Sleeping Better Together : How the Latest Research Will Help You and a Loved One Get a Better Night's Rest

by Klösch, Gerhard; Dittami, John; Zeitlhofer, Josef

• ISBN13: 9780897935678
• ISBN10: 0897935675
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-07-19
• Publisher: Hunter House

Summary

Maybe you're a night owl: work till midnight, then dim the lights, pour a glass of wine and watch TV or read till you fall asleep. Your partner is an early bird: crashes at nine, can't sleep after dawn. Or you've been arguing about his snoring or her restless legs, his opening a window or her allowing a pet into bed. Maybe it's the covers, the pillow, the TV. Of course, you both wake up tired and cranky.

Author Biography

Gerhard Klsch is a sleep researcher in the neurology clinic at the Medical University of Vienna, where he specializes in dream study and sleep-cycle disturbances. John Dittami is the chair of the Department of Behavioral Science and an expert on biological rhythms. Joseph Zeitlhofer is the head of the sleep research laboratory within the neurology clinic at the University.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. x
Introduction	p. 1
Overview	p. 4
An Introduction to Sleep	p. 7
Studying Sleep	p. 8
Sleep Stages: The Building Blocks of Sleep	p. 9
Falling Asleep: Thermoregulation and Melatonin	p. 13
Waking Up-Stressful for the Body?	p. 15
What Does It Mean to #x201C;Sleep Well#x201D;?	p. 16
Sleeping During the Day	p. 20
Sharing a Bed with a Partner	p. 21
What Does This Mean in Terms of Sleeping Better Together?	p. 30
The Cultural History of Sleep	p. 32
The Prestige of Sleeping Alone	p. 33
Naked or in Nightclothes?	p. 36
Sleep and Sociocultural Influences	p. 38
The Emergence of Private Space	p. 42
Sanitizing Sleeping Spaces	p. 46
The Optimal Bed?	p. 48
Monophasic and Polyphasic Sleep Cultures	p. 49
From the Midday Snooze to Power Napping	p. 50
The Convergence of Sleep and Sexuality	p. 52
Romantic Love and Sharing a Bed	p. 53
Sleep and Modern Society	p. 55
Sleeping Arrangements and Sociocultural Influences	p. 56
Sleeping as a Couple-A Sustainable Arrangement?	p. 57
Conclusion: Cultural Frameworks Affect Our Sleep Behavior	p. 59
What Does This Mean in Terms of Sleeping Better Together?	p. 60
Individual Sleep Patterns and Problems	p. 62
Early Birds and Night Owls	p. 63
Long and Short Sleepers	p. 66
Do People Who Sleep Together Sleep More, and Is It Good for Health?	p. 68
Do You Sleep Late on Weekends?	p. 69
Personality Traits and Sleep Behaviors	p. 69
How Does Age Affect Sleep?	p. 72
How Does Gender Affect Sleep?	p. 74
Do Women Sleep Differently than Men Do?	p. 75
Do Women and Men Dream Differently?	p. 78
Do Partners Dream About Each Other?	p. 80
When Sleep Is Disrupted: Sleep Disorders and Their Prevalence	p. 80
What Does This Mean in Terms of Sleeping Better Together?	p. 88
Sleep Behavior and Ritual	p. 91
Choreographing Movements in Your Sleep	p. 93
Is Sleeping Position Related to the Quality of a Relationship?	p. 94
Sleeping as a Couple-An Emotional Need or Force of Habit?	p. 96
Sexuality and Partnership	p. 97
Sharing a Bed-An Example of Nonverbal Communication	p. 102
Bedtime Rituals and Sleep Schedules	p. 103
The Night and the Morning After	p. 104
What Does This Mean in Terms of Sleeping Better Together?	p. 105
Problems That Stem from Couples Sleeping Together	p. 108
What Is Stealing Our Sleep?	p. 109
Sleeping Environment	p. 111
Can You Only Fall Asleep When Your Partner Is Present?	p. 116
What Couples Should Remember about Sleep Disorders	p. 118
What Are the Ideal Sleeping Conditions for Sleeping Together in a Pair?	p. 120
What Does This Mean in Terms of Sleeping Better Together?	p. 122
Other Companions in Bed	p. 126
Children in the Parents' Bed	p. 128
Pets in Bed-Who's in Charge?	p. 137
What Does This Mean in Terms of Sleeping Better Together?	p. 141
Conclusion	p. 143
Better Together or Better Apart?	p. 144
Why Separate Bedrooms?	p. 144
Long-Term Measures	p. 146
Bibliography	p. 147
Resources	p. 153
Index	p. 154
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