Remember when a bad day was the result of some kid stealing your seat in history class or getting booted off your table in the cafeteria? From the perspective of an adult, kids’ little idiosyncrasies, such as where they sit in class or the order in which mom reads their bedtime stories (and I can attest to that one), can be cutely amusing. However, if you think you’ve outgrown your childhood quirks, think again. Instead of insisting on Peter Rabbit over Good Night Moon when it’s time to call it a day, you’re fiercely defending “your” side of the bed if your partner dares to breach the pillow border.
It may seem trivial, but side does matter. Whatever your reasoning may be – “It’s closer to my phone charger,” “I can see the TV better from here,” “I don’t have a reason, it just feels right” – the side you choose to sleep on may have an impact on your daytime life. Premier Inn took it upon themselves to uncover the secret behind the side obsession. Here’s what they found:
- 40% of adult Americans have a side preference, with most opting for the right side over the left.
- Lefties reported waking up happier, having more friends and liking their jobs more than their right-side counterparts.
- However, apparently all’s fair in love and mattress wars, because people who sleep on the right side of the bed tend to earn more money than people who prefer to sleep on the left side. Touché, right-siders.
- On the other hand, 10% of couples fight over which side of the bed to sleep on. Women typically win this fight (sorry guys).
- Having the same side preference is considered more of a deal-breaker in relationships than following different sports teams.
While these studies indicate that there is a connection between bed-side preference and personality, the impact of the side of the bed you sleep on can have on your mood is likely more closely tied to the quality of sleep you’re getting. If you’re a right-sider and feeling down, it might be time to consider more than just a side switch. You may need to rotate or even upgrade your mattress – all those years of snoozing on one side of your mattress have probably created an imbalance in your mattress, causing your once comfy side to become compact and stiff. Your propensity to sleep better on one side might also be related to sleep associations. Sleep associations are established by habit and ritual, so if you’re newly co-habiting and having to forfeit your side, you may need time to adjust to this new territory.
No matter which side of the bed you prefer, nothing has a bigger impact on your mood during the daytime than getting a good night’s sleep. So when it comes to sleep health and wellbeing, side definitely matters.
