What if your favorite sleeping position revealed a little more about your personality? A famous British study attempted to establish links between certain nighttime habits and different character traits. An intriguing theory that is as amusing as it is thought-provoking\u2026 provided you don't take it as absolute truth.<\/p>\n
In 2003, Professor Chris Idzikowski, a sleep specialist in the United Kingdom, studied the habits of approximately 1,000 people. His aim was to observe whether certain sleeping positions were more common among people with similar personality profiles. The most common position, known as the fetal position, involves sleeping on one's side with legs bent. According to this study<\/a> , people who adopt this position sometimes give an impression of strength while concealing a great deal of sensitivity. They also tend to be reserved during initial encounters before becoming more at ease over time.<\/p>\n Another classic position is the log, lying sideways with arms at the sides. This is associated with sociable, spontaneous, and easygoing people who readily give their trust. The aspirant's position, also lying sideways but with arms extended forward, describes people who are open to others yet remain cautious. They take their time before making decisions but then fully stand by their choices.<\/p>\n People who sleep on their backs in the soldier position, with their arms at their sides, are said to be rather discreet, organized, and demanding of themselves and others. Also sleeping on their backs, the starfish position, with arms raised near the pillow, is associated with attentive, available people who prefer listening to being the center of attention.<\/p>\n Finally, the freefall position, lying on one's stomach with arms around the pillow, would correspond to extroverted personalities who are comfortable in social situations. Behind this apparent confidence, however, would lie a certain sensitivity to remarks or criticism.<\/p>\n Before drawing conclusions about your personality, it's best to take a step back. This theory is based primarily on self-reported surveys and hasn't been confirmed by solid scientific research. To date, there's no consensus that your sleeping habits truly reflect your character.<\/p>\n Another important point: few people stay in the same position all night. We naturally change position several times during our sleep, which makes it difficult to fit into a single profile.<\/p>\n Ultimately, these portraits are primarily a playful way to observe our habits. If you recognize yourself in one of these descriptions, feel free to see it as a lighthearted wink. It's perfectly possible to enjoy sleeping on your stomach, back, or side\u2026 simply because it's the position in which you feel most comfortable, without it revealing anything about your personality.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What if your favorite sleeping position revealed a little more about your personality? A famous British study attempted...","protected":false},"author":8264,"featured_media":443732,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_msn":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6138],"tags":[97279],"class_list":["post-443731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-psycho","tag-sommeil"],"image":{"medium":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Certaines-facons-de-dormir-seraient-liees-a-des-traits-de-personnalite-bien-precis-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Certaines-facons-de-dormir-seraient-liees-a-des-traits-de-personnalite-bien-precis-500x281.jpg",500,281,true]},"custom":{"td_video":"","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Certaines-facons-de-dormir-seraient-liees-a-des-traits-de-personnalite-bien-precis.jpg","author":{"name":"Ana\u00eblle Gayon","avatar":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Agayon-96x96.jpg"},"categories":[{"term_id":6138,"name":"Psychology","slug":"psycho","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":6310,"taxonomy":"category","description":" The Psychology section of The Body Optimist<\/strong> explores your inner life: emotions, self-esteem, body image, relationships and parenting. Practical advice, clear explainers and personal stories cover mental health without jargon or guilt, through a body-positive lens that rejects rules about weight and appearance.<\/p>\n It makes sense to see a therapist as soon as emotional distress lasts, keeps coming back or spills into daily life: disrupted sleep, constant fatigue, losing interest in things you used to enjoy, irritability, trouble at work or in your relationship. There\u2019s no need to wait until you hit rock bottom: therapy can also help you through a breakup, a loss, a new baby or a major life change. Your primary care doctor can refer you to a psychologist or counselor, and depending on where you live, insurance or public health services may cover part of the cost. Our articles offer general guidance: they don\u2019t diagnose anything and are no substitute for professional advice. If you\u2019re having suicidal thoughts, contact a suicide prevention hotline or your local emergency services right away.<\/p>\n Handling your emotions isn\u2019t about silencing them; it\u2019s about recognizing them before they boil over. A few simple habits help: name exactly what you feel (anger, sadness, shame, fear), notice the situations that trigger your strongest reactions, take a few breaths before you respond, and write down whatever keeps looping in your head at night. Your body plays a part too: sleep, movement and quiet moments make you less reactive. When the voice in your head turns harsh, here\u2019s how to quiet your inner critic<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our starting point is simple: your worth doesn\u2019t depend on your weight, your age or your family situation. Articles in this section often give the floor to psychologists and therapists and draw on research and personal stories, with the goal of making psychology accessible without oversimplifying it. We steer clear of the pressure to be happy all the time and of labels handed out lightly: a personality trait isn\u2019t a disorder, and everyone moves at their own pace.<\/p>\n Being a highly sensitive person (HSP), a concept popularized by psychologist Elaine Aron, isn\u2019t a medical diagnosis but a personality trait: people who have it perceive emotions, noise, atmospheres or criticism more intensely. It\u2019s neither a weakness nor an illness. Knowing your triggers, protecting your recovery time and talking about it with loved ones help turn it into a strength rather than a source of exhaustion.