Researchers found a link between financial success and the position in which a person sleeps.
A large British study commissioned by Bed Slats found a sleeping posture favored by nearly one-third of high earners. The freefall position — which many people find uncomfortable — turned out to be more common among that group.
There’s a catch: beyond being uncomfortable, this position can cause certain health problems.
How Was the Study Conducted?
A team of scientists surveyed 5,438 Britons about their sleeping positions, average sleep duration, weekday wake-up times, and income levels.
The most popular position was the relatively comfortable fetal position, chosen by 29 percent of respondents. The pillow-hugging position was preferred by 24 percent, the freefall position by 14 percent, the thinker position by 13 percent, and the soldier position by 10 percent.
How Do the Wealthy Sleep?
Researchers looked separately at the top 10 percent of earners among the participants. Nearly one-third of that group (29 percent) said they favored the freefall position.
That position means sleeping on the stomach with the head turned to the side and the arms wrapped around a pillow, the Daily Mail reported.
The popularity of other positions among high earners was: soldier position (23%), fetal position (21%), pillow-hugging (13%), and thinker (9%).
The study also found that high earners sleep an average of 6 hours and 58 minutes per night, which is 22 minutes less than those with lower incomes.
Financially successful participants also woke up earlier on average: 6:42 AM versus 7:06 AM for lower earners.
Expert Opinions
While the freefall position is common among high earners, experts warn it can cause significant neck pain.
Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of The Sleep Charity, warned, “Sleeping on your back or side is fine, but we recommend avoiding sleeping on your stomach, as it puts a lot of strain on the neck, which is constantly twisted throughout the night.”
Body language expert Inbaal Honigman said the most popular sleeping positions are protective, such as the fetal position where people curl up to shield themselves, and the pillow-hugging pose.
Honigman added that the freefall position resembles the posture someone takes when jumping out of an airplane, which may suggest that high earners are natural risk-takers. “They jump first and ask questions later,” she said.
She also warned that sleeping in the freefall position can lead to neck pain, stiffness, and even chronic headaches. Sleep expert Martin Seeley said sleeping on your side is the best option. “It helps improve circulation and digestion and opens the airways for easier breathing, which reduces the likelihood of snoring,” he said.
