# Sleeping alone-- in the middle or on one side of the bed? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 16, 2016, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324 "2016-04-16T02:33:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/21 "2016-04-16T12:34:16Z")
When sleeping away from home, way over near the edge of the bed nearest the bathroom. At home I sleep on the floor. In a hotel, I put all my stuff on one side of the bed, and sleep in the other. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/22 "2016-04-16T13:15:46Z")
The middle, although there’s a hump there between my groove and hers and I feel like Snoopy on his dog house. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/23 "2016-04-16T13:25:54Z")
I sleep alone frequently in hotels, always king or queen bed, and always on one side (although not always the same side). At home, we each have our own side, but I actually end up sleeping more to the middle so we can stay in contact through the night. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/24 "2016-04-16T14:09:47Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > … At home I sleep on the floor. … Hold the phone. Explain, please. Right ON the floor? Foam pad? Futon? Is there a bed in the room? Why do you do this? Enquiring minds and all that. I had some friends who didn’t have beds in their kids’ rooms. The two boys slept on thick foam pads that they rolled up in the morning and put in the closet. That left lots of floor space for playing. I spent the night one time and slept on one of the pads, and it was quite comfortable. ---
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/25 "2016-04-16T14:19:44Z")
Queen and I sleep one side. My two dogs prefer the SAME side! ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/26 "2016-04-16T14:21:34Z")
I try to sleep in the middle of my queen, but I always end right back up on one side. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/77aa72/32.png) [@Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fluffy_PickleSniffer)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/27 "2016-04-16T14:23:21Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > I have a queen and I sleep in the middle. I splay out like **dracoi** and I don’t like my hands or feet hanging off the edge of the bed because then the monsters will eat them. So that’s why I don’t take a side. But sometimes I’ll wake myself up by hitting my hand or elbow or knee or foot against the wall. Which is preferable than sleeping off on the side opposite the wall and getting my limbs devoured. You have monsters too, huh? Darn things ☹ I usually end up sorta to one side, and angled across the bed. Nothing hangs over the edge (monsters) and I try to keep feet under the covers - any toes in view are fair game for kitties to nibble. The cats have their set spots on the bed so I have to take what’s left. Amazing how such small furballs can hog so much queen size bed. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/28 "2016-04-16T14:42:49Z")
To one side, near the alarm clock (or as it has come to be, my phone) just through unconscious convenience. In different beds it will be different sides, so I have no real preference, though if the bed’s in a corner, I’m on the open side. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/29 "2016-04-16T14:45:52Z")
Another tall person who sleeps diagonally here. I also like cool sheets, so my arms and legs end up roving around the bed all night. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/30 "2016-04-16T21:07:23Z")
Alone, tall guy, Queen Size mattress… I sleep off-center. If there was another person in the bed with me, I’d be trespassing, but I’m not “in the middle,” just sort of toward it. ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/31 "2016-04-16T21:27:33Z")
I sleep alone on the left side of my double size bed. The right side is now noticeably stiffer and isn’t comfortable to me. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/32 "2016-04-16T21:55:35Z")
I sleep more to the left to be closer to the alarm clock. In a hotel room I’d prefer to sleep in the middle because there is more room to move over to a side if I am not comfortable, but the pillows are usually arranged on both sides, so I don’t always move them to the middle and so sleep on the side anyway a lot. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/33 "2016-04-16T22:18:34Z")
I’m a restless sleeper, so I’m all over the place when alone. That’s rare, though. My wife and I usually gravitate toward each other. She often pulls the covers off me, which is fine if it isn’t unusually cold. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/34 "2016-04-16T22:19:31Z")
Left side, which is, I suppose, strange for a man. ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/35 "2016-04-16T23:20:59Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Left side, which is, I suppose, strange for a man. Why would that be strange? We have a king bed, essentially a big square. When I’m alone I usually sleep horizontally against the headboard or diagonally. I have no idea why I started doing that, but I seem to get better rest that way. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/36 "2016-04-17T00:08:33Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Left side, which is, I suppose, strange for a man. Both my husbands and several live-ins (except one) slept on the left. (Unless you’re making a subtle joke and is apparently flying over all our heads.) Ah yes, the monsters. Nothing will wake you up more rudely than a cold wet nose suddenly applied to whatever body part is hanging out into the Neutral Zone. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/37 "2016-04-17T02:00:31Z")
I guess it’s more obscure than I thought. Time was, the man slept on the right, and the woman on the left. Handwave handwave sword on the right, most men right-handed, so on. [This is the only cite I’ve been able to find for this old tradition.](http://ask.metafilter.com/136280/According-to-tradition-which-side-of-the-bed-should-a-man-sleep-on#1947269) Odd. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/38 "2016-04-17T04:02:40Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > I sleep on one side of my queen bed because each pillow takes up one side, so I feel I have to pick a side. This thread will inspire me to go crazy and sleep in the dead center tonight, though. I’ll just put the extra pillow away somewhere. **UPDATE!!!** I slept in the dead center last night and have come back to give everybody a full report. I noticed very little difference from sleeping on one side. The only bad thing was that I was a few more inches away from the alarm clock. Maybe I’ll experiment and sleep in the center once more tonight. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/39 "2016-04-17T14:32:46Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > I guess it’s more obscure than I thought. Time was, the man slept on the right, and the woman on the left. Handwave handwave sword on the right, most men right-handed, so on. > > [This is the only cite I’ve been able to find for this old tradition.](http://ask.metafilter.com/136280/According-to-tradition-which-side-of-the-bed-should-a-man-sleep-on#1947269) Odd. Interesting. I guess it’s similar to the custom of the man walking on the street-side so the woman won’t get splashed by passing carriages back when city streets mostly were muddy and not paved. I like it. > [@Ponch8](#): > > **UPDATE!!!** I slept in the dead center last night and have come back to give everybody a full report. I noticed very little difference from sleeping on one side. The only bad thing was that I was a few more inches away from the alarm clock. Maybe I’ll experiment and sleep in the center once more tonight. Anything for science. The group thanks you. No, we _do_. ---
**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324/40 "2016-04-17T20:40:06Z")
I sleep alone on a queen size bed on the right side. As of August, I will no longer be sleeping alone. I’m looking forward to having my guy beside me, but I think there will be times when I’ll miss having a bed to myself. In those times I will go down to the family room (5 levels down) and sleep on the futon. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sleeping-alone-in-the-middle-or-on-one-side-of-the-bed/752324.md?page=3)