Sleeping Sitting Up: The Pros and Cons of Sleeping Upright

We all know that a quality night’s sleep is a necessity for our health – both physically and mentally. But did you know that different sleep positions can have different effects on your health? For instance, if you have seasonal allergies or a cold, sleeping in an almost upright position could be beneficial. Conversely, sleeping sitting up might not be the best option if you suffer from neck pain. However, if you are required to sleep sitting up due to a medical condition or recovery from a medical procedure, fear not – with a little help, you can sleep safe and sound. We’ll tell you how!

Allergies and the common cold:

Allergies affect us all differently, but some have it worse than others. For some, allergy symptoms can lead to a severe lack of sleep. In fact, in a survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, 37 percent of Americans said their sleep has been impacted by allergies. This is where sleeping in an upright position comes in handy; by sleeping in a more upright position, congestion can drain from your nose and throat, making it easier for you to breathe. Tuck a few pillows under your head and upper back in order to comfortably sleep upright. But beware – sleeping in an upright position for too many days in a row could cause neck pain.

Neck pain:

Sleeping sitting up is not recommended for everyone, and it most likely shouldn’t be your normal sleep position. This is especially true if you are sleeping in a chair (sleeping upright but supported by a stack of pillows is a bit different). When we move into active sleep, or the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep, our muscles lose tone, making it difficult to maintain a seated position. As a result, when we sleep upright, our necks tend to strain or drop to one side, which can cause pain.

That said, sometimes sleeping upright can be helpful. For example, sleeping upright can be a requirement for people recovering from certain medical procedures. In this case, it is important to consider the use of a neck pillow or neck roll in order to protect and support your neck.

As most travelers know, travel pillows are a necessity when flying or riding in a car for a long period of time. If you do need to sleep upright or if you’re a frequent traveler, check out Core Products' Travel Core Pillow.