(ARA) - Falling in love is easy. Falling asleep can be the tough part, especially for newlyweds.

“He was a bed hog; he’d steal the covers; he wanted it cooler, I wanted it warmer; his cat would sleep on my head -- we were never on the same sleep page!” says Deana Wilfong, of Crestone, Colo., who got married last summer.

The Wilfongs are not alone. Sleep incompatibility between couples is a common contributor to sleep deprivation, which can compromise mental, physical and emotional health. And love may not overcome all: studies show that insomnia and decreased sleep contribute to decreased marital bliss.

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), lack of sleep can lead to major health problems including hypertension, cardiovascular troubles, type 2 diabetes and obesity. It also causes deterioration of cognitive and motor skills such as memory, concentration and driving. In one study, sleep deprivation impaired performance and alertness more than being legally drunk.

Emotional health suffers, too. A University of Pennsylvania study found that subjects who slept less than a full night for one week reported feeling stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. With sufficient sleep, their mood improved significantly.

“Sleep is more important than we thought,” says Robert Ballard, M.D., a board-certified sleep specialist at the National Jewish Medical Research center in Denver, Colo. “If you deprive yourself of sleep, you put yourself at risk -- for chronic illness, reduced immune function, cardiovascular disease, impaired cognition and compromised executive mental function, as well as accidents.”

Nonetheless, millions of couples aren’t getting enough rest. According to NSF surveys, 60 percent of adults have sleep problems a few nights a week or more. More than 40 percent of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month. A majority of respondents admit that not getting enough sleep impairs work performance, increases the risk for injuries and making mistakes, and makes it more difficult to get along with others. And 12 percent of married couples sleep solo.

So how do you slip between the sheets and into deep sleep together?

“Create a dark, quiet sleeping space, and never watch television in the bedroom,” suggests Sarah Stolz, M.D., associate director of Seattle’s Swedish Sleep Medicine Institute.

Find a comfortable bedroom climate, suggests Dr. Ballard, because extreme temperatures disrupt sleep. The body naturally cools itself during sleep by decreasing its internal temperature, which is why many sleep researchers recommend sleeping in a cool room. However, experts don’t agree on what that ideal temperature is. As the Wilfongs discovered, couples often find their ideal sleeping temperatures are incompatible. Women often sleep colder than men, and pregnant, nursing and menopausal women tend to experience dramatic temperature changes, which means finding thermostatic harmony can be a nightmare.

“My husband and I constantly battle the too hot, too cold sleeping dilemma,” said newlywed Jennifer Berry, of Boulder, Colo.

One new technology in bedding promises to remedy that. Originally developed for NASA to combat the extreme temperature variations in space, Outlast “smart fabric technology” absorbs, stores and releases latent heat energy to keep you “not too hot, not too cold, but just right.” When imbedded in bedding, the imperceptible thermocules dynamically keep track of your individual temperature and absorb or radiate heat as necessary. This allows you to remain a comfortable temperature (without tossing a leg out from under the covers or yanking the duvet from your partner’s side of the bed) while your partner remains in his or her own comfort zone. The technology is available in pillows, comforters and mattress pads by EvenTemp by Wamsutta, as well as mattresses by Serta and PranaSleep.

For Michael Fox of Burlington, Vt., it made all the difference. “I sleep like a furnace. I often wake up in a pool of sweat. I have tried for my entire life to find the right combination of blankets and comforters of varying weights. Nothing ever worked until this Outlast comforter,” he said.

The foundation for a good marriage may be a good mattress. Since you spend nearly one-third of your time in bed, your mattress is the most important piece of furniture you own. A Better Sleep Council report showed that nearly half of all married couples surveyed would choose a mattress as their first household purchase and a third of engaged couples select a mattress as their top wedding gift. Bridal resources such as TheKnot.com offer donation “units” to contribute to wedding gifts such as mattresses, and bettersleep.org offers tips on finding the right mattress.

More than a mere bed topper, pillows support solid slumber, so invest in good ones. Down can aggravate allergies and flat pillows can cause neck pain, but orthopedic pillows may reduce snoring, so shop for the support that suits your individual needs.

“I used to use a down pillow, and I’d turn it repeatedly trying to fall asleep. Now my Outlast pillow helps me relax and fall asleep faster,” said Sarah Kearney, of Portland, Ore.

Rest assured, with a commitment to quality sleep as well as each other, you can both have sweet dreams again.

“After arguing over the thermostat and calling kitty-free nights, we’ve come to compromises we’re both happy with,” said Deana Wilfong.

For more information, visit www.aasmnet.org, www.sleepfoundation.org, www.sleeplessincolorado.com, www.pranasleep.com and www.outlast.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content