People who spend less time with their ex-partner after a divorce sleep better.
- After a separation, spending too much time with your ex-partner disrupts sleep.
- In addition to time spent with the ex-partner, other factors have been identified as being linked to disturbed nights.
- Sleeping poorly or insufficiently at night can lead to many health problems.
People who spend less time with their ex-partner after divorce sleep better, according to a new study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
For most individuals, divorce represents a significant upheaval in their lives, which can be detrimental to their psychological well-being and physical health. Previous studies have already established a link between the experience of divorce and an increased risk of premature death.
Sleep assessment after divorce
Researcher Andrea M. Coppola and her colleagues therefore wanted to examine the changes that appeared in “sleep efficiency” during the five months following a separation. “Sleep efficiency” is a quality indicator calculated as the ratio of total time spent sleeping to total time spent in bed, usually expressed as a percentage.
The members of the research cohort were 122 recently separated or divorced adults, aged 24 to 65. Participants had been married for an average of 13 years and separated for an average of 4 months at the start of the study.
The researchers conducted assessments three times a week for five months. At each assessment, participants were asked to wear A activity meter at night for 7 days. Psychological distress related to the separation was also listed in each individual.
Dating your ex-partner makes you sleep less well
After analysis, it appeared that participants who spent more time with their ex-partner after the separation had a “overall sleep efficiency” weaker, therefore had less good nights. On the other hand, poor sleep quality did not predict a greater number of contacts with the ex-spouse.
In addition to time spent with the ex-partner, other factors have been identified as being linked to disturbed nights. The participants who presented “attachment anxiety” higher, that is to say a fear of abandonment or loneliness, had less restorative sleep. The same goes for those who spent more time watching television before going to bed.
Sleep and health
Sleeping poorly or insufficiently at night can lead to many health problems (increased risk of being overweight, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and depression).
