Read my expert and thoroughly researched review of the best recliners for sleeping, incl the benefits and negatives to consider. Plus a Guide to the Top 5 products to buy.
If you are in a hurry and just want to know what the best recliners for sleeping are, I recommend the Signature Design by Ashley Yandel Oversized Recliner.
There are many reasons you need or may want to sleep in a reclining position instead of 100% horizontally flat.
There are many types of surgery where they require you to sleep in a somewhat sitting position for a while afterwards.
Recliners also allow you to raise your legs, making them slightly higher than your body, and thus allowing for better blood flow from your legs, this is really good if you often suffer from swollen ankles.
Other people just have a habit of falling asleep in front of the TV and want to be more comfortable so they don’t wake up with a sore neck in the middle of the night.
Lucky for you, I’ve done the hard work doing all the research for you.
Just keep reading.
Don’t miss my guide on what to consider when buying a new mattress or bed.
The Best Recliners For Sleeping That I Will Be Reviewing Today
- EDITOR’S CHOICE – Signature Design by Ashley Yandel Oversized Recliner
- FDW Recliner Chair
- BestMassage Recliner Chair
- AllSett Bed Wedge Pillow
- Flexicomfort Wedge Pillow with Cushion
Need a new mattress? I reviewed the Best Price Mattress Deals for the year, you can read more here.
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What Is The Benefit Of Sleeping In A Recliner?
Recliners provide you with the benefit of sleeping in a slightly elevated position as opposed to 100% prone/flat.
This is often a requirement after certain types of surgery, to not sleep 100% horizontally flat.
However sleeping in a reclining position can also help to relieve back and neck pain, sleep disorders like sleep apnea, heartburn, acid reflux, poor blood circulation (by elevating your legs) and even some respiratory problems.
This is because recliner chairs raise your legs slightly higher than the core of your body, this can help with blood pressure or circulation.
The position also means your head and neck are not 100% horizontal, and as someone with hayfever can tell you, nothing leads to a blocked nose faster than having your head that far back. Keeping your head (and nose) at a slightly elevated position really helps alleviate your blocked nose, it’s just basic science and gravity really.
Obviously, if you love reading or falling asleep in front of the TV, then doing so in a recliner chair is ideal. You will certainly be less likely to wake up with a sore neck from being at an odd angle on the sofa for too long.
What Is The Best Recliner For Sleeping?
You will have to consider your own needs.
Because there is no one size fits all.
I made a list below, see “What Should I Look For When Buying A Recliner?”
Is It Ok To Sleep In A Recliner Every Night?
This is a difficult question to answer as every human being is different.
First, if you have serious health conditions or concerns, consult your doctor.
However I would say that you should not sleep in a recliner every single night.
But learn to listen to your body and don’t be afraid to try different positions until you find the best option for yourself.
Which Brand Of Recliner Is Best?
Given the amount of options, brands, types of chairs and sellers/manufacturer’s you can find in today’s world, I think picking just one brand is impossible.
Look out for a brand that will give you a warranty, and has good customer service and reviews.
Who Has The Best Deal On Recliners?
Honestly, you simply can’t beat Amazon for the best deals on recliners, or anything really.
They just have so much variety and options available, it makes them unbeatable in my opinion.
You’ll even find that a lot of the top well-known brands sell their products on Amazon so you don’t even have to go to their stores anymore.
What Should I Look For When Buying A Recliner?
Besides the obvious such as price and customer reviews, I would say you should consider the following when you are looking to buy a recliner.
Size
Not all chairs are that wide.
Some chairs will not fit a larger body so keep that in mind.
Body Weight
Also consider your own body weight, and check the manufacturer’s recommendation, they usually have a limit they recommend.
To be clear, if you want to use the chair as a normal chair, you probably won’t have a problem, but when you recline it the leg rest and the back rest both have to LOCK in place and hold your weight without collapsing. Those mechanical parts will have a maximum load they can bear.
How much space does it take up when in a reclined position?
Something that is obvious to forget is that when you recline a chair backwards, it takes up additional space, in other words, you need to leave some room between the back of the chair and the wall.
There are some chairs that slide forward while reclining back, similar to an airplane seat, which reduces the amount of space they take up in that position.
Do you have any injuries?
If you have a shoulder injury, or any injury that prevents you from manually adjusting the chair, consider a chair with a power lift (in other words, one that is electric or battery operated).
Are you pregnant or breastfeeding?
Consider how you will get in and out of the chair.
I recommend you spend a bit more money on a power lift chair so you can just press a button to move the chair between seated and reclined.
However, consider a wedge pillow instead. That way you can use it in bed as well.
Do you often fall asleep in front of the TV?
Find a recliner chair with multiple positions, and lots of padding/cushions for comfort.
This will allow you to raise your legs and tip the chair back only slightly while watching TV.
Upholstery
Leather will cost more than non-leather options.
PU leather for example, is just a type of fabric made to look like leather. It’s a lot cheaper than real animal leather, and of course far more animal friendly and totally cruelty free.
PU leather quality has increased a lot over the years. I remember years ago if you bought something labelled faux leather, it would barely last a few months, however these days they can last years.
Why Is It Bad To Sleep In A Recliner?
No matter what angle you are in, unless you are lying flat in a 100% horizontal position, there will be some pressure to the base of your spine, similar to when you are seated.
Over time your spine will compress, which in turn will affect the muscles around your spine, and can lead to back problems.
You definitely want to ensure your spine can decompress and stretch out regularly, something you can only do lying fully flat.
Should Feet Hang Over Recliner?
Not really.
If your feet hang over the recliner too far, it can cut off your blood circulation and put an uncomfortable amount of pressure on your ankles, bending them at an odd angle which can lead to pain.
