Most likely you have a favorite sleep position. For most of us, this is the first position in which we lay after getting into bed. It’s usually our most comfortable position, and most likely the position you’ve been sleeping in for years.
Have you ever thought that your favorite sleeping position may be affecting your sleep? And if so, are there better positions to enhance your sleep?
Recent research suggests that different sleep positions not only impact our quality of sleep, but are also linked to our personalities. Chris Idzikowski, PhD, a director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service in London, and author of several books on sleep including Learn to Sleep Well, states that there is a connection between our sleep and personalities on a very basic level.
"If you sleep in a bad position, you're more likely to be grumpy the next day," says Idzikowski as reported by WebMD.
The same is true for those that simply do not get enough sleep. Ana Krieger, MD, director of the New York University Sleep Disorders Center in New York City, iterates this point.
“Everyone has an individual need to sleep and if you are not able to meet your needs, you are not going to behave. Your normal way to compensate for the loss of sleep is by overworking, being rude or hyperactive, being more depressed and less social."
The overall consensus from sleep experts is that our sleep quality is based on the amount of sleep we get, and in which position we sleep. In order to see which position is best, Idzikowski conducted a study on 1,000 people to examine how their sleep positions affect their quality of sleep.
During Idzikowski’s research, he identified that the six common most common sleeping positions not only have certain health benefits and / or risks associated, but can also reveal personality traits.
The Log
The Log position is the second most common position (15%), and describes sleepers that lye on their side with both arms down.
Personality
Log sleepers are generally easy going and social. They tend to trust strangers and may even be a bit gullible.
Health
This position will keep your spine straight and is extremely helpful to those suffering from back pain. Research also shows that sleeping on your left side helps promote digestion. However, sleeping on your side can also cause nerve compression in your arms and legs, and sleeping on your right side can also promote acid reflux.
According to Rachel Salas, MD, assistant medical director for the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep, people that sleep on their side can help relieve some issues by sleeping with a pillow at their side.
"Sleep next to a body pillow to help support your back and neck. You might also try sleeping with a thin pillow between your knees to give your back extra support."
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