Starfish and Soldiers | What your favourite sleep position says about you

Emma mattress

Sleep is a big deal. If you don’t get enough it can affect your physical and mental health as well as your emotional well-being. Even if you are a super-efficient, highly-motivated person in your home and work life, you still need regular sleep, and importantly, you need to sleep until your alarm goes off in the morning. For the average adult, that means getting eight hours of restful sleep every night. If you’re unable to get this on a regular basis, you will not be at your best to face your busy schedule the next morning. Believe it or not, your favourite sleep position reveals a lot about you. Here are some insights on what your sleeping position says about you and how you can have a better night’s sleep.

You Are How You Sleep

Check out these common sleeping positions and what they say about your personality.

The Foetus: This is the most common of all the sleeping positions; curled up on your side with your knees and arms bent. People who sleep in the foetal position appear tough on the outside but are shy and sensitive underneath.

The Starfish: If you’re a starfish you like to sleep with your arms stretched above your head and your legs splayed. Personality-wise, you are a very good listener and popular among your peers. You are a loyal friend and always available when someone needs you.

The Preacher: You’re a preacher if you like to sleep on your side with both your arms stretched out in front of you. This personality type is always on the lookout for a new challenge. Sometimes you can be suspicious or cynical. When it comes to making decisions you like to take your time and be sure you’re on the right track.

The Log: Log sleepers are most comfortable sleeping on their side with their arms beside their body and their legs straight. If this is you, you are a sociable person with a very trusting nature. Sometimes, you have to be wary of becoming too trusting or you run the risk of being taken advantage of.

The Freefall: This position reveals that you have a friendly and optimistic personality. You are a passionate leader though you are sometimes a little over-sensitive to criticism.

The Soldier: Soldiers sleep on their back with their legs together and arms straight by their sides. This sleeping position is a sign of a very self-confident person with a strong personality. You set high standards for yourself and others around you.
If you want some advice on how to sleep more comfortably, whatever position you prefer, check out these mattress reviews.

Snack Your Way to Better Sleep

If you’re looking for ways to improve your sleep, a snack a couple of hours before bedtime can help. There are several different foods that can help you get to sleep quicker and sleep more peacefully. Almonds are one. This nutrient-packed nut is rich in magnesium, which aids your sleep by relaxing your muscles. Almonds also have a high protein content. This assists with the stabilization of your blood sugar levels while you are sleeping. Bananas are also high on the list. Not only are they rich in potassium and magnesium, they also contain tryptophan. Tryptophan places an important role in regulating sleep because it converts to serotonin, which in turn becomes melatonin. This hormone is produced in the brain in the pineal gland. The gland usually starts pumping out melatonin around 9 p.m. and gradually causes you to feel less alert and more sleepy. Levels will remain elevated for around twelve hours and will dissipate by morning. If you are not in the mood for fruit or nuts, a nice bowl of oatmeal and warm milk will hit the spot. Oatmeal contains silicon, potassium, and magnesium all of which help support healthy sleep.

What to Avoid

Obviously, caffeine is the number one contender. Found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and many soft beverages, caffeine is a stimulant that can block certain chemicals in the brain that help to induce sleep. What you may not know is that foods high in saturated fats, fried foods, garlic, tomato-based foods and citrus fruits can also cause sleep disturbances as they may revisit you during the night causing, heartburn or coughing. For this reason, it’s best to avoid fruit juice, pizza or chocolate pudding before bedtime.

You can ensure a good night’s sleep if you have a good mattress that suits your sleeping pattern, you keep a regular sleep schedule and you eat the right things for your last meal. Sweet dreams!

Anna Blake studied sleep medicine and enjoys sharing her newfound knowledge with an online audience, explaining health benefits and consequences on something we often don’t give much thought to.

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1 Comment

  1. May 3, 2017 / 6:05 pm

    I am going to give these ideas a go, I was always a good sleeper until I suffered a major stroke now I find it difficult to get to sleep mainly because I can’t get comfortable, this may help me, hopefully!

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