“Cuddle buddies”: Couples sleep position closeness at onset is indirectly related to lower insecure attachment through lower couple perceived stress

Abstract

Prior research on couples’ physical closeness during sleep (“cuddling”) suggests a benefit to relationship satisfaction and that affectionate touch during sleep onset may also improve mood and stress. Importantly, however, this initial research has yet to connect couples’ physical sleep positions at onset with attachment insecurity, stress, or sleep quality. Utilizing dyadic data from 143 mixed-gender, heterosexual bed-sharing couples, the present study examined the associations between couples’ average physical closeness at sleep onset, perceived stress, attachment insecurity, and sleep disturbance. We utilized a series of chi square tests of independence as well as the Common Fate Mediation Model (CFMeM) in Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with accompanying procedures to test alternative ordered models against our hypothesized model. We also included daytime sleepiness, income, age, relationship length, if children or pets sleep in the bed, and sleep diagnoses as important covariates. Results revealed no significant associations between individual preferred sleep position and couple physical sleep position. In addition, more physically close couple sleep positions at onset were indirectly linked with lower couple insecure attachment through lower couple stress. No significant associations were found between physical closeness at sleep onset and sleep disturbance. Although the present data were cross-sectional and future research is needed, physical closeness at sleep onset may be a promising and amenable avenue for improving relational and physiological well-being.