Beds have been an essential piece of furniture in homes for many years. They are comfortable, stylish, and serve a variety of purposes. And while all people use them as a place to sleep, a few of us extend their use to include reading, relaxing, and even working.
And if you’re in the category of people who love spending most of the time in bed, you can confirm how the temptation to lean against the headboard comes in naturally. After all, doing so seems to offer the best support for your back while also providing the perfect space to prop up some pillows and get comfortable.
But is it safe or even advisable to lean against your headboard? Well, if that’s the question on your mind, then this article is for you. In it, we’ll take a look at everything you need to know about headboards. So, can you lean against a headboard? Let’s find out.
Is it Safe To Lean Against a Headboard?
Yes, it’s perfectly safe to lean against a headboard. Headboards are sturdy, so leaning on one won’t do it any harm or compromise the bed’s stability. In fact, many people do it all the time without any problems whatsoever. One thing though; before you lean on one, ensure that it’s adequately supported to keep it stable.
Sometimes we struggle to understand why some of our everyday items come with some features. A case in point is why some padlocks have a hole at the bottom. And coming back to our topic, we also wonder why headboards come alongside the bed.
Well, at this point, we won’t go into the purpose a headboard serves. We have a section for that. What’s essential at this point is knowing that among the many ways you can put your headboard to use, leaning on it is one of them.
So, the next time you’re in bed, and you want to sit up comfortably to read or work on your laptop, don’t be afraid to use your headboard as support. As long as you factor in every other safety precaution, such as ensuring that your headboard is stable and well-positioned, you should be good to go.
Proper headboard positioning prolongs its durability by keeping it from damage. It also provides relief from having to retighten or fix the headboard every now and then. So, as long as you have your headboard positioned well, you can rest assured that leaning on it is safe and that by doing so you aren’t misusing it.
Well, at this point, we won’t go into that. However, what’s important to note here is that headboards are safe to lean on. So, the next time you find yourself leaning on your headboard, don’t second-guess yourself. You’re not doing anything wrong.
Leaning against your bed’s headboard won’t cause any damage. After all, most of these headboards are usually very sturdy. However, ensure that you have the headboard positioned perfectly.
Proper positioning prolongs the durability of your bed’s headboard by keeping it from damage. It also provides relief from having to retighten or fix the headboard now and then. So, as long as you have your headboard positioned well, you can rest assured that leaning on it is safe and that you aren’t misusing it by doing so.
What is The Purpose of a Headboard For Your Bed?
The purpose of a headboard for your bed ranges from protecting your wall against damage and improving the aesthetic appeal of your bedroom to preventing your pillows from falling off and keeping your head from the cold coming from the wall close to your head when sleeping. Actually, there are many roles that a headboard can play in your bedroom.
While not many people realize it, that tall rectangle of wood or metal that’s attached to the head of their bed plays a vital role. However, most of these roles go unnoticed until you start using a bed without one.
But since we are here, let’s take a look at some of the functions that your headboard might be playing in your bedroom right now.
1. Protecting Your Wall Against Damage
One of the most critical roles a headboard plays is that it protects your wall against damage. This essential part of the bed forms a barrier between the wall and your bed, keeping the former safe from abrasion that may come its way.
You see, without a headboard, you’ll have to push the end of your bed to contact the wall. That may leave some marks on your beautiful paint. However, by bringing a headboard on board, you create a barrier that interacts well with the wall and the bed, leaving your wall intact.
2. Improving the Aesthetic Appeal of Your Bedroom
Another significant role that a headboard plays is that it improves the aesthetic appeal of your bedroom. Headboards come in different shapes, sizes, colors, and designs. So, you can pick one that best suits your taste and preference.
3. Keeping Pillows From Falling Off
Headboards form a barrier that keeps your pillows from falling off. So, if you share your bed with someone who loves to thrash around while sleeping, a headboard will come in handy. It’ll keep your pillows from hitting the floor and getting dirty or damaged.
4. Ensuring Your Head Isn’t Exposed to Cold Walls
When you sleep in a room with walls located close to your head, then your head is bound to get cold at night. That’s because uninsulated walls are good at getting cold when night comes. However, by placing a headboard between your head and the wall, you create an insulating layer that protects your head from the cold.
5. Other Functions
Other essential roles of headboard include but are not limited to;
- Supporting your back and neck
- Extra storage space
- Anchoring the bed
So, headboards generally make your bed more appealing and your moments in the bed more comfortable and safe.
Risk of Leaning Against the Headboard
The risk of leaning against the headboard is that you can develop back aches and pain, and that’s likely to happen if you don’t adopt a neutral position for your spine. But as long as you get the ideal posture when leaning against your bed’s headboard, there’s nothing left to fear about using your headboard to support your back and neck.
