Whether it's curled up in the fetal position, flat on the stomach or stretched out across the bed, the way people sleep reveals their personality, a British sleep expert said.

    Professor Chris Idzikowski, director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service and a visiting professor at the University of Surrey in southern England, has identified six common sleep positions and what they mean.

    "We are all aware of our body language when we are awake but this is the first time we have been able to see what our subconscious says about us," he said.

    Crouched in the fetal position is the most popular sleep pattern and favored by 51 percent of women, according to the results of the study he conducted for a large hotel group.

    Fetal sleepers tend to be shy and sensitive while people who assume the soldier position, flat on their back with arms at their sides, are quiet and reserved.

    Sleeping on one's side with legs outstretched and arms down in what Idzikowski refers to as the log, indicates a social, easy-going personality. But if the arms are outstretched in the yearner position, the person tends to be more suspicious.

    The freefall, flat on the tummy with the hands at the sides of the head, is the most unusual position. Only 6.5 percent of people prefer it and they are usually brash and gregarious.

    Unassuming, good listeners usually adopt the starfish position--on the back with outstretched arms and legs.

    Idzikowski, who identified the positions by comparing personality traits of people, their preferred way of sleeping and the most common positions, said once a sleeping style is adopted it is rarely changed.

    英國睡眠研究專家說：無論你是像胎兒一樣蜷縮著睡覺，或是趴在床上睡，還是四肢伸開平躺著睡，睡覺的姿勢都可以揭示你的性格。

    睡眠評估咨詢服務中心主任克里斯·伊濟科夫斯基教授歸納出六種常見的睡眠姿勢和它們的含義。他還是英國南部薩里大學的客座教授。

    “當我們清醒的時候，我們都知道自己的肢體語言，而這回是我們第一次注意我們的潛意識在說些什么。”他說。

    根據他對一個大型飯店集團所做的研究結果顯示：像胎兒一樣蜷縮著睡覺是最流行的睡覺姿勢，51%的婦女喜歡這種睡姿。

    胎兒式睡姿的人往往比較害羞、敏感，而仰臥在床上、雙臂靠在身體兩側的士兵式睡姿的人則比較安靜，保守。

    伊濟科夫斯基稱側臥、兩腿伸直、雙臂自然下垂的睡姿為圓木式。這種睡姿的人愛交際，容易相處。但是如果雙臂伸出，呈渴望狀，這樣的人往往比較多疑。

    自由式，即俯臥，雙手放在頭的兩側，這是最特別的睡姿。只有6.5%的人喜歡這樣睡，他們通常性情急躁，愛社交。

    謙遜忠實的聽眾通常選擇仰臥且四肢伸展的海星式睡姿。

    伊濟科夫斯基通過比較人物性格特征、他們喜歡的睡眠姿勢和最常見的睡姿歸納出以上這些睡姿，他說人們一旦采取了某種睡姿就很少會改變