The Specific Position You Slept In Last Night Reveals What You're Struggling With At The Moment
Lia Koltyrina / ShutterstockWhile sleeping positions can sometimes be a matter of basic comfort, experts like sleep researcher Samuel Dunkell argue that they’re also linked to aspects of our personality.
More specifically, the specific position you slept in last night, or on any given night, can shed insight into what you are struggling with at the moment, whether it’s stress from work or defensiveness in your relationship. So, while it might feel meaningless to pay attention to whether you curl up on your side or stay flat on your back as you drift off to dreamland, taking note of the position you wake up in might reveal emotional context you haven’t yet had the space to consciously acknowledge.
The specific position you slept in last night reveals what you’re struggling with at the moment
1. The fetal position
Lordn | Shutterstock.com
If someone automatically assumes the fetal position, curled up in a tight ball with their limbs close, when they’re sleeping, it may be because they’re overly emotional and sensitive. Even if during the day, they can mediate and suppress their emotions, when their subconscious takes over at night, they seek security and comfort.
So, if you find yourself clinging to physical security automatically from the safety of your bed, there’s a chance you’re holding onto stress or emotions causing emotional turmoil, even if you haven’t admitted it to yourself yet.
2. Lying on your stomach
syedfahadghazanfar | Shutterstock.com
If you’re going through a tough season in your life or feeling out of control at home, there’s a chance that sleeping on your stomach is a protective mechanism for processing all those feelings, even if it’s entirely subconscious.
Even if you’re a social, extroverted person, this sleeping position may tell you that you’re suffering at the hands of criticism or feedback from others. You worry about how other people perceive you, and take on a lot of that anxiety, even when it’s not doing you any favors.
3. With your hands underneath your pillow
MAYA LAB | Shutterstock.com
Sleeping with your hands tucked under your pillow could be a sign that you’re holding onto emotions that aren’t yours to carry or absorbing negative energy from other people, as a study from the Journal of Consumer Research explains.
When you sleep in this position, you’re literally and metaphorically holding onto a burden, whether it’s shame-filled feelings or your pillow. Even if you don’t have the words to verbalize what it is you’re holding onto, this sleeping position reminds you that it’s still there and asking to be addressed.
4. The starfish position
PV productions | Shutterstock.com
Grasping the attention they don’t necessarily feel in need of during the day, it’s typically empathetic people who adopt the starfish position at night. With all their legs and limbs splayed across their bed, they appreciate the feeling of taking up literal space and filling their own cup by simply being present.
Even if being kind and empathetic are rarely struggles for you, if you find yourself in this position, you may not be meeting your own needs sufficiently. You deserve to take up space, not only in bed at the end of the day, but also during daylight hours with the people in your life.
5. Flat on your back
Lysenko Andrii | Shutterstock.com
While sleeping on your back can cause unnecessary stress on your lower back and neck, clinical psychologist Michael J. Breus argues that it’s actually an inner sign of self-confidence when someone chooses to sleep flat on their back.
Of course, the position of your arms also makes a difference. If they’re outstretched, you’re likely relaxed and open-minded, while keeping them close is a sign of a reserved personality. You’re open to the world and confident in your ability to navigate it internally, which is why adopting this open position at night feels comfortable and safe enough to sleep in.
However, if you’re also struggling with feeling seen for your most authentic self during waking hours, there’s a chance you’re still learning how to balance a celebrated kind of extraversion with true authenticity.
6. On your side
SpaceOak | Shutterstock.com
While the position of your arms and legs as you sleep on your side may also have meaning, along with the side you prefer to lie on, most of the time, side sleepers are characterized as open-minded, willing to compromise, and relaxed people. They flow through life with a kind of confidence and curiosity that others lack, which feeds into their intelligence in unique ways.
However, these same people may regularly be misunderstood for diving deeper into things that don’t seem important or seeking alone time to process all their deep feelings.
7. The log position
siro46 | Shutterstock.com
According to sleep scientist Chris Idzikowski, people who prefer to sleep in the log position, with their arms and legs extended down flat like a plank, tend to be magnetically charming and extroverted in social situations. They connect with people quickly and make great first impressions, but occasionally, they struggle with depth.
They’re used to a lot of good, positive attention, which can make deeper, more uncomfortable conversations that actually create meaning much harder. Most of us are yearning for a basic sense of belonging in the world and our relationships, but it’s these individuals who sometimes feel like they’re floating just above that deeper level of connection.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
