What Your Sleeping Position Says About You 

Is there a link between sleeping positions and personality? Join Pottery Barn in a fun exploration of this idea to find out what the way you relax in bed to sleep might say about who you are.

Thinking About How You Sleep

The theory behind the idea of a link between sleep and personality derives from surveys in which participants describe both how they sleep and their personalities. It’s not exactly hard science, but it’s fun to consider whether the survey results actually line up with what you know about yourself. Plus, thinking about your sleeping posture puts you in a better place to think about your current bedding arrangement. Do your pillows and mattress provide adequate support for the way you like to position yourself as you sleep? It’s worth considering – small changes, such as a new pillow, can help you feel more rested in the morning.

Analyzing Your Position

Sleep position surveys tend to focus on a handful of popular sleeping positions that survey participants report. Is your sleep posture on the list?

Fetal Position

This is reported to be the most popular sleep position, and women in particular described sleeping in this curled-up, side-sleeping posture. If you tuck your knees up toward your chest and curl the top part of your body inward a bit as you snuggle into your sheets, you're a fetal position sleeper. Surveys found that those who sleep in this posture are usually a bit hard-edged at first glance but actually have a soft and sensitive inner emotional life.

Stretched Out

Some surveys describe this position as “the starfish.” If you sleep on your back with your arms and legs stretched out, this is your category. These sleepers tend to be humanitarians who are always looking for ways to help other people, and they might not love being a focal point themselves. You might expect someone who sleeps in such a confident, sprawled manner to be more gregarious, but that’s not what the surveys found.

Side Sleeper

The fetal position isn't the only way for side sleepers to get cozy and drift off under the covers. Some people feel most comfortable sleeping on their sides straightened out, almost like they're standing up. These sleepers fall into two categories – “yearners,” who sleep with their arms outstretched, and “fallen logs,” who sleep with their arms by their sides. Yearners are reportedly very open-minded. Fallen logs are highly social and trusting of others.

Stomach Sleeper

If you prefer to sleep with your chest pressed against the mattress, you're a stomach sleeper. Some surveys refer to those who sleep in this position as “free fallers” because the posture is reminiscent of that a skydiver takes. This is one of the least -popular bedtime postures, perhaps because it can contribute to some neck pain and other discomfort. The “free faller” name implies a self-assertive, energetic personality, and that lines up well with the survey results.

While it’s fun to consider the connection between sleeping position and personality traits, what ultimately matters is getting a good night’s rest. Whether you have a set sleep position or you vary your posture from night to night, make sure that you’re comfortable and cozy in bed!