- Foods that will help you sleep
The aroma of a romantic couple can improve sleep, as 'revealed' in a new research conducted by experts from the University of British Columbia (UCB) published in the journal 'Psychological Science'. It showed that the participants in the study who were exposed to the smell of their partner at night experienced a better quality of sleep , even though it was not physically present.
"Our findings provide new evidence that simply sleeping with the scent of a couple improves sleep efficiency . Our participants had an average improvement in sleep efficiency of more than two percent - explains Marlise Hofer, lead author of the study and graduate student in the Department of Psychology at UCB - we saw a similar effect in size to what was reported when taking oral melatonin supplements , often used as a sleep aid. "
For the study, the researchers analyzed the sleep data of 155 participants who received two identical-looking shirts to use as pillowcases : one had been previously used by their romantic partner and the other had previously been used by a stranger or was to clean .
To capture the body odor on the shirts, participants' pairs were given a clean shirt to wear for 24 hours, and were asked to refrain from using deodorant and scented body products, smoking, exercising, and eating certain foods. They could affect your body odor. The shirts were frozen to preserve their aroma.
SLEEP QUALITY
Each participant was given two shirts to place on their pillows, not knowing which one was which. They spent two consecutive nights sleeping with each shirt . Each morning, they completed a survey about how good they felt. Your sleep quality was also measured objectively using a sleep clock that controlled your movements throughout the night. At the end of the study, the participants guessed if the shirts they had been sleeping with had previously been worn by their partner.
Participants reported that they felt more rested at night when they thought they were sleeping with the scent of their partner. In addition, regardless of their beliefs about exposure to odors, sleep clock data indicated that the objective sleep improved when participants were really exposed to their partner's smell.
"One of the most surprising findings is how the smell of a romantic couple can improve the quality of sleep even outside our conscience," adds Frances Chen, lead author of the study and associate professor in the Department of Psychology at UCB. Sleep surveillance data showed that participants experienced less shaking and turning when exposed to the smell of their partners , even if they did not know who they smelled. "
The researchers say that the physical presence of a long-term romantic partner is associated with positive health outcomes, such as a sense of security, calm and relaxation, which in turn leads to a better sleep. By pointing out recent physical proximity, the simple smell of a couple can have similar benefits.
Hofer points out that research could pave the way for future work by examining the effectiveness of simple and effective methods to improve sleep , such as bringing a partner's shirt the next time he travels alone. Currently, researchers are recruiting participants for a pilot study to investigate whether the smell of parents can improve the sleep quality of their babies.
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