You’re laying in bed with your significant other, and you just so happen to be spooning them. Have you ever wondered what this means? Actually, whether you’re a male or female changes the meaning of the spooning position. Neat huh? But what if you’re not a spooner? According to relationship psychologist Corrine Sweet, “During sleep, you cannot fake your body language. This is the time when you are honest, vulnerable and your sleeping position can reveal a lot about your relationship.”
1. The Spoon
2. The Honeymoon Hug
The most intimate of sleeping positions. This less-common alternative to The Spoon tends to occur during periods where intense feelings are present, such as after lovemaking or the beginning of a relationship. Some couples maintain it throughout their relationship, but, according to Elizabeth Flynn Campbell, a New York psychotherapist, “[the couple] could be overly enmeshed, too dependent on each other to sleep apart.”
3. Like Shingles (on a Roof)
This position denotes strong egos and a sense of entitlement, according to Samuel Dunkell, a position that tends to be quite popular. Normally, one partner is laying on their back while the other rests their head on the person’s shoulder, making him or her a dependent, compliant partner. Shirley P. Glass notes “there’s a high level of trust here,” as this snuggling position has a “strengthening sense of comradeship and protection.”
4. The Sweetheart’s Cradle
A more amped up, intimate version of the above, The Sweetheart’s Cradle has one person holding the other instead of having a head simply anchored on a shoulder. What you end up with is a very caring, nurturing, intimate position, creating a sense of protection and safeness.
5. Loosely Tethered
Remember when you first started dating or were married and there was a lot of physical closeness, even at the expense of your preferred sleeping position? As time goes on, though, people take this position, which is basically The Spoon with more distance. It signifies trust, allowing for more space and comfort without sacrificing affection. Ultimately, this position represents balance.