What Are The Different Types Of Recliners?
Rocker recliners
It rocks. Literally.
Manual recliners
Manual operation only, usually by means of a lever
Power assist / Electric recliners
So all you have to do is press a button
Massage recliners
These have a built in massage option.
My hairdresser has one of these for when customers are getting their hair washed.
Lifting recliners
In this instance the chair will move closer to the ground making it easier to get in and out of the chair
Wall-hugger recliners
These reclining chairs take up less space behind the chair when in a reclined position by sliding forward a bit as you recline it.
Think about airplane seats, they slide forward at the same time you push backwards, so there is less disruption to the person behind you.
The Best Best Recliners For Sleeping: Product Reviews
Signature Design by Ashley Yandel Oversized Recliner
- EDITOR’S CHOICE – Best recliner for sleeping after shoulder surgery
- Vegan leather
- Power lift
- Slow and steady movement
- Thick and comfortable cushions
- Raise the leg rest independently of the back
- Some assembly required
The Signature Design by Ashley Yandel is an oversized recliner with a power lift. So a simple touch of a button will ease you back and raise your legs at the same time until you are in a comfortable reclining position.
While it is designed to look like leather, it is actually made from a saddle brown upholstery fabric with a cozy feel-good touch.
It has thick cushions all around to give you the ultimate comfort.
The power lift is designed to be slow and steady, so while it might take up to a minute to move into a fully reclined position, it won’t jerk you or give you whiplash. Because I remember my uncle’s old recliner chair, it was a bit like being shot out of a rocket, one moment you were sitting down and the next you wondered how you got on your back, still makes me laugh when I think about it.
It’s a really generous sized chair with a high back.
You will need to assemble it, but it’s fairly easy. The reason for the assembly is of course these days developers build houses smaller and smaller, so the manufacturer took the decision in order for the chair to be able to fit through a 30” doorway.
FDW Recliner Chair
- Best lazy boy recliner for sleeping
- PU Leather – vegan and cruelty free
- Manual
- 3 positions, sitting, legs raised, and fully reclined at 160 degrees
- Some assembly required
The FDW recliner chair is a brown wingback chair made with a solid wood frame.
Covered in PU leather, is it not only vegan and cruelty free, but water resistant, that makes it easy to wipe clean any spills or drips.
While this is a manual recliner (not power), it comes with 3 positions, sitting, legs raised, and fully reclined at 160 degrees, which is more than business class can do in most airplanes.
BestMassage Recliner Chair
- Best recliners for sleeping for back pain
- Recliner chair with built in massage feature
- PU leather – vegan and cruelty free
- Comes in several different colours
- 5 different settings / positions
- Quick assembly and no tools required
- Very affordable and a good price
The BestMassage recliner chair is actually a reclining chair with an additional massage feature built in, that can take a weight of up to 275 pounds.
They do several colours of the chair, and it is very reasonably priced.
It has 5 different settings or positions, from 90 degrees, to 125, 140, 150 and 160 degrees at fully reclined.
This is another chair made from PU leather, which helps to keep the cost down.
Assembly is under 2min and no tools are required.
The only negative I can find with this chair is that it seems for some customers the orders got mixed up, so they received a chair without the massage feature.
There were also some complaints in 2019 that the leg rest wouldn’t lock, or stay in place, however the manufacturer appears to have fixed that issue.
AllSett Bed Wedge Pillow
- Best recliner for sleep apnea
- Multi purpose use
- Wedge pillow
- Provides support for back, neck, legs
- Watching TV, reading, sleeping, elevating legs for medical reasons
This is not a chair, this is a wedge pillow, however, it is perfect as a recliner for sleeping. It even has a carry handle so you can take it with you wherever you go.
Made from breathable memory foam with a plush outer layer, it can be used to support your back, neck and legs.
Measuring 22 inches wide, and is designed to be used at a 30 or 60 degree angle to provide a gradual or steeper slope depending on what you are doing.
This means you can use it for reading, watching TV, sleeping, elevating your legs (if you suffer from varicose veins or bad blood circulation).
It has a removable washable cover so you don’t have to worry about hygiene.
Flexicomfort Wedge Pillow with Cushion
- Best recliners for sleeping after surgery
- Wedge pillow
- 7 different positions
- Additional cushion for lumbar support
- Helps keep you in an elevated position after surgery
- Provides support for back, neck, legs
- Watching TV, reading, sleeping, elevating legs for medical reasons
The Flexicomfort pillow is another memory foam wedge pillow, however it has an additional support pillow added to it.
Whereas the AllSett wedge pillow was just a triangular wedge shape, the Flexicomfort wedge pillow has another support cushion on top to support your neck and spine.
It can be changed into 7 different positions thanks to the unique foldable design, providing support for your neck, back, shoulders, knees and legs.
This means it doesn’t matter what type of surgery you had, it’s likely the Flexicomfort wedge pillow will be able to provide support in some way.
The cover is removable and washable, and there is a handle so you can take it with you wherever you go.
Conclusion
In our opinion, the Signature Design by Ashley Yandel Oversized Recliner is the best recliner for sleeping amongst those we’ve reviewed on this page.
Thanks to the power lift design, a simple touch of a button will ease you back and raise your legs at the same time until you are in a comfortable reclining position.
This makes it easier to operate the chair, and get in and out of it.
Especially if you’ve had shoulder surgery, you don’t want a manual lever to have to pull or press to move the chair.
It’s a really generous sized chair with a high back, and thick cushions all around to give you the ultimate comfort.
An alternative would be the Flexicomfort Wedge Pillow with Cushion as it will support many sleeping positions or medical concerns while also in bed. Not everyone wants to sleep in a chair after all.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, I have a guide to the best pillow for sleep apnea available here.
