What Your Sleep Position Reveals About Your Relationship

Sleeping positions can reveal a lot about you; for example, if you hog the bed (my all time favourite position), it signifies that you like to have control of things – and that sums me up completely! However, your sleeping position with your partner can say even more about the type of relationship that you have. Whether you sleep with your back to your partner (also my favourite – I'm clearly miserable), or very close to them, there is a meaning behind it. Scientists say that you cannot fake your body language whilst being asleep which is why it is able to reveal so much.

Your sleeping habits can reveal hidden strains in the relationship and in some cases, can even identifying how long you have been together – or it might just be that you're partner gets a serious case of toxic ‘morning breath' and the only method of escaping the cloud of smell is to turn your back in a half zombie like state.

So, how do you sleep when you're sharing your beloved bed? Here are some of the most common sleeping positions and what they truly mean:

Honeymoon Position

This is when a couple sleeps in each others arms; it is known as the honeymoon position because it is said to be most common during the first few years or being together – the ultimate ‘lovey, dovey, slushy‘ sleep position. The couple always want to be close to each other and also sleep facing each other. However if you have been together for a long time and have recently starting to face each other again, it could be an indication that you wish to be intimate and reconnect with your partner.

Cuddling

This is when you are wrapped around your partner whilst facing the same direction. – it is often known as ‘spooning'. If the person on the outside, doing the wrapping is the man, they are are said to be showing a sign of control and protection. On the other hand,  if the woman is doing this, she is demonstrating her nurturing nature. Again, this is common during the first few years of relationships.

Looped Legs

Looped legs can include several different positions, but always involves the couple linking their legs together. This demonstrates togetherness but it is also a sense of independence and respect for each other’s individuality – again, the looped legs position may only occur during the first couple of years in a relationship – mainly due to the fact that many give up on the old ‘shaving' duties after a while, and nobody wants to loop with a stubbly leg!

Shingles

The shingles position isn't as bad as it sounds, trust me. This is when a head is resting on the other person’s shoulder, signifying that you are more dependent on the other. This is common when the couple have been together for over a year.

Distant Sleepers

If you face away from each other and sleep with distance between you, relationship psychologists view this as symbolism for wanting to be independent. Most distant sleepers sleep on opposite sides of the bed; this signifies a lack of intimacy and can often lead to a game I like to call ‘Duvet Wars'. This can be seen when couples have been married or together for a long period of time. It is also common after having children.

Bottom Huggers

This is when the couple sleep apart but still have their bottoms touching. It is seen as giving each other space but still demonstrating that you want to remain intimate. There are a few variations of this for example, not facing each other but having your backs touching. This is most often seen in married couples.

Superwoman and Superman

This is when the woman is fully stretched out across the bed but the man is on the edge of the mattress. It indicates that the man takes the secondary position in the relationship but does not mind this, and allows the woman to take her space. However, this also works the other way with a man being stretched across the bed and a woman sleeping on the edge – this is called the Superman. This can also be found when couples are arguing and are freezing each other out.

Some of these positions shatter the illusions created by romantic films, you know the ones, where couples are seen holding each other whilst sleeping – does anybody really do that?! In fact this position is only common within the first few years of being together. You can now identify which one of these you and your partner fall into and see what it reveals about your relationship – happy sleeping!