12 'calma sutra' positions that will help you sleep and cuddle better

Forget the Kama Sutra, try the 'Calma Sutra' instead for better sleep. (Getty Images)
Forget the Kama Sutra, try the 'Calma Sutra' instead for better sleep. (Getty Images)

It is likely that you’ve heard of the Kama Sutra, but have you heard of the ‘Calma Sutra’?

Created by sleep and meditation app Calm, in partnership with Kourtney Kardashian Barker’s wellness brand Lemme, the ‘Calma Sutra’ is a collection of 12 sleep and cuddle positions that could help you get a better night’s rest – or at least give you another way to cuddle besides spooning.

It comes after Kourtney was named the newest narrator of a Calm Sleep Story – a role that has previously been filled by the likes of Harry Styles, Idris Elba, Jennifer Garner, and Matthew McConaughey.

Kourtney’s story tells the tale of all of the ‘Calma Sutra’ sleep positions, from the Love Knot to the Sleeping Sloth, bringing them to life.

Kourtney Kardashian Barker is the newest celebrity to read a Calm Sleep Story. (Calm)
Kourtney Kardashian Barker is the newest celebrity to read a Calm Sleep Story. (Calm)

But, what exactly are these positions? We’ve outlined them for you, below.

1. Love Knot

This position sees you tying yourself in a ‘knot’ with your partner using your bodies.

Like an adult's top and tail, it sees one partner lying on their back, with the other lying on their back facing towards them, both holding hands and locking legs.

2. Sacrificial lamb

You know when your partner manages to steal all the covers in the middle of the night? Well, this makes you the sacrificial lamb.

Calm says that while this may seem like a selfish move on your partner’s part, you actually want to avoid being too hot when you sleep, so your blanket-hodding bedmate could be doing you a favour.

3. Twinning

Whether you sleep nose to nose, bum to bum or hip to hip, mirroring your partner’s sleeping style can show that the pair of you are in sync.

4. There’s People That Are Cuddling

Three’s a crowd? Not when it comes to cuddling. This position sees you and your partner creating the traditional spooning position, but leaving room on the bed for anyone else who may want to join in the fun.

All of the 12 'Calma Sutra' positions. (Calm)
All of the 12 'Calma Sutra' positions. (Calm)

5. The Pillow Partner

No bedmate in sight? No problem. Instead of complicated cuddles with a partner, grab the largest pillow you can find and wrap your arms and legs around it for the best – and softest – cuddle of your life.

6. Facetime

Both a position and a warning of sorts, Facetime refers to a noses-almost-touching position that allows intimacy with your partner.

However, Calm adds that the only Facetime you should be having before bed is with your other half – screens should be put away at least two hours before sleep time.

7. The Sleeping Sloth

Too hot to hug their torso? Cling to their knees instead. “Wrap your arms and legs snugly around your partner, as though hanging from a tree branch, and drift off to dreamland suspended in a sleepy bliss,” Calms says.

8. Reverse Plowgirl

While it may sound familiar, it’s no quite what you’re thinking. The Reverse Plowgirl sees one partner press their shins and forearms up against the other’s back, with the person in front slightly wisting back to face them. It’s intimate without being overbearing.

9. The Vampire Council

Both back sleepers? Sleep shoulder to shoulder with your arms gently crossed over your chests. If you’re feeling a bit stiff, Calm says it could be worth embracing stress management techniques such as meditation and mindful movement.

Overhead view of young couple hugging while sleeping on bed in bedroom
The Breakfast Burrito is the perfect cuddling position for lazy Sunday mornings. (Getty Images)

10. The Breakfast Burrito

Perfect for lazy weekend mornings, The Breakfast Burrito is likely many couples’ preferred way of cuddling, as it sees you get as close as possible and wrap yourself up in blankets. Toasty.

Speaking of burritos, Calm recommends finishing your last meal of the day at least three hours before bedtime as digesting a heavy meal before sleep keeps the body too active.

11. Toy Story

Did you have the best sleep of your life as a kid? Channel that energy and surround yourself with your plushest toys and pillows and sleep like a baby.

12. Literally Lemme Sleep

A solo position perfect for napping, it involves laying down wherever you are, using your arm as a pillow and getting some rest and relaxation as a way to calm the mind.

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