Monday, March 31, 2008

Sleep positions and your personality

Professor Chris Idzikowski, director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, has analyzed six common sleeping positions - and found that each is linked to a particular personality type.

"We are all aware of our body language when we are awake but this is the first time we have been able to see what our subconscious posture says about us.

"What's interesting is that the profile behind the posture is often very different from what we would expect."

The Fetus: Those who curl up in the fetus position are described as tough on the outside but sensitive at heart. They may be shy when they first meet somebody, but soon relax.

This is the most common sleeping position, adopted by 41% of the 1,000 people who took part in the survey. More than twice as many women as men tend to adopt this position.

Log (15%): Lying on your side with both arms down by your side. These sleepers are easy going, social people who like being part of the in-crowd, and who are trusting of strangers. However, they may be gullible.

The yearner (13%): People who sleep on their side with both arms out in front are said to have an open nature, but can be suspicious, cynical. They are slow to make up their minds, but once they have taken a decision, they are unlikely ever to change it.

Soldier (8%): Lying on your back with both arms pinned to your sides. People who sleep in this position are generally quiet and reserved. They don't like a fuss, but set themselves and others high standards.

Freefall (7%): Lying on your front with your hands around the pillow, and your head turned to one side. Often gregarious and brash people, but can be nervy and thin-skinned underneath, and don't like criticism, or extreme situations.

Starfish (5%): Lying on your back with both arms up around the pillow. These sleepers make good friends because they are always ready to listen to others, and offer help when needed. They generally don't like to be the center of attention.


Personally I am somewhat of a mix between the Starfish and Soldier and both of those accurately describe aspects of my personality, though I occasionally will find myself in the Fetus position...

7 comments :

  1. Ana said...

    That is a little interesting, I guess I can't really pick which one I am, I have a wide range of sleeping positions ... also because I guess I never wake up to check what position I'm in when sleeping. ;)

  2. N said...

    Wow, those are pretty accurate! I guess since it's a scientific study, they should be...

    But there's no option for how you sleep with a cat pushing you off the bed, or if you thrash wildly during the night...I wonder what those two things would determine about a person's personality? :D

  3. Anonymous said...

    LOL! Weird! Lets see... I start as a starfish and then turn into the same thing as Natalie :D

  4. N said...

    Hey, I didn't say I thrash! :p I used to, but I don't think I do now...I just hog the blankets if I'm sharing the bed with someone!

    Yeah, I think I'm a foetus, yearner, and freefaller...while I'm still awake anyway...and then whatever shape the cat pushes me into! Cats have remarkable shoving skills. So your cats push you off the bed too, Abigail? :p

  5. Anonymous said...

    Where do you get this stuff from?!? ... I will not make any spare time comments! It is intresting though.

  6. Will said...

    Haha, I roam the web in search of craziness...Actually I hear about a lot of the stupid news items and humorous studies from friends or from the radio. This particular one some folks were talking about on the radio this morning.

  7. Anonymous said...

    hmm...i'm all of them.