Which Side of the Bed Do You Sleep On? - An "Oldie but Goodie" Post

This is a post from 2005 that still attracts comments, so I thought I'd put it up again.

I have a friend with a painful shoulder, and who has great difficulty sleeping on his side. He’s planning to swap places in bed with his wife. This announcement led to a small group discussion about which side of the bed couples usually choose. A very informal poll showed that men almost invariably sleep on the left side of the bed (when viewed from the foot of the bed). The only person acknowledging he slept on the right happened to be left-handed.

In olden times - and still today in some European societies - men walk on the left of their female companions, in order to have their sword hands ready to defend the lady. But nobody tells a couple before they go to bed for the first time which side to sleep on. It’s not in the usual honeymoon advice books. So, can it be an atavistic instinct???

We’d be glad to hear from anyone who has an answer to this curiosity - if, indeed, it’s a real phenomenon. As we have to say so often, ‘more studies are needed’.

Comments

[Kara]

For the same reason the man stands to the woman's right in the marriage ceremony - the man is supposed to sleep on the left side of the bed when viewed from the footboard.

[Robert Griffith]

You mean so that he can keep his sword ready to defend her (in his right hand)?

Bob G.

[Andi]

Lately, I've been curious about the statistics on this. All of the males in my family have always slept on the left side and the females, the right. I never really thought much about it, until I realized that I sleep on the "male side" and my husband sleeps on the right. Of course, he's a lefty though...

[Robert Griffith]

Any other lefties (or spouses of lefties) want to contribute data on this? Make sure you are speaking of viewing from the foot of the bed . . .

[Ryan Hall]

I am male and always stand on the left side of my companion too. Whether I'm sitting to dinner, with my girlfriend, or even with friends! It seems strange, because in EVERY photo I am in, I'm on the right side...

[CHARLIE]

Been thinking about this subject for a while now.Im a lefty but sleep on the left side.What I have noticed through the years is that couples where the female plays a dominant role in the relationship often sleeps on the left side.My mother inlaw is one of these examples! As is my mothers oldest sister who also is the only driving person in her relationship.

[BAD]

I have heard that sleping on the left side (on your side) is unhealthly because the blood pools. AROUND the heart

[Robert Griffith]

BAD:
I don't know about sleeping on the left being unhealthy because of blood pooling, but it may be better for you if you want to avoid heartburn. See: http://heartburn.about.com/b/a/256237.htm. And, of course, most people change their sleeping sides many times a night. So I wouldn't worry about it, if I were you.

[Anna]

(A person with a vagina)

I've noticed that I often walk right behind my boyfriend and switch between his left and right. If his friend assumes one side behind him, I take the other, like two bodyguards.

I am left-handed. The power of my fists are the same, but my right hand is faster.

Yes, I am very protective of my boyfriend, even though I haven't had to physically protect him yet.

[Cameron Meyer]

I just was wondering the other day if the fact that I sleep on a certain side "meant" something so I googled and found this discussion. I happen to sleep on the right side of the bed unlike most guys. I am not married. I also rememered the fact that my father also sleeps on the right side (not making any assumptions but rather observing that fact).

[Myrna]

Interesting, I've just had a discussion with my friends on the subject and thought I would google it. My right-handed father slept on the left side of the bed, and so did my left-handed ex-husband. They both were dominant in the their respective relationships.

[Laurie Vollmer]

What I find incredibly interesting is in my marriage to my husband...Get this....we have alternated sides!!! I was thinking about changing tonight. What does this mean? My husband and I are two peas in a pod so to speak. Our personalities are very similar.We have some of the same likes and dislikes. I recently did a social personality test on us and we scored in the same personality type. Neither of us are dominate people. Sometimes this is difficult because we cannot decide where to go eat etc. We both came out of dominating relationships and can be a bit skittish at times. What do you think made me think about changing sides tonight? It has to have been several months since the last switch.

[Laura Gomez]

I sleep on the right side of the bed and my right-handed husband sleeps on the left. I wonder if I assume the right side of the bed subconsciously because my Mom sleeps on the right side of the bed as well. I never thought about it growing up, but maybe it subconsciously plays into the side I feel more comfortable with when going to sleep.

[Lady_Artisan]

I googled this as I was interested that I used to always sleep on the left and have done with this Partner, however over recent weeks when he is away I have migrated to the right, now always sleeping to the right & this has (I have realised) coincided with my feelings of unrest & increasing concerns over the relationship, I am naturally taking control over my life again & slowly excluding him..... Interesting!

[david]

I always sleep on which ever side the door is on incase of an intruder. Maybe i'm just paranoid.?

[Jennifer Parker]

I dont think it makes one damn difference which side of the bed anyone sleeps on. What if your in a twin or double, will you be a well rounded and balanced person? My husband used to sleep on the right and then we switched rooms and now he's on the left. Maybe i used to dominate, lol.........

[Mellea]

I have never found that my husband and I ever stick to a right or left side of the bed. We rearrange our bedroom quite often (Thanks to my need for change) and my husband always always always takes up the side closest to the door, without argument that is where he sleeps. Not particular to left or right. I think we had a conversation about this when we were a lot younger, and he said it was a protection thing.

[g]

I SLEEP ALONE AND SLEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BED.

[Ben]

This is interesting! I always slept on the left side, from the foot of the bed, and my reason then was it was close to the door. However I moved house and the side closest to the door is on right side. After a while I found myself prefering to sleep on the left side again. I'm right-handed. I think all these has to do with dominance

[Brian Marconni]

This is funny. I'm gay and have been in a relationship for many years with my boyfriend. He sleeps on the left, I sleep on the right. He is the 'top' So this seem to work with us as well.