According to a new study, it looks like how you sleep says a lot about the state of your relationship. (In other words, spooning is not to be taken lightly.) Psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman asked 1,000 people what their most common sleeping position was with their partner and then had them rate their personality and how happy they were with the relationship (h/t The Cut).
Here were some of the illuminating findings from the study: 42% of couples interviewed slept back to back.
31% of couples interviewed slept facing the same direction.
Only 4% of couples interviewed slept facing one another.
However, in rather heart-warming news…
12% of couples interviewed said they spent the night less than one inch apart. And here is how those stats correlated with how happy the person was in their relationship:
"The further apart the couple spent the night, the worse their relationship," Liz Wallace explains.
"86% of those who slept less than an inch apart from their partner being happy with their relationship, compared to only 66% of those who slept more than 30 inches apart."
However, it's important to note that 66% of couples who reported sleeping over two feet apart from each other still reported being happy in their relationship. That's no small thing. In other words, don't worry if you and your significant other aren't big on spooning — it doesn't mean there's something wrong with your relationship.
And, interestingly, self-reported extroverts were much more likely to spend the night close to their partners. So if you like to sleep with your own space on the bed, perhaps it's simply personality related.
But what could this mean for you and your boo? Potentially, you could both work on the health of your relationship even while you sleep...
What about spooning?
The infamous love position is only adopted by a fifth of couples.
Relationship psychologist Corrine Sweet said it's a 'traditional position..where one partner takes a protective stance over the other.'
What if you have a snorer or a night owl as a partner? Then you should probably consider sleeping apart if that means better sleep. Or at least during important work days. Physiotherapist Sammy Margo says you should you should not resist sleeping apart if it means a better nights sleep. Check out her site The Good Sleep Guide.
If your partner snores, go to sleep before them or record them sleeping so you can prove to them its a problem and you can start looking for solutions. If your partner is a night owl, then they key is to avoid any disruption in your sleep. Replace bedside lamps with reading lights. You should also invest in an eye mask. As a last resort to both problems try wearing some comfortable ear plugs.
Just text them this study with the message: "SCIENCE SAYS TO SNUGGLE!" (Just kidding, don't do that — unless that's normal for you.
Then go for it.) The bottom line: a little extra nighttime affection probably can't hurt.