Photographed by Lauren Perlstein.Except for when we are very hot or moderately hungover, spooning can be a welcome activity. And, according to a new study, the couple that spoons together stays together. Researchers at the University of Hertfordshire surveyed 1,000 spoons people about their sleeping habits when sharing a bed with their doodlebug. They found 94% of the couples that maintained some form of physical contact while they slept reported being happier in their relationships, while only 68% of those who didn't touch said they were satisfied with their relationships. The results indicate that the physical distance of partners in bed is really a manifestation of their emotional proximity. Do we need to bring up the fact that Ross and Rachel, one of the most problematic couples of all time, weren't actually cuddly sleepers?
The most popular sleep positions of the couples surveyed were back-to-back (ideal at 42%), same direction (the occasional spoon at 31%), and facing each other (at 4%, real love means embracing morning breath). But, we're also huge fans of the starfish-style position. That's the one where your partner has to get up for work earlier than you do, and you spend extra hours snoozing while taking up the entire bed. (Time)