Scientists proved that bed partners can momentarily decrease men's mental ability

Jul 24, 2006 13:39 GMT  ·  By

A study conducted by Australian Scientists found that sleeping with someone brings about temporary decreasing of brain power and hormone level in men. The mental ability is reduced in men, as their bed partner usually disturbs them while resting and they cannot get a good night's sleep. Quite odd, it turns out that women do not experience such problems, possibly because they have a deeper sleep.

Researchers at the University in Vienna investigated the sleep of a number of couples that were not married yet and had no children. The scientists asked them to sleep 10 nights together and ten nights in separate beds. After every night, the volunteers had to solve cognitive tests and their hormone levels were measured.

Even if the men stated that they slept better when with their partners, the tests showed the reverse. Men were disturbed when sleeping by the fact that their bed mates made noises, such as sighing or snoring, or they took all the blanket for themselves and left men uncovered.

Women were also found to sleep better apart from their male partner, but in their case the effects were not that drastic.

Professor Gerhard Kloesch, lead researcher, said in the study published in the New Scientist journal that sleeping with someone "also affected dream recall, with women remembering more after sleeping alone and men recalling best after sex."