If You Always Sleep On The Same Side Of The Bed, It Probably Means These 11 Things About You
At the very least, if you always sleep on the same side of the bed, you're likely a creature of habit.
Rohappy / Shutterstock The side of the bed you sleep on and your sleeping habits are often more representative of your personality than you might imagine, at least according to counselor Alexandra Cromer. Not only are they signs of your mental well-being and health, but your preferences for bedtime and sleeping routines often stem from personality traits that you didn’t even realize existed.
From craving a sense of stability to prioritizing a routine, if you always sleep on the same side of the bed, it probably means some particular things about you. It’s these subtle behavioral patterns and parts of our routines that we overlook in significance, but that often mean the most.
If you always sleep on the same side of the bed, it probably means these 11 things about you
1. You appreciate the structure of a routine
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While studies often show that people who appreciate active daytime routines over nighttime ones tend to boast better sleeping habits, the general structure of any kind of daily habits or routines can be beneficial for someone who craves stability. Even sleeping on the same side of the bed at night offers stability and comfort, even if it’s on a subconscious level.
You know what to expect, even if everything else goes wrong during the day, that you’ll have this subtle moment of structure to end the night.
2. You have strong preferences
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People who have strong preferences about everything in life — from the taste of their coffee in the morning to the side of the bed they prefer at the end of the night — are often inherently self-aware. So, if you’re always fighting with a partner for the same side of the bed every night or prioritizing your comfort by choosing one in your own solitude, chances are you boast the benefits of knowing yourself fully.
As a study from Europe’s Journal of Psychology argues, self-awareness isn’t just about knowing personal preferences and understanding yourself. It’s also about accepting those things about yourself and engaging in behaviors that serve in your best interests.
When you sleep on the same side of the bed every night, that’s a representation of the latter. You’re behaving in a way that prioritizes your own preferences and forming a routine that makes you feel most secure and comfortable.
3. You’re loyal
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Whether it’s to a best friend, a partner, or the side of the bed you prefer more than the other, if you always sleep on the same side of the bed, it probably means you’re deeply loyal. You appreciate consistency, showing up, and living a stable, secure life, both in your nighttime routine and in your relationships.
Even if it seems silly, the same subconscious yearning and beliefs that urge you to sleep on the same side of the bed every night could also be following you into your decision-making process in a relationship. You care deeply about maintaining trust and stability, even in your own routine.
4. You’re protective of the emotional space
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In the same way, we become protective of corners of our home for comfort, a person who sleeps on the same side of the bed may simply be protective of the symbolic nature of their bed’s space. They’ve slept in that same space with a partner they cherished at home or maybe dealt with heartbreak from that place in their bedroom. It’s symbolic of their deep desires and experiences.
Of course, for some people, it’s simply about comfort or convenience, but that doesn’t mean these deeper emotional beliefs don’t play a role.
5. You’re hypervigilant
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If you’re choosing to sleep on the side of the bed with the best view of the door or the side that corners into the wall for safety, chances are this decision is rooted in hypervigilance, not true preference.
Stress and anxiety both play a large role in impacting sleep, so if choosing the same side of the bed every night offers a bit of emotional or mental solace, it’s worth it to maintain the practice.
6. You’re secretly superstitious
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Even if it doesn’t feel like an intentional choice, if you sleep on the same side of the bed every night, you could be secretly superstitious. Even if it’s subconsciously knowing that you’ll have a good night of sleep if you stick to the routine of sleeping in the same place, that’s a kind of internal superstition that follows you into other areas of your life.
You may make your coffee the same way every morning, always wear that one outfit when you want to feel confident, or walk on the same side of the sidewalk every single day. It’s these small behavioral choices that actually tell us more about ourselves than we realize.
7. You’re sentimental
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From the family heirlooms you’ve kept in your home to the side of the bed that brings you the most comfort, if you’re an inherently sentimental person, it’s these little daily decisions that actually bring you the most safety and joy.
Even if it seems harmless or unsuspecting, it’s these elements of sentimental comfort that characterize your personality, and often probably add value to your life and relationships more than you know, at least according to psychology expert Susan Krauss Whitbourne.
8. You’re attuned to your body’s needs
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According to clinical psychologist Michael J. Breus, our sleeping position and habits are often influenced by seemingly unsuspecting factors such as age, gender, and personality.
From choosing to sleep in the fetal position as a woman to having a preference for sleeping on the right side when you’re getting older, if you’re more attuned to your body’s needs, you may be more likely to form a consistent routine sleeping on the same side of the bed every night.
You know what’s comfortable for you, and you listen to your body when it comes to seemingly mundane things like sleeping position.
9. You’re more stressed than you realize
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If you’re clinging to a sense of comfort or control in small aspects of your life, like sleeping in the same position every single night or avoiding hard topics of conversation in your relationship, you may be struggling with more internal stress than you realize.
According to a study published in Communications Psychology, we feel less stressed when we have an element of “control” in our lives, no matter how fleeting or misguided it may be in the present moment. If you sleep on the same side of the bed, it might mean you’re internally stressed out and clinging to routine for a sense of control.
10. You’re intentional about your space
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People who are intentional about their safe spaces at home and even protective of their solitude in their living spaces may also find it comforting to sleep on the same side of the bed every night. They know what to expect, what they like, and how to prioritize their comfort, even when everything else in life or at home feels chaotic.
If you always sleep on the same side of the bed, it might mean you’re looking for stability and control, or it could mean you’ve already found it in a simple, small way.
11. There's a flow to your bedtime routine
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If you’re a natural creature of habit, you probably have some kind of flow when you’re unwinding before bed. Whether it’s starting the kettle for tea, taking a nighttime shower, or getting your bed ready to sleep, these small choices and habits are a cue to your brain that it’s time to unwind.
If you sleep on the same side of the bed every night, it probably means these things about you. Your brain is waiting for that cue to fall asleep, starting with simple bedtime rituals like reading a book and ending with lying down on that safe side of the bed.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
