SOCIAL MEDIA

07 April 2016

Sleeping Position: Does it Really Matter?

Sometimes I think this blog should be titled something more like Weird Things Angel Does because his odd habits are my muse far too often. But I need somebody to talk to about this and my mom considers Angel one of her favorite people in the whole world so she doesn't make a great confidant because her response is always, "You better be so nice to my Angel!" It's like she's still not convinced I'm a nice person, or something.

So, here's the question: What sleeping positions are normal and acceptable? Also, do you find that sleeping position actually affects your quality of sleep?



I can pretty much sleep anywhere. I have no 'side of the bed'. In general, I sleep on the side closest to the door...because I believe in always having an easy escape route. Why? I don't know. I just think it's safe to know how to jump out of bed and run to the door. Sometimes Angel wants to switch sides for a night or two, and I don't mind, even if it will take me an extra 3 seconds to get to the door.

He does weirder things than switch sides, however--he frequently sleeps 'upside down' in bed, with his head at the foot of the bed. This happens probably about once a week. In our first home when I was a young and gullible newlywed he swore up and down that it was something scientific about aligning your body differently between the north and south poles which would result in better sleep.

Since he has now periodically felt the need to sleep upside down in beds all over the globe, that has proven, as I always suspected, that his previous answer was based on nonsensical pseudoscience. His latest reason has to do with the headboard--he sleeps better and without claustrophobia when the headboard is far away from his face and not imposing any potential danger of crushing his head. We have a tiny headboard now, not the massive solid cherry wood headboard of our bed in America, so I find it odd that this is his new reason.

I think it's unlikely that you would feel claustrophobic while sleeping...particularly if you don't even experience the condition while awake.

Give him another few years and he'll come up with another scientific-sounding reason for his actions. In the meantime, I end up switching, too, and sleeping upside in bed about 30% of the times that he does. More often, I'm just too asleep to bother switching.

See, I'm such a rule-follower I could go to sleep every night for a lifetime and never come up with the idea of sleeping with my head at the foot of the bed. I don't know how he does it--this consistent challenging of norms in every single area of life--or why he does it, but it's a sure guarantee that life will never get boring.

{Example 2236b: This is Angel dressed as a bear playing mancala.}

Do you or your spouse sleep upside down in bed and swear it encourages better sleep? What's your reason?
AnneMarie said...

Hahaha this is hilarious! I've occasionally slept upside-down in bed (I don't think I've done it since I got married, though) just for fun as something random to do. Once, my little brother told me that he went to sleep the "normal" way, but when he woke up he was upside-down in the bed and had no clue how it happened. We have had interesting sleeping experiences, though-when we were poor college student newlyweds, we bought an air mattress to sleep on because it was cheaper than a "real" mattress, and thought that it'd work fine. Well, after a handful of months, it started doing this weird thing where random parts of the surface would bulge outwards for absolutely no reason. So, you'd be crawling into bed and be trying to shift yourself around these awkward bulges without tipping the bed over! (because the bulges made it very unbalanced) Finally, there was that fateful day where we woke up to find that we were on the floor with a very deflated and popped mattress beneath us :P

Suzanne said...

Okay...this is officially weird. LOL But...I might add, totally Angel.

I'm super picky about having my space when I sleep as I am a very light sleeper and have a hard time getting to sleep. The room needs to be dark and quiet and I need to be laying down all the way. I cannot sleep anywhere. The longest I've gone without sleeping was 7 days and it was awful. Truly awful.

My husband can sleep anywhere, any time. Polar opposite of me. And he snores. It is a wonder we are still married.

bisous
Suzanne

Unknown said...

This is too funny! I have never heard anything like this but so enjoyed reading this! MK

Jordan A said...

That's too funny! I've always found it super interesting though how i get into the exact same position every night right before I fall asleep.

Unknown said...

No, we never sleep upside down lol!!!!

Sheryl at How to Make a Life said...

Hmm, no I'm pretty certain we'e never slept upside down. However, like you, I always like to sleep closest to the door for a quick escape too!

Chrissy said...

Haha, this is hilarious! Loved reading! Happy Friday xxx

Michelle said...

Hysterical. I used to do that every now and then as a kid, but never since.

Kim {Hope Whispers} said...

This cracked me up. Every now and then I find my boys upside down in their beds,but me, I sleep closest to the bathroom! LOL

Claire said...

