Perceived Partner Responsiveness Predicts Better Sleep Quality Through Lower Anxiety

The present study investigated whether perceived partner responsiveness—the extent to which individuals feel cared for, understood, and validated by their partner—predicted subjective sleep problems and objective (actigraph-based) sleep efficiency through lower anxiety and depression symptoms. A life span sample of 698 married or cohabiting adults (35–86 years old) completed measures of perceived partner responsiveness and subjective sleep problems. A subset of the sample ( N = 219) completed a weeklong sleep study where actigraph-based measures of sleep efficiency were obtained. Perceived partner responsiveness predicted lower self-reported global sleep problems through lower anxiety and depression and greater actigraph-assessed sleep efficiency through lower anxiety. All indirect associations held after controlling for emotional support provision to the partner, agreeableness, and demographic and health covariates known to affect sleep quality. These findings are among the first to demonstrate how perceived partner responsiveness, a core aspect of romantic relationships, is linked to sleep behavior.