Do you sleep on your back, side, or belly? Do you have the best sleeping position, or do you changing it all the time? Does your sleeping position mean anything, or is it just comfortable? There is a wide variety of sleeping positions depending on your habits, possible medical problems, stages of your life, such as pregnancy or injuries. Your sleeping pose could change if you share your bed with someone else. Sleeping posture of a couple can tell a whole story about their relationship.
The basics
There are a lot of sleeping posture what we can talk about, but in general we can distinguish 4 basic position.
On your back
It is not the most popular. Only about 8% of people sleeping in this position, Sleeping on your back allows your head, neck, and spine to rest in a neutral position. If you have acid reflux, this posture is an excellent choice to warding off it by picking a pillow that elevates your head enough. There is some danger in this position for those who are suffering from sleep apnea. It is a condition that causes a period of breathlessness by blocking the breathing tube with your tongue. This position can make lower back pain and snore even worse. Women should avoid this position during late pregnancy.
“Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.” – Anthony Burgess
On your side
It is quite popular so far, 15% of people choose this sleeping position. This position can be great to minimize snoring; therefore, it is is an excellent choice if you are suffering from sleep apnea. This posture also an excellent opportunity to ward off acid reflux and even an excellent alternative to avoid neck and back pain. A disadvantage of this position appears as you age; it can lead to wrinkles because half of your face pushes against a pillow.
In the fetal position
41% of people choose this one, so this is the most popular of the four basic positions. In this posture, you’re on your side, and your torso is hunched, and your knees are bent. It is a great choice when you are pregnant if you turn on your left side. It prevents your uterus from pressing against your liver, which is on your right side.
In this position, you can hurt your hip, but you can prevent it by placing a pillow between your legs.
On your stomach
It is the less popular position, only 7% of people sleeping on the stomach. It is suitable for easing snoring, but that’s all. Your neck and spine are not in a neutral position when you sleep on your stomach, and this may cause neck and back pain. While you are lying on your stomach, you put pressure on muscles and joints. It possibly can lead to numbness, tingling, aches, and irritated nerves. If you experience any of these problems, try to find another position.
Other sleeping positions to mention
Behind the basics you find wide variety of potential best sleeping positions how people like to rest to make their body comfortable
Log – In this position, you are lying on your side, but both arms down. 15% of people are resting this way. This position can help cut down on sleep apnea and can minimize neck and back pain. To support your hip, you can place a pillow between your knees.
Freefall – In this position, you are on your stomach with arms tucked under your pillow. 7% of people are choosing this cuddling form of sleeping. It may seem cozy, but sleeping on your stomach can lead to low back and neck pain.
Soldier – Soldier means you are lying on your back with arms by your side. 8% of people choose this martial pose. It can cause snoring.
Snoring is a sleep deprivation effect from what most people suffer at some point in life. It is not just annoying for your partner; it can cause problems with the circulation of blood. The soldier is a pure choice, too, if you suffer from sleep apnea.
Starfish – It is an on your back type sleeping position with legs spread apart and arms raised over your head. Such as soldier it is not a great choice with apnea, and if you suffer from snoring. Only 5% of people choose this position for night rest.
Yearner position – In this one, you sleep on your side with arms outstretched in front of the body. It is good if you have breathing problems while you slumber, but not as good for your arthritis (it is any disorder that affects joints).
Sleeping positions of couples and their meaning
What about the condition of your relationship?
Did you ever wonder if sleeping postures have any deeper meaning? Psychologists agree that sleeping position can indicate a happy relationship or can reveal an unspoken emotional issue between the partners.
Spoon
It is a sleeping position of couples that everybody knows. In this posture, one person cocooning the other who often called the “little spoon”. 20% of couples sleeping in this position; however, lying on the side considered the most comfortable sleeping position. It could be a nice feeling to be so close to your partner. The hugging person can create a protective atmosphere. Some can feel it claustrophobic since there is not to much space to move in this pose.
The Loose Spoon is a variance of the spoon. Most likely, spoon changing to this when a couple is together for a while. You can think it reflects some problems with the relationship, but it seems it is otherwise. It still has the closeness and the protective atmosphere but provides a bigger space to move and breathe.
In Chasing spoon variation, the couple moves out from the center of the bed to one side because one person moves to the edge, and the other one is following, “chasing.” It can mean that the one who moves to the side needs some space from their partner. It might be an alert that the intimacy is decreasing in the relationship. But also possible that our partner only would like to lay more comfortably.
Face to face or Back to back
Face to face with a plus of touching suggests happiness in the relationship, but it couldn’t be so pleasant to breathe this way all night long. This position without touching can show some problems between the partners. Experts recommend being open and honest with your partner about your feelings.
Back to back position suggests connection but also independence between the partners. It is a comfortable and very relaxing position. Warning, if you change to this position recently from a much more intimate one, you should talk about it with your partner.
Paper dolls
You and your partner are lying on your back with gently touching the arms or legs. This position provides an intimacy between the partners but also free enough to have a relaxing night rest. In this posture, you can choose the best sleeping position for yourself individually.
Tangle
It is a strong position and rarely seen, usually occurs after a very intimate situation. If we would like to describe it, it is a very close hug in lying position. It provides a minimal breathing space, and shouldn’t be very comfortable 7-8 hours long.
“If I had my way we’d sleep every night all wrapped around each other like hibernating rattlesnakes.” – William S. Burroughs
Unraveling knot starting with a tangle, but at some point, unravel, and each person chooses the best sleeping position individually. This pose suggests that partners are intimate but independent. Usually can see in a long term relationship.
Do you need to change your sleeping position?
Don’t afraid to break the routine
If you haven’t had relaxing nights and think you should change to another sleeping position, be patient. It would need some time to change, especially if you had a well-accustomed posture for a while.
It can help if you invest in a new mattress that is supporting side sleeping if it is your targeted position. Or you can buy a comfortable pillow for back sleepers to make an excellent, supportive position for your spine.
You might be interested:
- How to go to sleep, what wear or not to wear in bed.
- How to find the perfect pillow for a relaxing sleep?
- Best 6 luxury pillows of 2020
- How to choose the best bed?