A couple’s sleeping position can reveal a lot about the relationship, from romantic security to self-confidence.
According to Google Trend Data, the search term couple sleep position meaning, has received a 9.900% uplift in the past year. Such an uplift reflects the UKs desire to discover the subconscious meaning of their relationship.
Here, senior sleep expert Martin Seeley at MattressNextDay reveals what a couple’s sleeping position reveals about their relationship.
Spooning
The Big Spoon acts as the protector, while the Little Spoon feels safe, and both partners feel relaxed and intimate. Being the big spoon often means you see yourself as dominant and protective, and feeling like this makes you feel secure and calm. As the little spoon, you enjoy feeling protected, but may also have a strong sense of independence if you initiate rolling away.
Switching roles in spooning is beneficial so both partners can experience feeling protected and being the protector.
Back-to-Back
Also known as ‘the cherish position’, sleeping facing away from each other with part of your body touching, is a sign you’re super secure in your relationship. The ‘cherish position’ position is often taken by couples who are super relaxed and comfortable with each other. As a result, it’s a position that couples often adopt after they have been together for a while. As the foetal position is the most popular independent sleeping position, it makes sense that if you and your partner are on separate sides of the bed, you’ll take the cherish position.
Having at least one point of physical contact with your partner while you sleep shows you like to feel safe in the knowledge, they’re there next to you.
Face-to-Face Embrace
The face-to-face embrace involves both parties lying on their side, face-to-face, in an embrace. Seeley explains: “If you sleep face-to-face every night, it could signify that you’re trying too hard to be ‘close’. The most secure relationships can sleep freely and comfortably without the need to be all over each other, so attempting to sleep wrapped in each other\’s arms all night might mean you’re searching for both a sense of security and your partner’s validation.”
Sweetheart Cradle
Cradling with a leg hug, this position is the most comfortable couple’s position for sleeping all through the night. One partner will sleep on their back, with the other partner slightly on their side, and their leg draped over their partner.
Whether you’re loosely in this position or quite close together, you’re likely touching in a lot of places. This helps you reap all the benefits of cuddling, and releases the ‘love hormone’ oxytocin, helping you feel incredibly intimate.
Sleeping in this position helps couples feel protected and safe, which is essential for a good night’s sleep. It also increases your levels of intimacy.
It’s not as intense as the Face-Face Embrace, and there’s no need to worry if you end up breaking away from this position throughout the night, as this just proves you’re secure enough in your relationship to sleep comfortably independently when needed.
Separate
Sleeping separately on your own side of the bed can show that you’re incredibly secure in your relationship and that you both value each other’s quality of sleep.
A sign of independence, sleeping away from your partner, even facing away from them, can show you aren’t over-dependent on each other.
Seeley explains: “Actually, the best sleeping position for couples is to always end up sleeping independently. This proves your independence and security within your relationship, and that you feel safe enough just having your partner in the bed with you – you don’t have to be all over them to get a good night’s sleep.
It’s also important to prioritise your own personal preferred sleeping position, and lots of couple cuddling positions aren’t suited to a comfortable night’s rest.”
