What Does The Way We Sleep Say About Us?

It has been widely considered that the way of sleeping could reveal aspects of the personality or even the emotional state of the moment.

It is said that the way each person sleeps can reveal some aspects of their personality, habits or even concerns. For this reason, there are those who are genuinely curious to know in what position their partners and closest people sleep.

During the hours of sleep we maintain different postures, either alone or with someone. Find out what each of them means below. Let’s see what they reveal to you!

The positions when sleeping, what do they tell us?

As we have already been commenting, there is a belief that, depending on the position adopted when sleeping (either alone or with others), it is possible to infer certain aspects of a person’s personality and lifestyle. 

Although the posture that is most frequently adopted when sleeping is usually given more relevance, the other postures that can be adopted throughout the night have also been taken into account.

Some believe that people who sleep in the fetal position tend to be more sensitive than those who sleep on their stomachs. Have you ever heard of something like that? Probably yes, because it is a fairly common idea.

The 6 postures at bedtime

Although it is not scientifically proven that sleeping posture is related to personality, popular wisdom continues to attribute various traits to people, depending on the way they sleep.

Sleeping method 1: fetal position

It consists of sleeping on the side, with the knees more or less close to the chest, the arms crossed or close to the legs. Sometimes one arm is under the pillow.

This position is so called because it is like the one that babies have in the womb. It is the one we most often adopt at bedtime.

Regarding personality, this position has been linked to a series of traits. Although, as we have already indicated, there is no firm evidence to support such data:

• Snuggling to sleep is related to sensitivity and the expression of emotions, as well as the tendency to have more intense relationships.
• These people may seem shy when they meet someone, but then they open up and are kind, caring. They show fear of being hurt in their feelings.

Sleeping method 2: ‘trunk’ position

It is characterized by sleeping on the side, with both legs stretched and together, as well as the back that remains straight. The hands are usually on the sides of the body or one of them is under the pillow or stretched out.

Popular intuition says that those who sleep like this:

• They are uninhibited and calm people.
• They are very sociable and have positive interactions with most people.
• It feels good to join as part of a group.
• They trust others, but are usually quite innocent.

Sleeping method 3: ‘melancholic’ position

The back is straight, but the legs slightly bent forward. The hands are placed stretched forward, one of them being able to be under the pillow.

Those who sleep in the melancholic position are supposedly friendly and open by nature, at the same time they tend to be somewhat cynical and prone to being suspicious of others. It is also said that they are people who make decisions very calmly and that it is difficult to make them change their minds.

Sleeping form 4: ‘soldier’ ​​position

People who sleep on their backs, with their legs slightly apart from each other and their arms stretched out next to the body would be characterized by the following:

• They value emotional ties very much.
• They are reserved and restrained in the expression of their emotions.
• They do not like the ‘ordinary’ at all and have very high goals and objectives.
• They are loyal and protect their family and loved ones.

Sleeping form 5: ‘free fall’ posture

This posture calls this because those who practice it seem to have just fallen from the sky. They are lying on their stomach, with their heads turned and one or both hands under the pillow or on top.

It has not been rigorously demonstrated, but of the ‘free fall’ it is said that:

• They are usually sociable and cheeky, but deep down, very sensitive.
• They avoid the lack of control of others, since they do not like anyone telling them what to do (in any area, be it love, profession, family, society, etc.).
• They don’t like criticism either.

Sleeping method 6: ‘star’ position

It is the opposite of the previous one, because the person is on his back, with the arms surrounding the pillow and the legs semi-flexed or one of them stretched out.

Although there are no studies to confirm it either, tradition defines those who sleep in the ‘star’ position as:

• Good listeners.
• Faithful friends who will always be ready to help.

• People who most of the time prefer to be the center of attention, be it in a meeting, between siblings, etc.

And what do the positions say about health?

Studies such as that of Professor Yu Calvin Kai-Ching indicate that, outside of popular wisdom, the association between body posture when sleeping and personality is weak. This is also confirmed by the absence of controlled trials that have explored such a relationship.

Instead, there is a robust body of research that indicates that certain positions have more impact on health than others.

For example, works such as that carried out by the Harvard Medical School have found that sleeping on your side, rather than in a supine position, can have a significant effect on obstructive sleep apnea.

• The side postures (fetal, trunk and melancholic) are the healthiest of the six, since lying on your side facilitates breathing, as already mentioned.
• The two face-up forms (‘star’ and ‘soldier’) can cause lack of rest at night, as they lead to problems such as apnea to a greater extent.
• Lastly, the only prone position (‘free fall’) may aid digestion, although it does cause a lot of tension to build up in the neck if the head is turned to one side all the time.

Although it has not been proven that the way of sleeping really reveals aspects of the personality, the lifestyle or the emotions that are experienced at the moment, it can be taken into account when it comes to getting to know a person or ourselves better.