Whether we do it clothed or naked, or even in the same bed, there’s been a lot of research done on how we sleep with our partners. But you know what we don’t have a lot of? Hilarious charts that explain exactly how to and how not to sleep together if you’re sharing the same bed. Luckily, the good folks at Swimmingly have our backs with these magnificent illustrations depicting the best and worst sleeping positions for couples.
As the 10 images show, there’s a fine line between awesome and terrible in the land of coupled sleep. One tiny detail — how your hair falls, what angle your arm is at, where your cat decides to settle, and so on — can instantly turn a loving embrace into a literally suffocating experience. Apparently, though, there are way more than 10 sleeping positions out there; in fact, according to The Secret Language of Sleep author, people tend to doze in one of a whopping 39 different options. At least, however, there’s only so much we can read into them — the Guardian notes, “It’s tempting to interpret these as manifestations of the nature of the relationship of the couple… but let’s not forget that these people are unconscious.” Be that as it may, though, if you wake up to find your partner frantically clawing your hair out of his or her mouth, do your best in your half-awake state of mind to help out a little, okay?
This may be because my SO and I have two furry creatures inhabiting our apartment with us, but I find the pair of cat positions particularly notable. If you need a little more advice (or just a laugh) about these situations, head on over to BuzzFeed for tips on sharing a bed with an additional person and anywhere between one and three cats. Sleep tight!
