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What's the Meaning of Your Sleeping Position? (ANSWERED)

What's the Meaning of Your Sleeping Position? (ANSWERED)

Have you ever wondered what meaning your sleeping position holds? While little research exists linking one's sleeping position to personality traits, recent findings prove a correlation between the two.

People that sleep in the fetal position are shy, emotional, and more anxious. Back-sleepers in the soldier position hold high standards and are reserved. However, stomach-sleepers in the free-fall position dislike criticism and are sociable.

Knowing what your sleeping position says about you may help you better understand your health and sleep. According to a study, about seventy-four percent of people are side sleepers, with only about nineteen percent being back sleepers. Stomach sleepers form about seven percent, making it the least common sleeping position.

We have reviewed what various sleeping positions say about you to give you a more precise meaning.

bad sleeping positions

The Side Sleeping Position

According to a study, about sixty percent of adults spend most of the nighttime sleeping in a side position. Also, the heavier and older one gets, the more they gravitate towards side-sleeping, making it the most popular sleeping position. Still, there are different variations of side sleeping positions, with each carrying a unique meaning:

Fetal Position

People sleeping in the fetal position curl up into a ball like babies do in the womb. They sleep on one side and have their legs and arms bent. According to the 2013 Harris Poll survey, the fetal position is the most common sleeping position.

Samuel Dunken's 1970s research on the meaning behind the fetal position shows that fetal sleepers are more emotional, tough, and anxious. He also deduced that half-fatal sleepers are the opposite of fetal sleepers since they are well-adjusted. When Domino and Bohn conducted similar research in 1980, they concurred.

According to contemporary sleep researcher Chris Idzikowzk, people that sleep in the fetal position are shy when encountering new people. However, they get relaxed quite easily.

Since there is continuous research on the meaning behind the fetal position, we advise staying alert for such updates.

Log Position

Sleepers in the log position extend both arms and legs, resulting in their body being straight like a log. According to sleep researcher and scientist Chris Idzikowzk, sleepers in the log position are sociable and form seamless human interactions. However, their openness and ease of trusting others make them susceptible to gullibility.

Yearner Position

As the name suggests, sleepers in the yearner position seem to be reaching for something. They have both arms and legs outstretched, almost like in the log position. The only difference here is that their arms and feet extend forward.

Sleep scientist and researcher Chris Idzikowzk holds that sleepers in the yearner position tend to be more open, skeptical, and doubtful. In addition, they are slower when making up their minds. Though open, they are not on the same level of openness as the log sleepers.

The Back Sleeping Position

The back sleeping position is the next most popular sleeping position after side-sleeping. According to a study, people spend about a third of their sleeping time on their back.

From his 1970s research, sleep scientist and researcher Chris Idzikowzk held that back sleepers exude more self-confidence. In addition, they prove to be more open and seek more sensation than other types. Here are two of the most common ways of back-sleepers and their personality traits:

Soldier Position

Sleepers in the soldier position emulate the position of a soldier standing while lying on their backs. They sleep with their legs bone-straight and arms straight along the sides of their body. According to Chris Idzikowzk, soldier sleepers hold high standards and are reserved and quiet.

Starfish Position

People in the starfish position sleep on their back with feet outstretched and arms up close to the pillow. According to sleep scientist and researcher Chris Idzikowzk, starfish sleepers dislike being the center of attention and are good listeners. In addition, they value friendship and are fast in assisting those in need.

The Stomach Sleeping Position

Stomach sleepers form the rarest lot of all sleeping positions. Moreover, the older you grow, the less you tend to sleep on your stomach. We attribute this to a reduction in flexibility with age.

When you sleep on your back, you put pressure on your lower back, resulting in increased back and neck pain.

According to sleep scientist and researcher Chris Idzikowzk, stomach sleepers are driven, spontaneous, unbending, and anxious. He attributed them to accounting and finance, banking, and management jobs. Yet, he had contradictory findings of sleepers on the free-fall position.

Researchers in 1880 and in 2002 also attributed stomach sleepers to more anxiety. They also found them to show less confidence. However, a 2012 study contradicted prior findings on traits of stomach sleepers.

Free-fall Position

Sleepers in the free-fall sleep with their heads on one side and hands-on or tied around their pillows. According to sleep scientist and researcher Chris Idzikowzk, sleepers in the free-fall position are bold and social. However, they dislike criticism or paramount situations and depict more sensitivity.

What Your Sleeping Position Says About Your Health

Your sleeping position has a significant impact, both good and bad, on your health and overall wellness. Here is what your sleeping position says about your health:

Side Sleeping

More people sleep on their side as it is more comfortable and offers neck, back, and joint pain relief. Side-sleepers snore less, making it a recommended sleeping position for people with obstructive sleep apnea. Also, left-side sleeping has been shown to reduce symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

With this, doctors usually recommend left-side sleeping to pregnant mothers, especially those in their second or third trimesters. On the other hand, right-side sleeping is recommended for people suffering from heart failure.

Side sleepers should use thicker pillows than stomach or back sleepers to promote bodily alignment. Such relieves shoulder, neck, joint, and lower back pain. We recommend medium or medium-firm mattresses to accommodate their weight and form without causing a buildup in pressure.

sleeping woman big pillow

Back Sleeping

When done right, most back-sleepers experience pressure point relief. Also, sleeping on your back may lower your chance of getting wrinkles since there is hardly any facial-skin friction.

However, back-sleeping could trigger acid reflux, especially if you are lying in a flat position. It could also promote choking and neck straining if your head is not elevated.

To prevent neck and lower back pain, we advise back sleepers to lie in a symmetrical position. You should also avoid sleeping with your arms in varying positions since that strains your back and neck.

We advise back sleepers to find mattresses that offer great lumbar support to avoid straining their lower back. Such also promotes the natural curve of your spine, leading to spinal health and prevention of back bowing. Back sleepers should also go for pillows with low lofts offering great support.

Stomach Sleeping

Even though stomach sleeping is helpful to people with chronic snoring or obstructive sleep apnea, it has its downsides. It stresses your lower back and neck, leading to spinal misalignment, chronic back pain, and joint pains. In addition, stomach sleepers tend to experience neck stiffness.

If you must sleep on your stomach, we advise getting a firmer mattress and a pillow with a low loft. Such will offer relief to back strain and pain. In addition, it will relieve neck pain and stiffness, resulting in muscle pain relief and comfortable sleep.

Conclusion

While some sleeping positions are for health purposes, you can tell much about a person judging from how they sleep. Some come off as anxious, emotional, judgmental, and driven, while others come off as reserved or good listeners. Whatever your sleeping position, ensure you get a suitable mattress and pillow to prevent affecting your health.

Keep reading: How Often Should You Replace Your Mattress?