Despite these myriad disruptions, the majority of couples still choose to co-sleep, which speaks to a critical trade-off: the psychological benefits of intimacy and security versus the objective costs of fragmented rest. For many, sleeping next to a partner provides a deep, evolutionary feeling of safety, lowers stress hormones, and strengthens the emotional bond, often leading to a reported subjective feeling of being better rested and less stressed overall. However, for women, this benefit may only partially offset the biological and social vulnerabilities that make their sleep fundamentally lighter and more easily disturbed by the physical and behavioral realities of sharing a bed with a male partner.
