Side. Stomach. Back. Fetal: Most people have a preferred sleeping position. But can the way you get shut-eye say something about your personality?
According to Professor Chris Idzikowski, director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, in the 1940s, there was an article by a psychiatrist who claimed side-sleepers lacked moral fiber. The article prompted Idzikowski’s decision to research whether there was any link between personality traits and sleep position.
Idzikowski surveyed 1,004 subjects about their preferred sleeping positions and asked them to tick boxes with adjectives they felt described their personalities.
Fetus position
A whopping 41% of participants sleep in this curled-up manner. Women are twice as likely to rest like this and it is listed as the most common position. These sleepers are said to have a tough exterior but are still sensitive and may appear to be shy but warm up quickly.
Log position
If you sleep on your side with both arms down, you are a social, easy-going person who is trusting, sometimes to the point of being credulous. The study showed 15% of people sleep like a log.
Freefall position
Those people who lie on their bellies with arms under or wrapped around a pillow with hear turned to the side, make up 7% of the population studied. Freefallers are brash, outgoing, and are very uncomfortable with criticism.
Soldier position
These sleepers lie on their backs with arms down and kept close to the body. This 8% study is said to be introverted, quiet, without fuss, and hold themselves and others to a high standard. Soldier sleepers have a higher likelihood for snoring due to the flat-back position, which may not cause them to wake up often but may result in a less restful night’s sleep.
Starfish position
Sleepers who lie on their backs with arms near their head or the pillow account for 5% of participants. These people are good listeners, helpful, and uncomfortable being the center of attention. People who sleep in starfish position are more likely to snore and to suffer from a poor night’s sleep more often.
Yearner position
A close third is the side-lying position with both arms out in front of the body, with 13% of participants sleeping like this. Yearners are known to be open-minded and still cynical, suspicious, and stubborn about sticking to decisions once they are made.
Health Effect
Professor Idzikowski also probed the effect of various sleeping positions on health.
He concluded that the freefall position was good for digestion, while the starfish and soldier positions were more likely to lead to snoring and a bad night’s sleep.
“Lying down flat means that stomach contents can more readily be worked back up into the mouth, while those who lie on their back may end up snoring and breathing less well during the night. Both of these postures may not necessarily awaken the sleeper but could cause a less refreshing night’s sleep.”, Professor Idzikowski also added.
If you think you are of one those people who sleeps all of these positions, that’s not likely to really be the case. Idzikwoski said the study reveals most people stay in the same position all night and only 5% lay differently night by night. Also interesting is that the study showed only in the 10 people cover their bodies entirely with a blanket, with most people exposing an arm, leg, or both feet.
So what is your sleep position?