You wake up at 3 AM and realize you’re lying on your back with one foot pressed against the opposite leg’s calf. Again. If this sounds familiar, congratulations on joining the flamingo sleepers club.
TikTok and Instagram are flooded with influencers claiming this position means you’re stressed, anxious, or carrying trauma in your hips. But before you spiral into late-night WebMD searches, let’s talk about what experts actually think about sleeping like a one-legged bird.
The Hypermobility Connection
Laura Nolan, a psychotherapist specializing in somatic therapy, sees this sleeping style most often in people with hypermobility. This condition means your joints can stretch way beyond what’s typical for most people, often leading to loose joints, instability, and chronic pain.
What’s interesting is the overlap with neurodivergence. Nolan works with many neurodivergent adults who report unconventional sleep positions, not just the flamingo pose but also clenched fists or what she calls “T. rex hands.” It makes sense when you think about how our bodies naturally seek positions that feel secure or comfortable based on our unique physical makeup.
The position might also develop from chronic pain or past injuries. Your body learns through repetition what feels good, and sometimes that means tucking one leg up while you sleep. It’s not necessarily a problem, though Nolan points out that consistently sleeping in unstable positions could strain joints or cause muscle stiffness over time.
Maybe You Just Sleep That Way
Here’s the thing that gets lost in all the viral health content claiming to decode your every move: sometimes you sleep like a flamingo because it’s comfortable. That’s it. No hidden trauma signals, no urgent medical red flags.
Jade Wu, a board-certified sleep psychologist, emphasizes that we naturally gravitate toward positions that feel good to our bodies. If you’re sleeping on your side with one leg up, you might actually be helping yourself breathe better at night. This variation can lower your risk of sleep apnea and other breathing problems compared to sleeping flat on your back.
The internet loves turning normal body behaviors into anxiety fodder. Not every quirk needs analysis or fixing.
When To Actually Worry
Unless an orthopedic doctor has specifically told you to avoid the flamingo position because it’s putting pressure on problem joints, Wu says there’s zero reason to stress about it. Forcing yourself into “proper” sleep positions can actually backfire.
Nolan warns against sleep perfectionism, which is exactly what it sounds like. Obsessing over whether you’re sleeping “correctly” will probably mess with your sleep quality more than any position ever could. Your body knows what it needs, and micromanaging yourself into the “right” posture at night is a recipe for insomnia.
If you do have concerns about joint pain or wake up feeling stiff, that’s worth mentioning to a healthcare provider. But the position itself isn’t inherently dangerous for most people.
Making Your Flamingo Sleep Better
Rather than fighting your natural sleep position, Nolan suggests working with it. Tuck a pillow under your knees if you’re a flamingo sleeper. If you tend to clench your fists, try holding a small stuffed animal or soft pillow. Support your body instead of trying to reprogram it overnight.
Creating a wind-down routine can help if you suspect stress is affecting your sleep quality. Yoga, mindfulness, or deep breathing after dinner gives your nervous system time to shift gears before bed. Progressive muscle relaxation is another technique worth trying, where you systematically tense and release different muscle groups while paying attention to how they feel.
But here’s what Nolan really wants people to understand: stress isn’t inherently bad, and we have simple ways to process it that don’t require analyzing every unconscious movement we make while sleeping. Sometimes your body just found a cozy way to rest, and the kindest thing you can do is let it be.
