In general, sleeping in a recliner is safe, as long as you find it to be relaxing. A recliner may even provide better sleep than a bed for people with sleep apnea, GERD, or back pain.
Relieves Back Pain and Aids in Breathing
Many people also experience back pain caused by sleeping in uncomfortable beds. The recliner chair allows your body to recline at varying angles to provide the ultimate comfort. It is designed to provide your back with the same support without being restrictive.
Most experts recommend against sleeping in a chair every night as it doesn't support or encourage proper spinal alignment.
The unique sleeping position offered by a recliner can make it much easier to breathe as you sleep with the head slightly raised. Easier breathing will make for a more restful night for anyone, but this change in sleeping position can be life-changing for those suffering from conditions like sleep apnea or COPD.
Many people think they need to sit up completely straight but research suggests sitting in a reclined position is actually better for the spine as it reduces pressure. Back in 2006, academics in Canada and Scotland found that reclining by at least 135 degrees was effective in relieving back pain.
It can cause joint stiffness
Your knees and hips remain bent the entire night while you sleep in a recliner. This may impact your posture over time and cause stiff hips, calves, and hamstrings. Your risk of falling or having balance issues may also increase if your muscles are tight.
Sleeping in a recliner for short periods of time won't have any permanent or serious effects on your body. However, continually sleeping in a recliner for a long time can result in knee and hip contractures. This can cause your muscles to tighten over your joints and result in limited upright posture and standing.
A recliner keeps knees and hips bent through the night; that can lead to tight hips, calves, and hamstrings, and posture problems. Additionally, tight muscles can increase risks for falls. Sleeping with knees bent for long periods can weaken blood vessels in the lower body.
Sleeping on Your Back
Back sleeping, also known as the supine position, involves lying flat on your back while facing up. While doing so, the legs are also straight and facing up. Arms are often on the side of the body. Back sleeping is helpful if you suffer from pain in your back, hip, knees, neck, or shoulder.
Some people live with medical conditions that make sitting up more comfortable for sleeping. These include morbid obesity and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Some people may also feel more comfortable sleeping in a recliner.
One of the reasons why a La-Z-Boy recliner can help with back pain is because it allows you to contract the muscles that surround your spine.
Elevating your feet improves blood circulation and prevents swelling in the feet, while sleeping with your head elevated improves breathing and prevents snoring.
Research has found that reclining your chair puts the least stress on your spine when it is reclined to about 135 degrees and may reduce your risk of back pain. The ability of riser recliner chairs to move to this position with ease makes them a good choice for people who sit for long periods.
Side sleeping could help keep you sharp and possibly reduce your dementia risk. Here's why: During the day, toxic byproducts of the brain's activities accumulate in the central nervous system and are flushed away during sleep via cerebrospinal fluid, which surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
According to their internal body clock, most older adults need to go to sleep around 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. and wake up at 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. Many people fight their natural inclination to sleep and choose to go to bed several hours later instead.
Sleeping Positions That Can Reduce Wrinkles
In other words, the best sleeping position is usually on your back. With the back of your head to the pillow, keeping your skin off the pillow can help prevent not only wrinkles, but it can even help prevent exposure to bacteria.
Sleeping flat allows the spine to take a break, so sleeping only on a recliner may cause back pain to develop. Tightening of the joints, especially in elderly people. Pressure sores (although these can develop in bed too).
Recliners are only bad for leg circulation when they are used in the wrong way and for long hours. But, recliners can actually be good for leg circulation as they provide multiple ways to adjust the back and footrest to control its position.
Recliner chairs can help with sleep apnea
Staying at an upright angle can alleviate people with sleep apnea and emphysema. It's recommended that those with conditions like sleep apnea and emphysema sleep at a more upright angle versus on their backs, says Dr. Kadar, but that's easier said than done.
And sleeping on the left side is best because it keeps pressure off internal organs and promotes healthy blood flow.
If you feel your legs getting numb or a lack of blood flow, simply lower your feet for 20 minutes and prop them right back up. Some people worry about cramping. Sleeping with your feet up can cause the muscles in your calves and feet to become tense, leading to cramping or discomfort. This is a rare occurrence.