Sleep and Love: What Spooning Says about Relationship Bliss

What position do you prefer right before dozing off? A recent study conducted by U.K. researchers suggests that a couple's relationship bliss or lack thereof may manifest itself in how close they get a night.

"This is the first survey to examine couples' sleeping positions, and the results allow people to gain an insight into someone's personality and relationship by simply asking them about their favorite sleeping position," said lead study author Richard Wiseman, a psychology professor from the University of Hertfordshire via a press release.

For the study, researchers surveyed over 1,000 people about their sleeping positions. Results showed that the wider the gap between them, the less intimate they typically were. For instance, 94 percent of those who maintained contact during sleep said they were happy in the relationship while only 68 percent of those who did not touch said the same.

"This is the first survey to examine couples' sleeping positions, and the results allow people to gain an insight into someone's personality and relationship by simply asking them about their favorite sleeping position," Wiseman added, via the release.

Researchers believe that contact during sleep could give deeper insight into a couple's bond and overall relationship happiness. For those that slept less than an inch apart from their partner, 86 percent said they were happy. On the other hand, only 66 percent reported the same feelings, with the most popular sleeping arrangement back to back at 42 percent. Only 4 percent actually faced each other while 31 percent were in the same direction of their partner.

"The key issue is if you have a couple who used to sleep close together but are now drifting further apart in bed, then that could symptomatic of them growing apart when they are awake," Wiseman said, via The Telegraph. "Change in a couple's sleeping habits is the important factor."

However, researchers note that the relationship may not be the only contributing factor to contact made during sleep. Personality may also determine if some prefer more or less than others.

More information regarding the findings were carried out at the Edinburgh International Science Festival.