How to Read in Bed Without Neck Pain: 9 Setups That Help

Reading in bed should be the most relaxing part of the day. Instead, an hour into a good chapter, your neck is stiff and you're shuffling pillows around. The good news: a few small changes to your setup make a real difference.

Why reading in bed strains your neck

When we prop ourselves up and look down at a book or phone, our head ends up forward of our shoulders and stays there. The muscles across the back of the neck and upper shoulders hold it in place for the entire chapter, often without us noticing until we stop. The fix is to change either the position of the head or the position of the thing you're reading.

Nine setups, from free to fancy

1. 1

   Raise the book, not your chin

   Hold your reading material higher, closer to eye level, so you're not looking sharply downward. Rest your elbows on a pillow so your arms don't tire.

2. 2

   Support the natural curve of your neck

   Use a pillow that fills the gap under your neck rather than pushing your head forward. Stacking several soft pillows often does the opposite.

3. 3

   Try a wedge or bed backrest

   A firm wedge or backrest pillow supports your whole upper body at a steady angle so you're not slumping.

4. 4

   Use a stand or holder

   A book stand, tablet arm or clamp lets you look straight ahead while both hands stay free.

5. 5

   Switch positions regularly

   Change sides or angles every 20 to 30 minutes so no one group of muscles does all the work.

6. 6

   Fix the lighting

   If you're squinting, you're leaning in. Use a warm, adjustable light positioned beside or behind you, not glaring on the page.

7. 7

   Add micro-breaks

   Between chapters, gently roll your shoulders and slowly look side to side. Stop if anything hurts.

8. 8

   Use audio or an e-reader with page buttons

   Lightweight readers with physical page-turn buttons and audiobooks both mean you can lie in whatever position feels best.

9. 9

   Lie flat and let optics do the work

   Prism ("lazy") glasses redirect your view so you can rest your head flat on the pillow and still read a book held upright in front of you.

Lying flat with prism glasses

If you'd rather not build a fort of pillows at all, lazy glasses are worth a look. Because they bend your line of sight by about 90 degrees, you can lie on your back with your head resting normally and still see a book or screen in front of you. We explain the optics in do lazy glasses actually work?, and you can see the Lazy Reading Glasses here.

A 2-minute wind-down

1. 1Slowly roll your shoulders back five times.
2. 2Gently tuck your chin toward your chest, hold for a few breaths, and release.
3. 3Slowly tilt your ear toward each shoulder, keeping the movement small and comfortable.