All of us have surely wondered “What does your sleeping position say about you?”. You’ve probably slept in the same position every night since the crib, but is there really a deeper meaning behind your preferred way of sleeping? 

More importantly, however, your sleeping position can have significant implications for your overall health. People who sleep in a certain position might be more prone to certain health conditions. As well as that, certain sleeping positions can help with various health problems. 

In this blog post, we’ll cover what your sleeping position says about you, as well as the links between the way you sleep and your general health. 

What Does Your Sleeping Position Say About You?

Many people wouldn’t think much about what your sleeping position says about you, other than the great desire to get the most comfort possible during your nightly rest. Yet a number of psychologists and experts have made suggestions that your personality can be linked to your chosen sleeping position and can also offer insight around your traits and behaviour. 

Links Between Your Sleeping Position and Personality

In 2003 sleep expert Professor Chris Idzikowski surveyed over 1,000 adults in the UK to uncover any potential connections between sleep position and people’s personality.

Based on the results he managed to draw links between the most common sleeping positions and people’s characteristics. Some of his notable findings include:

  • The foetal position is linked to sensitivity and shyness and is particularly popular among women. 
  • People who prefer to sleep on their side with outstretched arms tend to be open-natured but also to a degree suspicious. Once they’ve made up their mind, they also tend to stick to their decisions. 
  • Stomach sleeping with hands under the pillow can be connected to a sociable nature and a hatred toward criticism. 

Due to several key limitations of the survey, these results are best interpreted with a pinch of salt. For instance, only a small portion of the general population (about 1,000 people) was surveyed. When a second group of participants were given the same survey the results didn’t hold up. A number of online sources report that even Idzikowski himself didn’t see his findings as conclusive evidence. 

What Does Your Sleeping Position Say About Your Health? 

When it comes to linking sleep with health and wellness, there’s a lot more conclusive evidence (both positive and negative) to link the two. Here’s what you need to know about each sleeping position and what it means about your health:

Sleeping on Your Side

Sleeping on your side is often recommended by experts as a way to help with snoring and indigestion. 

However, if you’re sleeping only on your right side it might worsen digestive issues such as acid reflux. Sleeping on your left side makes it harder for stomach acids to rise because your stomach is kept under your oesophagus in this position. 

Side sleeping also has benefits during pregnancy as it promotes better maternal and foetal health with the left side being favoured again. Additionally sleeping on your left can reduce heartburn, promote blood flow and relieve pressure on the uterus. 

Finally, sleeping on your side may also help with lower back pain because it improves spinal alignment. However, if you suffer from shoulder or neck pain you might find it difficult to sleep comfortably on your side. 

Sleeping on Your Back

Back sleeping can help with intraocular pressure which is known to be a major risk factor for glaucoma. In addition it can be beneficial for people with sensitive skin. Pressing your face in the pillow when sleeping on your side or stomach can lead to acne breakouts, skin irritation or even facial creases. 

However, although back sleeping can have certain positives at any age, it’s not always the best sleeping position for adults. 

If you suffer from sleep apnea for instance, which is a medical condition that affects a person’s breathing during sleep, you might find your condition worsening when you sleep on your back. This is to do with the fact that your airway is blocked more easily when you’re lying on your back. 

Additionally, some people find that sleeping on their back worsens lower back pain, but others report it to be the only position that can offer any relief. 

Sleeping on Your Stomach 

Stomach sleeping may to some degree help with sleep apnea or chronic snoring, but it also puts stress on your lower back, shoulders and neck, particularly if your mattress is on the softer side. As a result of this continuous strain you might experience lower back pain.

Conclusion

So, what does your sleeping position say about you? While there might be links between your health and the position you sleep in, your preferred sleeping position probably doesn’t have much to do with your character. 

If you get a good night’s rest then you probably shouldn’t worry so much about the pose you have while sleeping. After all, the best sleeping position is the one that offers you a comfortable sleep each night. 

However, if you’re having trouble getting sufficient rest or wake up tired and grumpy, you might want to try sleeping in a different position to help improve your sleep. Another possibility could be that your mattress isn’t suitable for your position. You can check out our mattress guide to find out what type of mattress is suitable for your preferred sleeping position.