Sleep, uh, sleep, our favorite feeling. The day ends, you lie down, close your eyes, find a comfortable position and the day is over. But have you stopped to think about how you sleep? Not if you sleep well or not, but in what position you sleep? Well, now psychology has discovered that the way we sleep says a lot about us, more than we think! And that those people who sleep on one side have common traits that we are going to tell you about below.
What does the study say?
First, that it is the favorite position of most people, and that these people are usually empathetic, concerned about the opinion of others, people who seek emotional stability and are much more sensitive to the environment than those who sleep on their back or on their stomach. Curious, right?
Empathy
One of the most pointed traits of this study is empathy. People who sleep on their side are usually more sensitive to the emotions of others and tend to put themselves better in someone else’s place. They know how to listen, they understand what others feel, they get emotionally involved… They are those people you always want to have around.
But, it also has its downside, they are people more prone to stress and to absorbing the discomfort of others!
Which side is better?
On which are you more comfortable? The study says that the left side benefits the lymphatic drainage of our central nervous system, prevents obstruction of the aorta artery and makes no organ press on the inferior vena cava, it also facilitates digestion because both the intestines and the stomach are tilted to the left, so food will pass more easily. And if you have reflux problems, sleeping on this side will improve it.
How to sleep on your side?
There are several ways, for example, the fetal position is associated with people who seem very tough but are later sensitive and kind-hearted, and it is a reflection of how we slept in the maternal womb.
If you sleep in the log position with your arms close to your body, you are sociable, trustworthy, and extroverted (although also a little naive).
Sleeping on the right side, you are a more rational and analytical person. These people tend to be more practical and organized, while those on the left side are more creative and emotional.
Who did this study?
There are several studies that reinforce these theories, this one specifically was carried out by the universities of Stony Brook, New York, and Rochester and published in The Journal of Neuroscience.
On the other hand, one of the most famous studies on the subject is that of Chris Idzikowski, former director of the Sleep Center in Edinburgh, who analyzed more than 1,000 participants to relate sleep positions with personality traits.
Learning to be with yourself
Sleeping on your side can reflect a need for connection with the world, but it is advisable to reserve time for yourself: read a bit, disconnect from your phone, move around a little or simply do nothing. We also need to recharge and balance ourselves again, if you have not tried it, try it because you are going to notice an incredible change in how you sleep and how you wake up.
It is not just a position, it is a clue
It may seem silly, but the way you sleep can give you many clues about yourself. Sleeping on your side not only helps reduce snoring or improve digestion. It can also reflect very personal traits that you might not have known about yourself. The more aware you are of these things, the easier it will be to find that balance between taking care of others and taking care of yourself.