Cuddling in Bed: 10 Best Positions for You and Your Partner

According to this article, your preferred cuddling position says a lot about you and your relationship in general. Keep reading!
By
Romeo Vitelli
Romeo Vitelli
Expert Writer
Received his doctorate in Psychology in 1987, spent fifteen years as a staff psychologist in Millbrook Correctional Centre. In 2003 went into full-time private practice. read more
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Reviewed By
Medical Advisory Team
Medical Advisory Team
Includes well-known professionals, who together provide decades of sleep medicine experience that enables Talk About Sleep to fulfill its mission of creating access to high- read more
Last updated: August 15, 2023
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One of the simplest pleasures of being in a relationship has got to be cuddling in bed with your partner. This is especially true when the cuddling is effortless: you don’t have to think about it because it just happens. One minute you’re getting ready to sleep, and the next, you’re all snuggled up against your significant other in a loving embrace. Unfortunately for some people, this simple act is like an afterthought. Well, this article will show you that it’s about time that you started taking cuddling seriously.

Here’s the thing, most people crave the human touch. They have a primal need to be held which is why hugs are so calming. There are also numerous benefits of getting touchy-feely with your partner, and one of the most exciting ones is that it’s a great way to initiate sex. What you may not know is that your preferred cuddling position says a lot about you and your relationship. Should you cuddle in bed? Here’s all you need to know about cuddling positions and their meaning.

How Cuddling in Bed Affects Your Sleep?

Cuddling in Bed: 10 Best Positions for You and Your PartnerAccording to CNN Trusted Source Get better sleep by cuddling up with your partner - CNN Want to get a better night’s sleep? Get ready to spoon and snuggle with your spouse, partner or loved one all night long — a new study has found couples who sleep together in the same bed improve their dream stage of rest, known as rapid eye movement sleep. edition.cnn.com , one of the main benefits of a cuddling and spooning session is that it induces a good night’s sleep. If you’ve ever had a restless night, then you know how much it impacts your mood the next day. Well, it turns out that in addition to maintaining the best sleep hygiene practices, you can significantly improve your sleep quality by sleeping with your partner’s arms around you.

Here are other ways that cuddling in bed impacts your sleep:

  1. Pain relief: yes, cuddling in bed has therapeutic qualities. There are some alternative medicine practices that use light touching to reduce pain levels. Cuddling has also been known to increase dopamine levels which ultimately aid in pain reduction.
  2. Improved mood: cuddling is almost similar to some massage techniques, especially those that include squeezing and stroking. And you have to admit; your moods are significantly better after a massage session. Cuddling has the same effect. Close human touch has also been known to increase serotonin and domain hormones, responsible for regulating moods and inducing a feel-good effect. High serotonin levels have also been linked to better sleep.
  3. Lower blood pressure: increased high blood pressure has been linked to some sleep disorders, including insomnia and sleep apnea. It also increases your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Well, here’s a solution; cuddle with your partner! Studies show that cuddling can reduce your diastolic and systolic pressure facilitating a higher sleep quality.
  4. Anxiety and stress relief: think of a moment when you were extremely stressed and anxious. How did hugs make you feel? They were reassuring, right? That’s because being held releases oxytocin which represses cortisol production. Cortisol is responsible for triggering fight-or-flight responses. This is why people who cuddle generally have a restful sleep.
  5. Happier and healthier relationship: a significant part of being in a healthy relationship involves physical touch, whether in the form of sex or holding hands. Cuddling has been linked to higher satisfaction in relationships. It’s an intimate activity that allows you to bond with your partner. And you have to admit; being held often makes you feel loved.

10 Common Cuddling Positions (and Their Meaning)

Physical touch is not a want: it’s a basic human need. Think about it, when you were born, the medical professionals placed you on your mother’s chest for skin-to-skin contact. Over time, physical touch changes (from hand-holding, hugs, kissing, sex, etc.), but it still continues.

Is there more to cuddling than meets the eye? Here are the top 10 cuddling positions.

