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Cuddle Before Bedtime

Some end-of-the-day snuggling may increase your zzz’s

By

Staying Sharp

Updated April 06, 2023

Updated April 06, 2023

A man and woman cuddling in a bed together

Solskin/Getty Images

Quick Win

Making a close connection with your partner before bed may improve sleep.

Try This Today

Start a daily snuggling routine with your partner.
Check in with each other for a pre-sleep conversation or take three deep breaths together to release the stressors of the day.
If you’re feeling frisky, go for it: Sex before bed may help improve overall enjoyment, research suggests.

Why

Sharing a bed with a significant other may help you get more REM sleep, the phase of sleeping associated with memory consolidation, emotion regulation and creative problem-solving. In a study of almost 7,000 men and women ages 50 to 89, those who were sexually active — even just kissing and petting — expressed greater enjoyment with life, according to a 2018 report in Sexual Medicine.

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Legal Disclaimer: Staying Sharp, including all content and features, is offered for informational purposes and to educate users on brain health care and medical issues that may affect their daily lives. Staying Sharp is based on a holistic, lifestyle approach to brain health that encourages users to incorporate into their daily lives activities that are associated with general wellness. Nothing in the service should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Features including the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins, Additional Tests, exercises, and challenges assess performance at a particular moment in time on certain discrete cognitive tasks. Staying Sharp games are intended for entertainment and recreational purposes only. Various factors may affect performance, including sleep, tiredness, focus, and other social, environmental, or emotional factors. Performance is not indicative of cognitive health and not predictive of future performance or medical conditions.

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