“Why Can’t I Get Comfortable Anywhere?” A Chiropractor Explains

Being comfortable is one of the most satisfying feelings in the world. But many people struggle with gaining this satisfaction anywhere. Whether this is a bed, sofa, desk, or anywhere, people continuously feel uncomfortable no matter where or how they’re sitting/laying. If you suit this criterion, below, we answer the question, “Why can’t I get comfortable anywhere?”.

As a general rule, the reason you can’t get comfortable anywhere is because of inadequate bone or muscle structure and strength. Sitting/lying poorly your whole life will severely strain your bones and muscles. To achieve comfort, it may be necessary to use additional equipment or techniques.

Your muscles and bones don’t just become uncomfortable or ache over one session of poor posture, it develops over time. However, you’re able to minimize this and start gaining some comfort back. If you want to know more about why you can’t get comfortable, based on the topic based on my 30 years of experience advising, treating, and designing simple solutions (even a successful Kickstarter!) read the below: 

Why Can’t I Get Comfortable Anywhere? 

The most straightforward answer is that your muscles and bones have lost strength over many years of poor or improper posture. Muscle and bone strength are essential to comfort at any time and place, and if you have allowed the strength of your muscles and bones to degrade, then it will become harder and harder for you to get comfortable. 

Posture and strength are the most critical factors. If you’re never able to get comfortable, it’s unlikely that it has anything to do with the furniture you’re sitting on. Stretching, exercising, and maintaining proper posture are essential to being comfortable. This is one crucial tip that you can apply across all positions where you can’t get comfortable—from your bed, desk, and even sofa. But let’s look at each of those in detail.

Tips on Becoming More Comfortable Anywhere 

When becoming comfortable in these three major seating areas, each will require different care and attention. Want to enhance your comfort? Check out the below: 

Sleeping

Struggling to get to sleep can be one of the most frustrating experiences. Sometimes it doesn’t even matter that you’re tired—you just can’t fall asleep. So let’s look at some tips to help with that. 

• Alignment – Often, one of the leading causes of discomfort in bed is poor alignment. Throughout my career, this is something many clients struggled with. However, one huge way you can help your alignment is by hugging a pillow or having it between your legs. This will help your spine stay aligned. 

• Mattress – Mattress shopping isn’t something we often do, so it’s typical to want to put it off—but having a new mattress could be the key to your troubles. Having the right mattress is essential to your particular needs. The best way to find a mattress suitable for your needs is in real life. Although it can seem tempting to purchase a cheaper mattress online, you undoubtedly want to try it out first. 

• Pillows – Again, it’s easy to forget, but having the right pillows can make as much difference as a good mattress. Alignment of the spine will be affected by the pillow, so it’s essential you find one that suits you. We all sleep differently—on our sides, front, or back—and different pillows tailor to other sleepers!

Sitting at a Desk 

A lot of us spend most of our lives sitting at a desk. If not done properly, this can cause real long-term problems. Getting comfortable at your desk is again about posture and alignment, and there are a few ways you need to do that. 

1. Support your back – One of the essential parts of sitting correctly at a desk is supporting your lumbar region or lower back. Office chairs are manifold in design and variety, so again, you should find one that works for you. You always need to make sure it supports your lower back, though, and don’t slouch forward. I’ve written a complete hands-on review about the best sitting position for sciatica and here is what I tested best with my sciatica patients.
   
2. Have everything easy to reach  – Anything that you are always using, keep it close. This means keeping your mouse as close as you can and leaving about 4-6 inches between the keyboard and the edge of your desk for your wrists to rest. If you’re always using the phone, keep that close too. Constantly stretching to pick things up will put lots of strain on your back. 
3. Take regular breaks – Possibly the most important tip is just to regularly stand up, walk around, and even do some stretching. Not sitting for excessive amounts of time (1 hour +) will massively decrease back pain. Even if it’s roughly a few minutes, this is much better than none. 
4. Try an orthopedic seat wedge cushion – I recommend using natural latex with two layers for comfort. I do not recommend using memory foam because it is typically made from toxic chemicals, it traps heat, and lacks support/comfort. I explain the concept of an orthopedic seat cushion on a TV show HERE!

I was surprised how similar cheap memory foam seat cushions with FAKE REVIEWS were on Aliexpress from the listing on Amazon!

On the Sofa

When you get home from an uncomfortable desk, the last thing you want is to get no extra comfort out of your sofa. So let’s look at how to bring life back to a couch that’s lost its comfort.

1. Foam inserts – Sofas can start to sag over the years, and it’s natural for a lot of us not to think about it and just carry on using it as usual. If your sofa cushions are all sagging, it’s not working as they should, and this is a prevalent cause of poor comfort as your back won’t be properly aligned. Foam inserts can be bought to help plump your sagging cushions back up. 
2. Wood supports – It’s an old trick, but it definitely works to support your alignment and stop sagging. Putting a piece of wood under your sagging cushions will also help firm them up and allow you to sit up straighter. In your case, your sofa cushions might just want a bit of plumping up—try this too! 
3. Elevate your feet – Alignment is a bit different when you’re on the sofa. Very often, you will be leaning too far back if your feet are on the floor. This can cause tension in your lower back and upper thighs. There’s a reason ‘putting your feet up’ is synonymous with relaxing—having your feet elevated improves the alignment when leaning back. If you tend to lie down on your sofa, having a cushion between your legs can also help. 

If you are into super easy and inexpensive alternatives to office chairs, I wrote a fantastic article on how and why you should consider these options for back pain and I encourage you to read it!

Takeaway

As you can see, there are many reasons people struggle with being comfortable anywhere. The best thing to do is speak to your doctor and get an evaluation and diagnosis of what’s going on because it could be one of these problems!

We wish you luck in feeling more relaxed soon. If this blog post provided any insight or helped answer the question “why I can’t get comfortable anywhere?” please share it with others who may also have been wondering about this issue. Thank you for reading through our article today!