sleep Archives | Sofabed.co.uk

A sofabed is great whenever you need a guest bed for a friend or family member to rest on, neatly blending into the living room or home office. They are also incredibly convenient multi-purpose piece of furniture that works wonders in a studio apartment or other small space where you’re limited on room.

However, like with any bed, the way you sleep has a big impact on your body and can leave you with a lasting ache that doesn’t want to go away. From your sleeping position to the sofabed design, several things impact your sleeping and sitting posture when using a sofabed. Read on to find out the best ways to maintain good posture when using a sofabed.

What is the best way to sleep on a sofa bed with good posture?

When sleeping on a sofabed, bad posture can arise from many things including the mattress being too firm, feeling the bar, feeling the coils and even the position you sleep in.

The best way to sleep on a sofabed depends a lot on what naturally works best for you, whether down to personal preference or a medical condition, each position has its benefits. This being said, the best way for consistent sleep posture more often than not is on your back as it promotes healthier back alignment and reduces pressure on your limbs, neck and back.

man sleeping on back

Sleeping on your back:

It can be very hard to sleep on your back, especially if you have a soft mattress, however, there are many benefits that make training yourself worth it. Sleeping on your back allows your head, neck, and spine to rest in a neutral position, which reduces the risk of developing muscle pain and tension headaches.

Find the right pillow and neck support

Having a pillow that is both comfortable and supports your head and neck in a natural position is essential for a good night’s sleep. Foam and memory foam pillows are typically a great choice as it allows your head and neck to rest in a conformed position.

Make sure that your head is not over-elevated as that can end up making things worse. A simple trick some people use to avoid this is rolling up a towel and placing it underneath your neck, allowing you to align and not overextend your body.

Lumbar Support

Another way to sleep on your back with ease is to place a lumbar roll or pillow behind your lower back to support the natural curvature of your spine. As there is less pressure, your body is also less likely to roll over, helping you maintain good posture while sleeping on a sofabed.

Not everything will work for you, and finding support can often be a trial-and-error process. It’s important to remember to listen to your body and make any necessary adjustments so you can have a well-rested and dream-welcoming night’s sleep.

It is possible to sleep on a sofabed on your side, however, this can require space-taking tools such as body pillows.

What is the best way to sit on a sofabed with good posture?

Sitting on a sofabed for a long time can often lead to a slouched posture, becoming entranced by what’s on the screen in front of you. One simple and relaxing way to correct this poor form is to place a cushion behind your lower back as an acting backrest, to help maintain your spine and natural curve.

man sitting on sofa holding aching neck

Along with a back cushion, another good way to reduce strain on leg muscles is to place a cushion underneath your knees and have them in a slightly flexed position. Sitting with your feet up for a long time, whether on a recliner or laying parallel, will place strain on your back and neck as your body is in a flexed position, so it’s a good idea to move your position as frequently as possible to maintain a good posture. Make use of the armrests that are available to you; they’re there for a reason and aid in alleviating stress on your back.

Some other ways include using it to just sleep; instead of sitting up on it whilst watching tv or reading, only open the sofabed come the time you need to sleep.

For the best posture possible, only use the mattress section when sleeping and the sofa section for non-sleeping activities such as tv or reading.

Come bedtime, when you need to open up the sofabed, it should be done in the correct way to avoid any potential back strain. Check out our step-by-step guide on how to do so safely.

What are the best stretches for good posture?

As it can take a few weeks to perfect your sleeping posture, you may be feeling sore longer than you had expected. There are a few stretches and exercises you do before and after sleep that will help you feel as refreshed as possible:

Bear hug (reduces pain and discomfort in your upper back)
Kneeling lat stretch (relieving pain and discomfort in your back and shoulders)
Low lunge (stretches hips, thighs and groin)
Legs-up-the-wall pose (reduce tension in your back, shoulders and neck)
Neck stretches (reduce tension in your head, neck and shoulders)
Reclining bound angle pose (reduce tension in your hips and groin)
Seated forward bend (reduce tension in your spine, shoulders, hamstrings and lower back)

What are the best sofabeds for posture?

At sofabed.co.uk, we customise your sofabed to give you the best sitting and sleeping experience possible. Choose from over 130 upholstery fabrics and optional scatter cushions to create a comfortable seat that fits the style of your living room perfectly.

All of our sofabeds are made to last, whether you need a box-style, chaise, or 3-seater sofabed, you can do so with confidence. Our standard foam mattresses are 70mm thick and designed with high-quality materials, giving whoever is sleeping a good night’s rest. If you require extra support, the upgraded pocket-sprung mattress gives you a 10cm thick mattress that can support a heavier weight load. The mattresses can be changed after purchase, so if you find yourself wanting to upgrade, just drop us a call and the team will be happy to assist you.

Getting a good night’s sleep is not always as easy as it sounds. In fact, a 2022 study found that more than 7.5 million people in the UK alone have trouble sleeping and sleep less than 5 hours a night. The worldwide figures are just as shocking and prove just how much of a global epidemic poor sleep truly is.

