Study shows people who feel valued sleep easy

Research shows individuals with responsive partners experience lower anxiety and arousal, which in turns improves their sleep quality. Photo / Getty Images

Being valued by your partner is much more valuable to your health than you might think.

According to a new study, when you don't feel valued in a relationship your sleep suffers.

Research published in journal Social Personality and Psychological Science says individuals with responsive partners experience lower anxiety and arousal, which in turns improves their sleep quality.

Researchers at Middle East Technical University in Turkey showed connections between partner responsiveness, physical health and psychological wellbeing over several years.

Lead author Dr Emre Selcuk says maintaining a loving and supportive relationship doesn't just do wonders for mental health but for physical health too, because one of the most important functions of sleep is to protect us against illness.

Restorative sleep requires feelings of safety, security, protection and absence of threats. For humans, the strongest source of feelings of safety and security is responsive social partners - whether parents in childhood or romantic partners in adulthood.

- AAP