A new study has found that insufficient sleep can dramatically increase the risk for relationship problems in romantic couples.
The study tracked subjects’ sleep quality for a few weeks while asking them to report on relationship satisfaction and any arguments that occurred. The researchers found that nearly all arguments occurred following nights in which one of the couples did not sleep enough. This was likely due to the fact that after not getting enough sleep, the individual exhibited less empathy, more negativity, more selfishness, and was less interested in resolving conflict.
Conclusions
In order to maintain a successful relationship, willpower and impulse control are extremely valuable for avoiding serious conflict. Much previous research has shown that sleep can lead to a decrease in self-control, which is likely the main cause of these results.
For those who are in a serious relationship, increasing your daily sleep can potentially be an effective strategy for mitigating serious conflict and improving the quality of the relationship.
References
Gordon AM, Chen S. The role of sleep in interpersonal conflict: do sleepless nights mean worse fights? Social Psychological and Personality Science. 2014 Mar; 5(2): 168-175.