Goodnight kiss is a 'thing of the past': study

Eight in ten couples no longer kiss before dozing off and most of them sleep with their backs turned to their partner, a new British study has found.

The study on sleep behaviours found that 54 per cent of Brits choose to turn away and sleep with their back to their lover in a bid to get a good night's sleep, 'The Telegraph' reported.

It found that it isn't just cuddling that's off the agenda as 90 per cent of couples don't utter the three important words 'I love you' before turning out the lights.

The study of 2,000 couples by hotel chain Travelodge found the most common sleeping positions are those in which we do not face each other.

As many as eight in ten couples no longer kiss before nodding off, it found.

Relationship psychologist Corrine Sweet who investigated the Britons' sleeping positions said during sleep, body language cannot be faked so your sleeping position can reveal a lot about your relationship.

She found that the most popular sleeping position for couples is with both in the fetal position, back to back.

Sweet said sleeping on your side with head and shoulders curled in and knees pulled up, shows innocence and trust.

However, this distant way of sleeping is becoming more common, while less than a fifth of couples go to sleep 'spooning' each other.

The 'heroic, romantic movie scene sleeping position', with the man lying on his back facing up and the woman's head cradled in the man's chest or shoulder, is just a position for the camera.

In reality, a mere 1 per cent of British adults actually sleep like the Hollywood couples in romantic chick flicks.

One in 10 couples admit to sleeping separately from their partner in the quest for a good night's sleep.

Alarmingly, a quarter of couples aged 35 to 44 spend time sleeping in separate beds.