Sleep Positions

Our favourite colour. The music we love. The career we choose. Believe it or not, the slight subtleties in our sleeping styles can say as much about us as these conscious choices.
Whether you sleep on your back, your side or your stomach, the style in which you lay in bed speaks volumes about who you are when you’re awake. And it’s not just pillow talk - scientists analysed the six most common sleeping positions and found that each was linked to a particular personality type.

Professor Chris Idzikowski, the director of the UK Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, found most people don’t change their sleeping positions throughout their lives - with only 5% saying that they slept in a different position every night.

Here are the sleepy six - and the distinct personality traits associated with each:

The Foetus

Most popular among sleepers, the foetal position is defined by a person who sleeps on their side with their legs curled up. Those who sleep this way tend to have a tough exterior, but are sensitive at heart. They’re also shy when they initially meet somebody, but soon relax. Interestingly, 41% of the 1,000 people surveyed adopted this position; more than twice as many women as men.

Best exercises for your personality: Try a yoga or Pilates class to warm up to your fellow workout buddies gradually - or take to nature with long distance running, hiking, swimming or biking.

The Log

Exactly what the name suggests, this position incorporates lying on your side with both arms down by your side and your legs extended straight. It may look like a stiff pose, but a person who catches zzz’s like this is anything but rigid. Log sleepers are social butterflies: they enjoy chatting with all kinds of people, are very trusting (which can sometimes make them seem a little gullible) and love being part of the in-crowd.

Best exercises for your personality: Try joining your local club’s swim team, or finding a running group for plenty of sweat and socialising.

The yearner

If you sleep on your side with both arms reaching out in front of you (similar to a mummy), you’re likely to have an open nature - but can also be suspicious and cynical. Yearners find it tough making decisions, weighing up the pros and cons in detail; however once their minds are set, they’re set in stone.
Best exercises for your personality: Grab some gloves and unleash your inner reservations with a fighting class - nothing builds confidence like mastering a martial art or sweating it out with an hour of kickboxing.

The Soldier

Attention! The soldier sleeper is one that snoozes on their back with the arms pinned down at their side. They tend to keep themselves to themselves, with a quiet and reserved demeanor. That means no fussing, plenty of structure and very high expectations of themselves and others around them. It’s recommended that soldiers should try flipping over to avoid snoring and conditions such as sleep apnea.

Best exercises for your personality: Being the image of discipline, a workout routine you can continuously see results with is best. Cardio workouts, running, interval training weights and swimming are all perfect for your determined nature.

The Freefaller

Lying flat on their stomachs, freefall sleepers often wrap their arms around a pillow and sleep with their head to one side. They tend to have open and gregarious personalities, which can sometimes come off as brash. This playful exterior often hides underlying anxiety: freefallers don’t like criticism or extreme situations.
Best exercises for your personality: Team sports where you can interact with others - such as football or netball - are your forte. Sign up for one of your club’s teams, or grab some rackets and head to the tennis court with a friend.

The Starfish

Least popular of all sleeping styles, the starfish pose (as the name suggests) is defined by sleepers that lie flat on their backs with their legs stretched out and their arms stretched up by their head. Those who dose in this uncommon style are very loyal friends: making time to listen to others is a huge priority in their lives and they’re always around to offer help when needed. They generally don’t like to be the centre of attention.
Best exercises for your personality: Whether it’s a leisurely cruise by the beach or an off-beat path on wooded trails, cycling with a friend is a great way for you to get a cardio fix and catch up at the same time,