Sitting Up in Bed: What to Put Behind Your Back

What goes wrong with a stack

The stack of pillows against the headboard collapses about twenty minutes in. Your arms have nowhere to go, so your shoulders end up doing the work.

A stack is three or four separate pieces, and it comes apart as soon as you shift.

A backrest instead

The Back & Lounge Support Pillow is a 26-inch back panel with an arm on each side. A backrest is one piece, so there is nothing to rebuild. It sits against the headboard, and the two arms take the weight your shoulders were carrying.

When you'd use one

1. Reading in bed — the long sit, propped against the headboard.
2. Working or watching something from bed, when sitting up beats lying down.
3. The stretch between getting into bed and actually going to sleep.

Will it fit your bed

The back panel is 26 inches across, so it sits at the head of the bed rather than along it. That works from a twin up to a king.

The honest part

It sits against the headboard and you sit against it — nothing fixes it to the bed frame, so it will shift when you get in and out. Push it back and carry on — it rests against the headboard rather than attaching to it.

This one is a sit-up support. If you want support through the night, start with the U55 — or the E60 if bed space is tight.

Where to go from here

Full-Body or Targeted? compares full-body and targeted support. Or answer a few questions in Find Your Support Type and be pointed to one.