Why do we chose to sleep on one side of the bed?

Question

Like, there's got to be a psychological reason for it. Let's take out any outside influences. Let's say the headboard is to the wall parallell to the door. This person has always slept alone. And she sleeps on her back, preferably. Why would she chose to sleep on the left side?

This person mentioned above is only metaphorical but it's true with a lot of people, we all prefer one side or the other.

Ok, not ALL of us. I do sleep in the middle of my bed.

But what's the psychological reason for this? Or is it BIOLOGICAL?

Thanks for the help and please list references/sources.

Ok, let me specify. Lets say the end of your bed faces the door. I.e. no side is closer. And you don't have a nightstand.

Answer 1

I sleep on the left side because its next to the alarm clock and i can easily turn it off! I think it often starts with something like that and becomes a habit.

Biologically, I have heard that men are supposed to prefer the side closet to the door to protect the woman from any would-be attackers!

Answer 2

There are only 2 reason why one would prefer sleeping on the left or right side of the bed.

First and primary is biological. Just as 2 twins who were seperated at brith and rejoined 25 or 30 years later, it is found they smoke the same brand of cigerattes, drive the same make of car and both married blonds (from Readers Digest), even though they never had contact. So would be one's perference of which side of the bed they sleep on. That is a biological choice.

It may seem like a personal choice of feeling secure or comfort, just like the twins, you just want to sleep on the right or left side of the bed. However, the choice goes to biological. It does not make any difference if you are at home, a hotel or a friends house. You just perfer and insist to sleep on your preferred side because of the deeper biological choice.

Second, you do not get to choose. For example your partner may choose to sleep on the right side of the bed which is closet to the bath room, therefore you are stuck with the left side.

Phones, remote controls or alarm clocks and such do not require one to sleep on the right or left side, because they can always be moved to the other side.

Sometimes a bedroom is small and the bed must be placed against a wall, but still there are 4 walls which allow one to choose which wall to place the bed, and still there 2 sides of the be to sleep on.

And, if you are a child, you may not be given a choice where the bed is placed. The bed is placed agains a wall, but still there are 2 sides of the bed to sleep on (unless of course there are 2 people in the same bed.

The choice is primary biological.

Answer 3

There are a lot of reasons why someone might have a prefernce. I usually sleep in the middle, but I always sleep within easy access to the door. It's something I developed when my kids were smaller and I didn't want to crawl over hubby to get to them when they cried at night. People might pick a side because it's closest to the window or door, or maybe just because they shared a bed with someone for many years who preferred the opposite side and they got used to it. I don't think there's much to it that's any deeper than that.

Answer 4

I think its a Great Question and seems to suggest a lot about a Person depending on what side or which part you choose to sleep, U will spend 1/3 of you life afterall.

i think which part you choose may say a lot about your personality. if you are the nervous one or the adventurous one etc.

And I beleive it shuld be a new branch of Psychology too.

Personally i Sleep anywhere i feel comfortable. i prefer the face away from windows because of the glare, i also turn away from any source of noise,

I tend to Sleep to my left very often cuz thats where the TV is...HEHEHE

Answer 5

I think that we just get used to putting the things we want near us (phone, remote control, alarm clock, etc.) on one side of the bed, and continue to sleep on that side.

I don't think the reason is psychological or biological--unless we used to share the bed, and this was "our side" and the other was "their side"--that might be a bit psychological.

I always slept on the side that was more comfortable to me. Again, that would be the side where I'd keep things I wanted near me.

Answer 6

NO dont think that's right. I love sleeping on my left side..facing the door. Nothing biol.. in that logic. I sleep on the left side of the bed. facing the door. I might snore on occasion.. So does hubby when he is home.

Answer 7

well for me it just depends on what side of the room the door is on. I have to sleep closest to the door.

Answer 8

It is what makes you more comfortable an depends on how hard you sleep or if you toss an turn in your sleep