The partner's scent improves sleep

Lisa Vogel studied departmental journalism with a focus on medicine and biosciences at Ansbach University and deepened her journalistic knowledge in the master's degree in multimedia information and communication. This was followed by a traineeship in the editorial team. Since September 2020 she has been writing as a freelance journalist for

More posts by Lisa Vogel All content is checked by medical journalists.

Love goes through the nose: those who sniff the scent of their partner sleep better. All you have to do is lay your head on a worn T-shirt.

T-shirt as a pillow case

Researchers at the Canadian University of British Colombia sent 155 women to bed on two evenings with two identical-looking T-shirts as pillow cases.

Her partner had previously worn one shirt for 24 hours. The men were not allowed to use any fragrances such as deodorant or perfume.Exercise, smoking and foods that affect body odor were also taboo. The second shirt was either from a strange man or it was never worn. The women did not find out which shirt had been worn and by whom.

Movements recorded during sleep

After going to bed, a clock with a built-in motion sensor recorded the participants' movements while they were sleeping. In the morning the women rated how restful their slumber had been.

They also stated whether they believed they had their partner's shirt in bed with them. If the women were convinced of this, they judged their sleep to be more restful.

But regardless of the personal perception of the quality of sleep, the movement trackers recorded a calmer sleep if the loved one's shirt was the nightly companion and not that of a stranger or an unworn one.

“The motion trackers show that participants were less likely to toss and turn when they were surrounded by their partner's scent - even if they hadn't recognized the scent,” says Prof. Frances Chen, senior author of the study. The reason for the positive effect is probably the feeling of security, calm and relaxation that the smell of the life partner triggers, the researchers write.

As effective as a sleep hormone

The familiar scent even had an effect similar to the use of preparations containing the sleep hormone melatonin. “Our study shows that the smell of the partner increases the quality of sleep,” says Marlise Hofer, lead author and doctoral student in the department of psychology.

A worn t-shirt of the loved one can improve sleep and well-being in the case of spatial separation such as long-distance relationships or when traveling. Further research should now show whether the parents odor has a similar effect on the sleep of their children.

Almost every second German sleeps badly

Arming yourself for lonely nights with your partner's T-shirt could help many in this country. According to a Statista survey, every second woman and 40 percent of German men have problems sleeping through the night. Studies show that the proportion of employed people is particularly high at 80 percent. Ascending trend.

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