<\/p>\n A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medication. A psychologist holds an advanced degree in psychology and offers assessments and talk therapy, but usually doesn\u2019t prescribe. \u201cTherapist\u201d is a broader term that can cover licensed counselors, social workers and marriage and family therapists; who may use the title varies by country, so check a professional\u2019s credentials. Your doctor can help you choose.<\/p>\n Listen without judging or trying to fix everything, ask directly how they\u2019re feeling and skip the \u201cjust snap out of it.\u201d Offer concrete help: check in regularly, go with them to an appointment. If you sense they may be at risk of suicide, talk about it openly and contact a crisis line, or your local emergency number if their life is in danger.<\/p>\n Keep exploring: our Sex<\/a> section covers intimacy and relationships, Fatphobia<\/a> unpacks weight discrimination, and Well-being<\/a> takes the conversation to the body.<\/p>","parent":0,"count":92,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":6138,"category_count":92,"category_description":" The Psychology section of The Body Optimist<\/strong> explores your inner life: emotions, self-esteem, body image, relationships and parenting. Practical advice, clear explainers and personal stories cover mental health without jargon or guilt, through a body-positive lens that rejects rules about weight and appearance.<\/p>\n It makes sense to see a therapist as soon as emotional distress lasts, keeps coming back or spills into daily life: disrupted sleep, constant fatigue, losing interest in things you used to enjoy, irritability, trouble at work or in your relationship. There\u2019s no need to wait until you hit rock bottom: therapy can also help you through a breakup, a loss, a new baby or a major life change. Your primary care doctor can refer you to a psychologist or counselor, and depending on where you live, insurance or public health services may cover part of the cost. Our articles offer general guidance: they don\u2019t diagnose anything and are no substitute for professional advice. If you\u2019re having suicidal thoughts, contact a suicide prevention hotline or your local emergency services right away.<\/p>\n Handling your emotions isn\u2019t about silencing them; it\u2019s about recognizing them before they boil over. A few simple habits help: name exactly what you feel (anger, sadness, shame, fear), notice the situations that trigger your strongest reactions, take a few breaths before you respond, and write down whatever keeps looping in your head at night. Your body plays a part too: sleep, movement and quiet moments make you less reactive. When the voice in your head turns harsh, here\u2019s how to quiet your inner critic<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our starting point is simple: your worth doesn\u2019t depend on your weight, your age or your family situation. Articles in this section often give the floor to psychologists and therapists and draw on research and personal stories, with the goal of making psychology accessible without oversimplifying it. We steer clear of the pressure to be happy all the time and of labels handed out lightly: a personality trait isn\u2019t a disorder, and everyone moves at their own pace.<\/p>\n Being a highly sensitive person (HSP), a concept popularized by psychologist Elaine Aron, isn\u2019t a medical diagnosis but a personality trait: people who have it perceive emotions, noise, atmospheres or criticism more intensely. It\u2019s neither a weakness nor an illness. Knowing your triggers, protecting your recovery time and talking about it with loved ones help turn it into a strength rather than a source of exhaustion.<\/p>\n A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medication. A psychologist holds an advanced degree in psychology and offers assessments and talk therapy, but usually doesn\u2019t prescribe. \u201cTherapist\u201d is a broader term that can cover licensed counselors, social workers and marriage and family therapists; who may use the title varies by country, so check a professional\u2019s credentials. Your doctor can help you choose.<\/p>\n Listen without judging or trying to fix everything, ask directly how they\u2019re feeling and skip the \u201cjust snap out of it.\u201d Offer concrete help: check in regularly, go with them to an appointment. If you sense they may be at risk of suicide, talk about it openly and contact a crisis line, or your local emergency number if their life is in danger.<\/p>\n Keep exploring: our Sex<\/a> section covers intimacy and relationships, Fatphobia<\/a> unpacks weight discrimination, and Well-being<\/a> takes the conversation to the body.<\/p>","cat_name":"Psychology","category_nicename":"psycho","category_parent":0}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443731","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8264"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=443731"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443731\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":446567,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443731\/revisions\/446567"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/443732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=443731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=443731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=443731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} And what if your position revealed a little more?<\/h2>\n
An amusing theory\u2026 but far from being an exact science<\/h2>\n
What you\u2019ll find in the Psychology section<\/h2>\n
\n
How do you know when it\u2019s time to see a therapist?<\/h2>\n
How can you handle your emotions better day to day?<\/h2>\n
Our take on psychology<\/h2>\n
Where to start<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
What is a highly sensitive person?<\/h3>\n
What\u2019s the difference between a psychologist, a psychiatrist and a therapist?<\/h3>\n
How can you help a loved one who\u2019s struggling?<\/h3>\n
What you\u2019ll find in the Psychology section<\/h2>\n
\n
How do you know when it\u2019s time to see a therapist?<\/h2>\n
How can you handle your emotions better day to day?<\/h2>\n
Our take on psychology<\/h2>\n
Where to start<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
What is a highly sensitive person?<\/h3>\n
What\u2019s the difference between a psychologist, a psychiatrist and a therapist?<\/h3>\n
How can you help a loved one who\u2019s struggling?<\/h3>\n