Back sleepers (Soldier or Starfish): Sleeping on your back may induce lower back pain and sleep apnea, which interferes with normal sleep. Stomach sleepers are best supported by medium to slightly firmer mattresses (4 to 7 on a scale of 1 to 10) that keep the spine in a neutral position.It could be they feel this way because they’re more likely than other sleepers to lay down and test their mattress before purchasing.īSC sleep expert Terry Cralle, RN, a certified sleep educator and author, offers these better sleep position tips: Log sleepers are more likely than Fetal, Freefall, or Yearner sleepers to say their mattress is very comfortable.The Soldier (11%), Starfish (7%), and Log (6%) sleep positions are the least popular, yet those who sleep in these positions are more likely to say it has medical benefits.Women are more likely to sleep in the Fetal position compared to men (54% vs.The study found that Log sleepers are more likely to consider themselves to be healthy, while introverts have the strongest aversion to the Freefall sleep position. Our sleep positions can tell us other things about ourselves too. Also, people who sleep in the Starfish or Log positions are more likely to sleepwalk. When you slumber in prone, you could experience: Back strain.
For example, people who sleep in the Log position report getting a better night sleep than those in the Fetal. Sleeping on your stomach is also called the prone position. Differences between age groups became apparent in reported sleep position preferences as well: Gen Xers and Millennials were more likely to sleep in Freefall position (arms and legs outstretched) than Baby Boomers.Īlthough sleeping position is largely a matter of perceived comfort and habit, the study found sleep positions affect sleep quality. The study, commissioned by the Better Sleep Council (BSC), a nonprofit consumer-education arm of the International Sleep Products Association, found those who reported higher levels of education, such as graduate school or more, were less likely to sleep in Fetal position-the most common sleeping position among Americans (47%). New research suggests the position you sleep in may tell you a lot about yourself-your health, your age, perhaps even your education level. Does Your Sleep Position Indicate Your Intelligence?