How to Sleep Comfortably on a Couch

Falling asleep on the couch unintentionally is not difficult. Whether you’re dozing off while watching TV or sitting down to rest your eyes for a moment and waking up two hours later, the couch feels like the most comfortable place on earth, and every blanket you have on you is perfect.

However, when you’re officially sleeping on the couch for the night, that’s a whole different story. The same sofa that used to feel heavenly now feels hard and lumpy and is suddenly far too short. No matter how you position yourself, you cannot get comfortable. And that throw blanket that kept you nice and warm before? you are shakingG below it now.

Luckily, there are a few ways to make your night on the couch at least a little extra comfortable and bearable. Here’s what you should know.

How to sleep comfortably on a couch overnight

A couch will never be a bed (unless it’s a trundle bed, but that’s not the point here), and it’s important to approach your night on the sofa with that attitude and realistic expectations — especially when you’re tall . That being said, here are a few ways to make your night a little easier:

Take off the back pads

Increase your sleeping area by removing all pillows or pillows except for the seat cushions, which act as the “mattress” part of your couch bed for the night. Removing the back cushions makes the biggest difference, giving you more space and more room to stretch out.

Use sheets to make your “bed”.

This might seem like a pointless step, but using sheets to make the couch like a bed really helps. It doesn’t matter what size the sheets are – they all get too big and need to be tucked in.

The bottom sheet can help the separate pillows feel like one surface and keeps the pillows together so you don’t accidentally do it step once in the middle of the night degradation your bed. Plus, no matter how soft the padding on the couch, the sheets are likely to be softer.

Go for a real pillow

Instead of resting your head on a collection of small, lumpy pillows, use (if possible) the type of pillow you would use if you were sleeping on a regular bed. And yes: put a pillowcase on top (you already laid out the bed sheet).

Complement it with layers of blankets

Whether the couch is in a living room, den, home office, or basement, chances are it’s not in a room intended to be slept in, so the heating/cooling situation may not be ideal. You could start the night freezing and then wake up sweating or vice versa.

It’s best to have a few blankets and layer them as needed, starting with the top sheet. But even if it’s particularly warm and you only need the sheet to start the night, you should have at least one extra blanket handy in case you get cold at night.

Try different positions

Even if you’re usually a back, side, or stomach sleeper, you may need to Try a few different positions settle down on the couch for a night. Ideally, the couch is long enough for you to stretch out and sleep on your back. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case, and you may need to curl up in the fetal position.

Make a bunk bed

If you’ve tried everything and still can’t get comfortable – or are too tall to fit on the couch – you can always remove the back and seat cushions from the couch, line them up in a row on the floor and that use as a makeshift mattress. Then follow all the steps above (especially using sheets to make the bed).