleep disorders
Spending a bad night for two is common. But how to explain such a “synchronization” of your nights? According to a recent study carried out with 52 couples aged 19 to 82, it seems that sleep behaviors are naturally transmitted between the two partners.
Indeed, after having observed the nights of these couples, the researchers noticed that the “Sleep synchronization“was frequent in 63.8 % of the patients interviewed. For night awakenings, the concordance was 6.6 %. Finally, every night, the participants suffered 5.5 alarm clocks … caused by their half. Results showing that the sleep disorders of one have a direct impact in the other, with awakenings” transmitted “to his half several times a night.
Another observation, drawn up this time by a study published in the journal Nature: night movements (that is to change position, to move one foot, one hand …) would be more frequent in people who would sleep together than separately. So many micro disturbances, which have permanently impacting everyone’s sleep.
Everyone’s sleep habits, a key element to take into account
Facing this subject, Dr. Jonathan Taieb, sleep specialist, is direct: “Yes, couples share their sleep problems. For example, if one has significant snoring, the other may suffer from difficulty falling asleep and/or nightwakes. “
The sleep habits and the chronotype of each (either the fact, for example, of being a time-tard lifting) would therefore be key elements to take into account, according to the specialist.
“The noise caused by one, the sleep habits of the other … All this can disrupt one – or both – partners”, Confirms Dr. Jonathan Taieb. “”But sometimes we think that the problem comes from the other when it is not. For example, a patient recently told me that the snoring of her partner prevented her from falling asleep. In fact, the noise caused by her husband was very minimal: the problem came rather from the fact that she was focusing on it, and that this obsession had caused her sleeping problems. ”
Another element not to be overlooked: “space, in bed“. If you wake up more, for two, it is (also) because the place is reduced.
Duo insomnia: What to do?
These “marital” insomnia must push you to ask yourself the right questions.
“Do they result from a specific sleep disorder? Or from several? What about your sleep habits, alone and in two? Do you also interest the shared sleep environment: duvet, light … All these elements are important. Stress – and the way of sharing it to the other – is also an element not to be overlooked”, underlines the doctor, before adding: “The positive point, sleeping in two, is the prevention of certain more serious problems: it is frequent that a partner discovers, in the other, a sleep apnea for example “.
In case of doubt/proven sleep disorder, only one reflex to adopt: consult a sleep specialist without delay!