Our space is often limited and I was wondering if you could actually use a daybed to sit on in the day and then sleep on every night. We did some research and here’s what we found.
Can daybeds be used every day? Absolutely, you can sit and sleep on a daybed every day, but whether it’s comfortable depends entirely on the quality and type of mattress. You’ll need to use a high-quality memory foam mattress that won’t create divots from sitting on it in the daytime.
If you want to use your daybed every day, for sitting on in the day AND sleeping on at night, there are a few important things you need to consider…
Can You Sleep on a Daybed All the Time?
Sure, however, since it’ll become a highly functional piece of furniture that will effectively serve its purpose daily and all night, you’ll want to be very sure that you find a strong, quality frame to support this use. Check out the review.
Wood tends to squeak over time and will annoy you most while sleeping. It makes a lot more sense to get a sturdy metal frame daybed that has excellent ratings on Amazon and has proven itself to be durable enough to withstand very regular use.
Make sure that the frame can sufficiently handle the amount of weight you’re going to throw at it. Overshoot a little just to be safe. The stronger the daybed, the fewer problem you’ll have with regular everyday use.
Backboard vs No Backboard
Arguably, a daybed without a backrest is harder to sit on unless it’s propped up against a wall. In contrast, a daybed with a backrest tends to make it look and feel less like a bed while sleeping.
This is where it will make sense to decide which you’ll be doing more… sleeping or sitting.
It’s the perfect dual-purpose furniture item but can be more suited to the one or the other depending on the individual design.
Mattress Choice
A medium-firm mattress will work best. If it’s too soft, the seating areas will “bottom-out” when you’re sitting on them.
Also, make sure to get a high-quality foam or memory foam that won’t sink in around the seating area. Otherwise, you’ll feel the divots when you’re lying down.
Essentially, a multi-plane mattress with softer (more comfortable) foam on top, supported by firmer core foam to keep the mattress’s shape, will work really well. You can get a good budget mattress and replace it if necessary over time.
The best mattress for a daybed is one that keeps its shape while being comfortable for sitting as well as sleeping. (Here are our top choices)
Daybed Made Up for Sleeping Then Back to Couch… Every Day
If your daybed is located in a living area of the house, you may want to turn it into a seating area during the day and convert it back into a bed at night.
For this, you’ll need to establish or define the two “layouts” separately. In other words. when it’s a couch it should look like a couch and when it’s a bed, it should look like a bed.
The easiest way to do this is to place bed linen (comforter etc.) on the daybed at night and revert back to inviting throw pillows and throw blankets in the daytime.
Transforming the daybed daily could seem like a lot of effort but here are a few quick tips which will help make it much easier…
Use Fitted Sheets
Fitted sheets offer a super quick and efficient way to keep the daybed clean and ready for sleeping. Remember that a daybed usually uses a standard twin mattress so find the right fitted sheet should be very easy.
A standard twin is 39″ x 75″.
You should consider using off-white or beige sheets given the frequency of use as well as the fact that there’ll be a lot of sitting or lounging going on too.
Use Larger Throw Pillows
Larger throw pillows make it much easier to convert the daybed into bed mode. The larger the pillows, the fewer you’ll need and the quicker it’ll be to take them off at night.
Three large throw pillows with complimentary colors are easy to take off the bed right before daybed time. They can be stored under the bed or in a nearby cupboard.
Block Out The Light
Wherever the daybed is placed, make sure you’re blocking out enough ambient light from the rest of the house to have a good night’s sleep. Light blocking curtains or even some stylish room-dividers will help make it feel more like a bedroom.
This is an often overlooked aspect of sleeping regularly on a daybed. You need to consider the room and if it serves as a real bedroom instead of a makeshift sleeping arrangement.
If you can’t find thick enough curtains to block out the light, consider two layers of thinner curtains.
If the light is from inside the house, try re-arranging the light sources in your home. This includes things like digital clocks on microwaves, TV standby lights and even some cellphone chargers. We’re trying to create a space that feels like a bedroom which can be used daily.
Add some Side Tables
Some convenient side tables either side of the daybed will make it much nicer to use during the daytime and especially at night. This is convenient for a glass of water beside the daybed as well as any reading glasses or cellphone accessories. (Not that you should be sleeping next to your phone!)
Try to Get a Daybed With Storage
This will make packing comforters and sleeping pillows away every morning a quick and easy task that’ll take a few seconds. Especially if there are drawers (or even loose baskets) under your daybed.
A daybed with storage is sometimes called a Captain’s Bed. This wooden design looks a bit like a ship’s captains sleeping cabin due to the large wooden drawers under the daybed.
Wash the Sheets Often
If the daybed is serving a dual purpose, it’ll get dirty twice as fast. Don’t neglect washing the sheets regularly.
In Summary
If you’re willing to set the daybed up as a bed every night (or simply leave it set up as a bed) a high-quality wooden or metal frame will be perfect for daily use. You could even go so far as turning your living room into your bedroom to add more sleeping rooms to your home.
It’s the mattress you’ll need to consider most.
Related: How to Turn a Regular Bed Into a Daybed (View Article)