Whether you are completely healthy or have mobility issues, there are many recliner chair health benefits that can improve your life. With a touch of a button, recliner chairs become ultra-comfortable, with a wealth of additional health advantages! While you’re relaxing with a good book or watching television, the recliner can take strains off your body and mind. The same can be said for a recliner sofa, especially if you have someone to relax with.

So, let’s dig into the recliner chair’s advantages and disadvantages, starting with the 4 bountiful benefits of owning your own recliner.

1. Recliner chair health benefits for your back

One of the most useful health benefits of recliner chairs is their ability to alleviate back pain. According to The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, around 80% of adults experience pain in the lower back at some point in their lives. Thanks to a recliner’s adjustable positions, they can provide support for the lower back, allowing for proper spinal alignment. This allows a good amount of relief when compared to a more upright piece of furniture. The lumbar support offered in the reclined position can give your back a sorely needed break.

2. Benefits for muscles and circulation

When in a reclined position, much like lying down in bed, your muscles begin to relax from head to toe. This can reduce muscle stress, and relieve pain in your joints. Due to the recliner’s wide arms and padded footrests, this can be an even more relaxing and restful experience than your bed offers!

Another benefit of relaxing in a recliner is its positive effect on circulation. According to the NHS, when standing or sitting in a standard position, blood can slowly pool causing swollen legs and feet. Raising your legs can help with this, and a recliner allows you to do this comfortably. If you are often finding this to be an issue with your health, this could be one of the most useful recliner chair health benefits for you.

3. Support for mobility issues and independence

If you do have mobility issues, a reclining chair is a great addition to your home. Recliners can be positioned so they are almost upright, meaning you can go from fully reclined and relaxed, to almost completely vertical without any extra effort needed. This also helps to reduce the risk of falls and injury. As a recliner can also improve posture, they can help combat bad habits that are easily picked up when mobility issues are part of your day-to-day.

A reclining chair can do wonders for your independence. Being able to exit the chair without help can have a positive impact on your mental health. Knowing you are safe to sit, recline and relax, then rise without having to worry can relieve a burden of stress you might associate with sitting down.

4. Improvements in comfort and relaxation

The unique design of a recliner allows you to sink into the chair at a much more relaxing angle than a usual piece of upright furniture. Don’t forget, relaxation plays a massive part in both your physical and mental health! As recliners often feature a footrest and backrest that can be tilted to the user’s own favourite settings, it can be a very rejuvenating piece of kit. You might even start to find yourself dozing off…

So that brings up the common question, are there benefits to sleeping in a recliner? And after a few months with your new chair, you might even end up asking ‘why do I sleep better in a recliner than a bed?!’ In fact, people with sleep apnea or back pain are likely to find it more pleasurable to doze on than a mattress. Due to its curved design, sleeping occasionally in a recliner can give sore muscles and joints an extended period of rest, which a flat mattress might not quite match.

Disadvantages of owning a recliner

Although we believe the recliner chair’s health benefits outweigh the downsides, it is always a good idea to be upfront about the drawbacks of owning a recliner.

• Due to their large frame and inner machinery, recliners are much heavier than normal furniture. This can make it difficult to move around your home when rearranging. If you were to buy one from us, we would make sure it was in the position you wanted.
• There are some dangers of sleeping in a recliner chair, although they are minimal. With repeat use as a bed, your recliner can eventually be bad for your hips. There can be tightness in the calves and hamstrings as well. Posture could also be negatively affected as you’re never fully horizontal allowing your spine to fully extend.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for something to take relaxation to the next level, or to help ease some physical ailments, a recliner might well be a good purchase for you. There are many recliner chair health benefits to take advantage of, from relieving back pain to gaining back your independence. If you want any more information about recliners or our mobility products in general, please feel free to contact us.