If you frequently awaken in the middle of the night, trembling in terror, you might want to consider swapping sides. According to research conducted by Dr. Mehmet Yucel Agargun and colleagues at Yüzüncü Yil University in 2004, individuals who sleep on their left side experience more nightmares than those who sleep on their right. In the study, the researchers examined the sleeping positions and dream patterns of 63 healthy adults. They found that 40.9% of left-side sleepers reported frequent nightmares, compared to only 14.6% of right-side sleepers. The theory is that sleeping on any side causes an imbalance, but the left side results in more intense emotions and feelings of insecurity, which are strong associations with feminine qualities in traditional Chinese medicine. The right is more masculine and grounding, and evokes dreams of safety and relief. Image via Pexels Note: While this research dates back to 2004, body position is still considered a possible influence on dream...more