Poor sleep habits can hugely affect an individual’s everyday function and can even cause potential long-term health problems if not fixed. The topic of sleep to many can be extremely daunting due to sleep disorders such as sleep deprivation, insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome and so many more.

In this article, we will detail some small changes that you can implement into your lifestyle and bedtime routine to hopefully see some improvements in your quality of sleep.

Why Is Sleep So Important?

Sleep is one of the most important things that you need to maintain the healthy functioning of your body. Getting enough sleep and good sleep quality help to support a healthy brain function as well as your mental health, physical health and overall well-being.

More often than not, the way in which you feel while you are awake is determined by the amount of sleep and sleep quality that you get during your hours of sleep. Therefore poor sleep schedules and poor sleep quality will have a knock-on effect on how you feel the next day.

A consistent lack of sleep can have significant long-term effects in the form of health conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, depression and so many more. Therefore, in order to be a healthy adult, sleep is vital.

How To Improve Your Sleep

There are a number of ways in which people recommend improving sleep such as sleep medicines, relaxation techniques, sleep aids and so on. We have put together a list of 5 lifestyle changes that could help to transform your sleep patterns and help you to have a much-needed good night’s rest.

Create A Consistent Routine

It is very common for individuals who live a busy lifestyle to consistently go to bed at different times every single night. This means that it can be extremely hard to adhere to a consistent sleeping schedule. By doing this you are making it far harder for your body to get healthy sleep, causing regular sleep problems.

Research over the years has proven that sticking to a consistent sleeping schedule can have a hugely positive impact on the quality of sleep an individual gets. This is because good sleep habits such as consistent schedules help to maintain the body’s internal clock and circadian rhythm. This means that your body will get used to sleeping at a certain time making it far easier to fall asleep.

In addition to this, having a consistent sleep schedule allows you to be far more comfortable with the idea of sleep. People can often work themselves up by thinking about getting to sleep. Whereas a sleep routine will incorporate different things that will tell your body it is time to sleep.

Regular Exercise

While this one may seem obvious, too many people neglect it in their daily life. Doing more activities such as exercise will tire your body out during the day making it far easier to get to sleep come bedtime. The more tired your body is from the day, the deeper sleep your body will fall into.

There are a number of reasons why exercise can help to improve your sleep. One of the main ones is that it can help to reduce stress. One of the main reasons for sleep problems is stress and through exercise your body releases mood-boosting endorphins. In addition to mood-boosting endorphins, exercise also helps the production of melatonin which can be hugely effective for increasing sleep quality.

It is important to note that you should not partake in any physical activity up to 90 minutes before sleep. This is because it will not give your body’s core temperature enough time to cool down which can make it difficult for individuals to get to sleep.

Create A Nice Sleeping Environment

The mind is a very complex and intelligent place. It can be drastically influenced by your surroundings. That is why it is super important that you create a nice sleep environment that allows your mind to not be focused on anything other than sleeping.

The three factors that tend to have the most influence on an individual’s sleep are light, heat and noise. If these three factors are not exactly how you want them then it could have a knock-on effect on your sleep performance. Creating the perfect environment for your body and mind to be able to relax is integral to a good night’s sleep.

There are a number of things that people do to create the perfect environment, but it is important to remember that everyone has different preferences. Many people love to fall asleep to different things such as white noise, or music. All that is important is that you create the most comfortable and cosy environment possible.

Change Your Eating Times

There is truly nothing worse than trying to go to sleep on a full stomach after a big meal. In order to maximise your sleep and get the best quality of sleep possible you should be more mindful of the times in which you are eating.

This is because you need to give your body sufficient time to be able to properly digest your food. If your body has not been given enough time to digest your food before bed then you will more often than not be up at night with an upset stomach.

In addition to this, when you eat at night you often break your body’s circadian rhythm. This can therefore have a knock-on effect for nights to come. In the evening we often make far less informed and therefore unhealthier decisions. While this will not have an instant impact on sleep quality, the unhealthier your diet is the worse your sleep will become.

Reduce Evening Blue Light Exposure

One thing that most of us are guilty of before bed is using our electronic devices. While this is very common, our devices such as phones, laptops, and TVs all emit a light source called blue light. Blue light suppresses the amount of melatonin that our body created, therefore, making it more difficult to fall into a state of sleep.

There are a number of different things that you can do to reduce the amount of blue light you are exposed to. These are:

Wear blue light glasses
Use blue light screen protectors
Lower your devices screen brightness
Do not use any of your electrical devices up to an hour before your bedtime

High Quality & Comfortable Sofa Beds At Sofabed.co.uk

Here at Sofabed.co.uk, we are the UK’s largest manufacturer of high-quality and bespoke sofa beds. We believe that everyone, even your guests, should sleep in maximum comfort. That is why we are proud to stock a huge range of the comfiest sofa beds on the market. Shop our range of sofa beds today and help your guests to get the best night’s sleep possible.

Tag: sleep

Perfect Sofabed Posture: The Guide For A Restful Sleep