Whether we’re curled up in a foetal position or cuddling our other half, most of us love our bed and the respite that it brings: a glorious night of sleep (and maybe even a dream starring Ryan Gosling).
While a lumpy mattress, non-firm pillow or even a plastic toy lodged in our bedding can disturb our sleep and lead to various physical grievances, from back pain to neck spasms, there are also mental implications based on our sleeping positions, according to researchers.
Just like your handwriting can reveal certain personality traits, your state of mind can be decoded based on the way you sleep.
Last month, a survey conducted as part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival found that you can tell how happy a couple are together by measuring their sleeping positions and distance from one another as they sleep. Turns out that the most in sync couples sleep with less than an inch of space between them (and commonly sleep back-to-back).
"One of the most important differences involved touching. Ninety four per cent of couples who spent the night in contact with one another were happy with their relationship, compared to just 68% of those that didn't touch," explained Professor Richard Wiseman, a psychologist of the University of Hertfordshire who led the study.
He also said that a change in a couple’s sleeping habits - sleeping close together in the early days but further apart as time went by - could be a sign of them growing apart when awake.
Another scientist, sleep expert and author of several books on sleep, Chris Idzikowski, PhD, has also previously published research on various sleeping positions and what they mean for your state of mind, whether you lie like a log or sprawl out like a starfish.
Curious what your sleep position says about you?
Check out the gallery below to see what your sleeping position says about your state of mind, for individuals and couples alike.