1. Spoon

Cuddling in Bed: 10 Best Positions for You and Your PartnerThis is where you and your partner lie facing in the direction with one person holding the other. You can either be the big or small spoon depending on your preferences, but most of the time, the male or dominant partner is usually the bigger spoon. They wrap their arms around the other person.

Make sure you have one of the best mattresses for couples to enhance your comfort. Based on popular opinion, the LUCID 12 Inch King Hybrid Mattress comes highly recommended. It’s infused with bamboo charcoal for odor elimination and aloe vera gel to create a calming and relaxing sleep environment.

2. Half-Spoon

Cuddling in Bed: 10 Best Positions for You and Your PartnerThis position is especially recommended to people that find traditional spooning too uncomfortable. It strikes the ideal balance between human touch and optimal temperature regulation so that you’re not too hot and sweaty.

3. Butt Cheek-to-Cheek

Cuddling in Bed: 10 Best Positions for You and Your PartnerThis is where you and your partner sleep facing different directions, but your lower back and butt cheeks touch each other. Your knees may be bent, or you could have one leg straightened out.  This cuddling position allows you to maintain touch with your partner without infringing on your freedom.

4. Honeymoon Hug

Cuddling in Bed: 10 Best Positions for You and Your PartnerThis position is so-called because you and your partner can’t keep your hands off each other and is common in the first stages of a relationship. Your limbs are literally entwined as you sleep facing each other. You may even smell your partner’s morning breath, but you won’t really care as you adore them too much.

5. Head on Chest

Cuddling in Bed: 10 Best Positions for You and Your PartnerThis is where one person lays on their back, and the other party lays their head on their partner’s chest. The head-on-chest position is nurturing & comforting and enhances a sense of security and safety to the person being held.

6. Leg Hug

Cuddling in Bed: 10 Best Positions for You and Your PartnerThis position is common among couples that value their sleeping space and freedom but don’t want to neglect physical contact. For the leg hug, you simply put your legs on top of your partner’s leg.

7. Butt Pillow

Cuddling in Bed: 10 Best Positions for You and Your PartnerFor this position, your partner’s butt acts as your pillow. Here are several reasons people resort to this position: either they’re feeling submissive or are avoiding close contact. Of course, there are also instances where they simply want extra padding, in which case they should scout around for the best body pillows.

Based on multiple reviews, the Snuggle-Pedic Full Body Pillow is a great option. It’s made with shredded memory foam, can be used during pregnancies, and has a breathable and luxurious cover. It has also been tested by a third party to ensure quality standards are maintained.

8. Lap Pillow

Cuddling in Bed: 10 Best Positions for You and Your PartnerThis is where you lay your head on your partner’s laps. This position is playful as they can sneak in a kiss or two and shows how much you both trust each other because it leaves you vulnerable.

9. Arm Draper

Cuddling in Bed: 10 Best Positions for You and Your PartnerIn this position, you and your partner face and hold each other in a warming embrace. It’s like you’re hugging but in bed, making it romantic. It can, however, be distracting, especially when one of you has a sleeping disorder.

10. Yin-Yang Position

Cuddling in Bed: 10 Best Positions for You and Your PartnerThis is where you and your partner sleep on different ends of the bed, with your chest and their feet touching.  It could either mean that you’re confident in the stage that your relationship is in, or one of you is uncomfortable with physical contact.

Final Thoughts

It’s amazing how such a simple act as cuddling in bed could have so many physical and emotional benefits. In addition to lowering your blood pressure, it also improves your sleep quality, acts as a pain reliever, and reduces your stress and anxiety levels. It also results in a happier and healthy relationship. If you’ve been postponing that Netflix and chill session, it’s time you went through with this plan. Don’t forget to cuddle while at it!

References

1.
Get better sleep by cuddling up with your partner - CNN
Want to get a better night’s sleep? Get ready to spoon and snuggle with your spouse, partner or loved one all night long — a new study has found couples who sleep together in the same bed improve their dream stage of rest, known as rapid eye movement sleep.
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