As seen, we have numerous benefits attached to using a headboard. But that’s not to say it doesn’t have a dark side. Like anything else, headboards have downsides, and one major dark side is that they can cause or exacerbate back pain. You see, more often when leaning against a headboard, you aren’t in the ideal position for your spine.
Let’s take an example of when using a laptop in bed. You have to twist and strain yourself to get the perfect position that allows you see the screen or operate the laptop, more often leaving your spine in an unnatural position.
And as we all know, how your spine is positioned when you’re sleeping or resting has a significant impact on your overall health. So, if you’re not careful, you can end up causing some severe damage to your spine by leaning against the headboard.
Why Do People Put Their Bed Against the Wall and Not Stand Alone?
The vast majority of people put their beds against the wall for space-related reasons. Most bedrooms aren’t big enough, so leaving space on every side of the bed leaves little room for anything else. Other reasons for positioning the bed against the wall include minimizing the chances of someone falling out of bed and security reasons.
Placing the bed against the wall is a common practice worldwide. In fact, chances are you have your bed against the wall too. But have you ever wondered why people put their bed against the wall and not stand it alone?
Well, there are several reasons to that, including;
- Better space management
- It keeps one from falling off the bed
- Improves the sturdiness of the overall setup
- The farthest wall from the door is much safer
How To Stop Your Headboard From Knocking on the Wall?
You can stop your headboard from knocking on the wall in several ways; tightening the bolts, using felt protectors or rubber stops, and replacing the bolts, just to mention a few. Generally, stopping your headboard from knocking on the wall is all about minimizing or eliminating the amount of movement it makes.
A wobbly headboard can be a real pain, not only because of the noise it makes but also because it can damage your wall. So, if you have unstable headboard, take the necessary measures to stop it from moving.
Some of the most effective ones include;
1. Tightening The Bolts
The likely reason your headboard moves is that the bolts are loose. So, the first thing you should do is check if the bolts are loose, and if they are, you should tighten them. You can use a wrench or a socket set to do that. But don’t overtighten the bolts as that can damage the threads.
2. Apply Thread-Locking Adhesive
If the bolts still don’t seem to be tight enough, use a thread-locking adhesive. This is a special kind of glue that prevents bolts from coming loose. It will, in a big way, reduce the movement of your headboard. And it’s simple; remove the bolts, apply the adhesive and then tighten them back.
3. Using Rubber Stops Or Felt Protectors
Either of these between the headboard and the wall can also help to stop the headboard from moving around. You can get rubber stops or felt protectors from your local hardware store.
4. Get New Hardware
Perhaps your bolts are just too old. In such a case, the best thing to do is to get new hardware. This is especially important if you can’t seem to stop your headboard from moving no matter how tight you tighten the bolts.
Should a Headboard Touch the Floor?
Whether a headboard should touch the floor depends on the style. Some headboards, especially the floor-standing varieties, have to touch the floor naturally, and that’s fine. But for most headboards, they remain suspended in the air without coming into contact with the floor.
Headboards come in a variety of designs;
- Strutted headboards
- Wall-mounted headboards
- Floor standing headboards
Strutted headboards come attached to the bed frame and don’t touch the floor. The wall-mounted type can either touch the floor or not, depending on the design. The floor-standing headboard is, as the name suggests, a free-standing headboard that has to contact the floor.
So, we don’t have a straightforward yes or no answer to the question of whether or not your headboard should touch the floor. It all depends on the type you have.
Can a Headboard Stand Alone?
Yes, a headboard can stand alone, especially if it’s the floor-standing type. But for other styles, such as the wall-mounted and strutted headboards, the majority of them have to be attached to the bed frame or the wall.
Floor-standing headboards give you the flexibility and convenience you’re unlikely to get in other styles. You can have them stand on the floor, attach them to the bed, or even mount them to the wall. It all depends on what works best for you.
Actually, the essence of adopting the “floor-standing” name is to help you understand that they can offer what other types of headboards usually can’t while allowing you to switch up the style whenever you need or want to.
Does a Headboard Need to Be Attached to the Bed?
A headboard needs to be attached to the bed if you have the bed-mounted type. The bed-mounted headboards need support from the bed frame and usually come bolted to the bed without any provision for operating independently. But for the case of wall-mounted and floor-standing types, they don’t necessarily have to be attached to the bed.
Like the question on whether a headboard can stand alone, the answer to this one is also relative. For some types, the answer is yes, while for others, it’s no.
As for bed-mounted types, you have no option but to attach them to the bed. But for the other two types, you can choose whether or not to attach them depending on the specific features of the headboard and your preference.
Final Verdict
So, can you lean against a headboard? Yes, you can, and in fact, supporting your back and neck is just one of the benefits you get from a headboard. Other benefits include a place to rest your pillows, an aesthetic appeal to your bedroom, and much more.
When choosing a headboard, make sure to pick one that best suits your needs and preferences. There are many different types of headboards out there, so take your time to find the perfect one for you.