4 Reasons Why It’s A Bad Idea To Fall Asleep On The Sofa

If you ever wake up with a stiff neck or back problems after spending the night on a sofa, then you’re probably already well aware that couches don’t exactly make the best sleep surfaces.

But just how bad is sleeping on the couch, really?

While the rare night on the couch won’t kill you, regularly sleeping or lying for extended periods on your sofa can harm both your body and your sleep.

Here’s why you may want to avoid the couch and fall asleep in your bedroom to get better sleep.

1. Wrong Position when Sleeping

This is something common that sofa sleepers suffer from: a bad sleeping position. An unfavorable position can eventually damage your back, harm your neck muscles, leave you tired and unrested, and end up in serious medical conditions.

As we are designed to sleep on our sides, we need enough support to do it freely, but on a couch or sofa, this sleeping position can be difficult to achieve, making us lose a lot of sleep and eventually waking up much more tired than normal.

Learn more about the best sleeping positions here.

2. Couches won’t keep your spine in alignment

Head perched on the armrest. Hips sinking between two cushions. Arm caught between your body and a blanket. Sound familiar?

In addition to a lack of support while you sleep, couches also interfere with proper spinal alignment. Couches tend to be soft and comfy in the middle so your body sinks down, but lots of people put their head on the armrest, so your head is cocked up in one direction which can lead to a stiff neck. Sleep posture is extremely important, especially if you’re trying to avoid neck and back pain.

Regularly sleeping in the wrong sleeping position for a long period can lead to pain, soreness, stiffness, and cramping in the neck, back, and buttocks.

3. Couches won’t keep you cool

Couch material is not the same as a mattress. Not only when it comes to the position you adopt on a couch is not supported as well as it is in a mattress, but the heat is not absorbed as well as it is in a mattress. This happens due to the materials used in each one, most sofas are not made to absorb much heat while others absorb too much. Many couch fabrics also lack breathability, leading to a sweaty night of sleep. 

4. Lights & Distractions 

Almost everyone has a couch in their living room, one of the most illuminated places on houses. So, when you rest on your couch you are less likely to be totally black-out, one of the most important things we need in order to sleep well. Sleeping on the sofa means being subject to more illumination and lights, so we are more likely to get disturbed and woke up in our sleep. 

The relation between deep sleep and pain is well documented here.

Tips for getting better sleep on the couch

Many people choose to sleep on the couch because it helps quell symptoms of medical conditions like sleep apnea, heartburn, or acid reflux. If you do end up needing to sleep on the couch, there are things you can do to make the best of it. 

Some of our top sleeping tips for getting a good night’s sleep on the couch include:

• Elevate your head and neck for more overall support and to help with spinal alignment.
• Invest in a good pillow to create a firm sleep surface. This will help keep your body from moving too much and keep you from straining your back.
• Add a fitted sheet to the cushions. This mostly helps with comfort levels, but it can also make the couch feel more like a bed.
• Limit your screen time. Many people fall asleep on the couch with the TV on, but the blue light from the TV screen can mess up your body’s circadian rhythm and keep you from getting enough sleep.

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Medical Review: This article is written by Dr Nishtha Mittal (Senior Health Content Editor at Zanskar Health) and has been medically reviewed by the medical team at Zanskar Health. This article and its contents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.