I used to 'top and tail' with my sister a lot when we were young and visiting family, but no I never would do that now haha

Donna said...

I like to sleep next to a wall and ideally I like my head to be looking towards a door but I don't think I've ever slept upside down in bed!

Crazy Shenanigans-JMO said...

I use to have a day bed and would sleep by the wall but now it's just the regular laying for me! Lol

Christina @ Hugs and Lattes said...

I sleep smack dab in the middle of my queen sized bed with my body surrounded by pillows. I told Pai if we don't get married soon I'm not going to want to learn how to share a bed :p

Catherine Short said...

HAHA. My husband is the one who prefers to sleep on the left side even when we're not home. I sleep with earplugs and a bandana BUT I can literally sleep anywhere and on anything when I have those two things. I'm generally a back sleeper but I have to now sleep on my side (pregnancy) which isn't my favorite but I've gotten used to it.

Bekah Loves Blog said...

Ha! Definitely don't sleep upside down, but it's funny that we're exact opposites as far as the preferred "side" we sleep on: I actually prefer to be further from the door in case a murderer enters the room while I'm sleeping. Sound logic here.

Unknown said...

I make my husband sleep on the side closest to the door every where we go. My thoughts are if someone breaks in, I want him to protect me and I can lock myself in the bathroom. No matter where we are, I always make him sleep closest to the door.

chelsea @ the new wifestyle said...

hahah i love that your mom's initial response to most things is for you to be so nice to him haha. i could never sleep in the opposite direction - that would stress me out and just feel 'off!' however, every since my husband and i started sharing a bed, he absolutely insists on sleeping closest to the door. he feels like he would be able to 'protect' me better should someone come in and try to murder us. it's sweet but something i had not experienced before!

Susannah said...

Hahaha. Oh goodness, I would NOT be able to sleep upside down in my bed!

Unknown said...

i have about ten different sleeping positions throughout the night. however, on the occasion when i have to share a bed with someone for whatever reasons i always remain so still and never move if i can help it

Nicole said...

This cracks me up! Didn't Pippi Longstocking sleep with her head at the foot of the bed? Sounds like Angel's in good company. Like you, I always sleep near the door (which is also right under the smoke detector). Just to be on the safe side.

Laura Darling said...

I'm so confused about the upside down sleeping! What happens with the sheet? Does he untuck it?! So funny! From day 1 of our marriage I've slept on the right and Matt's slept on the left. Three apartments/houses and various layouts of the room, but we never change sides! Even in hotels on vacation we sleep on the same sides! Creatures of habit!

The Lady Okie said...

I can sleep anywhere but Jordan has a hard time. He would not appreciate me trying to mix it up. I like him sleeping closer to the door. The feminists will probably freak out about this, but as the man I like the idea of him closer to an intruder.

Angie@Chasingmyhalo said...

haha! I've never even heard of this!! I am such a deep sleeper that there is no way I could every become aware enough to turn around. So interesting!!

Unknown said...

Funny! I sleep better on the couch sometimes because the living room is closer to my teen sons's bedroom. On nights when I've watched too much Law and Order SVU or similar violent programming, the distance from my room to my big strong boy's feels dangerous. lol. I wonder if sleeping upside down would set me right!

Nikki - Notes of Life said...

I always go to sleep on my left-hand side, but quite often wake up in a completely different position. I sleep on the left-hand side of the bed too, unless I'm on my own then it's the middle :)

SveetesKapes said...

Haha this is such a funny post, yes oh yes, I have to sleep upside down (when in bed) or I won't get sleep, but can perfectly fall asleep on the couch sideways (watching TV). And yes, I am finicky about sleeping on the left side of the bed (or I won't get sleep), so weird right. So cool for you that you can sleep without fussing at all.
xx, Kusum | www.sveeteskapes.com

Ali Hval said...

Oh my gosh, that's hilarious. I love how now once a week he just ends up upside down in bed for no reason at all. That's wonderful. I sleep on my stomach which some think is sort of strange but it's the best way for me to fall asleep--I envy that you can fall asleep in any position! I wonder why we're so picky about sides of the bed?

Kay R. said...

Soooo Im going to be the odd commenter and admit that not only have I slept upside down on several occasions but I regularly sleep sideways (Im 4'11 it works)

Jenny Evans said...

Never heard that one, although it would even out the wear on your mattress!