Reading in bed is one of the best parts of the day, until your arms get tired, your neck starts to ache or your partner asks you to turn the light off. A few small changes can make bedtime reading far more comfortable. Here's what helps most.
1. Light your page, not the whole room
An overhead light or a bright bedside lamp lights up everything, which isn't ideal if someone next to you is trying to sleep. A small book light puts light only where you need it: on the page.
Look for a light with adjustable brightness and a warm or amber setting. Many readers find warmer light more comfortable late at night than bright white light. A rechargeable light also saves you from hunting for batteries. Our guide on choosing a book light for reading in bed covers what to look for in more detail.
2. Prop yourself up instead of lying flat
Holding a book above your face while lying flat tires out your arms and shoulders quickly. Instead, stack two or three pillows behind your back so you're sitting partly upright, and add a pillow under your arms or in your lap so the book rests at chest height. If you like reading on your side, switch sides every chapter or so.
3. Take the strain off your hands
Paperbacks, especially new ones, love to snap shut. Holding them open with two hands gets uncomfortable fast. A wooden thumb page holder sits over your thumb and keeps both pages open, so you can read one-handed and rest your other arm.
4. Keep your place without folding pages
When you finally get sleepy, you want to mark your page in a second. Heart corner bookmarks slip over the corner of the page and won't fall out if the book slides off the bed. Our bookmark book light also folds flat, so it can stay in your book overnight.
5. Keep everything within reach
Keep your book, light and a glass of water on your nightstand so you don't have to get up once you're comfortable. Charge your book light during the day so it's ready at night.
6. Make it a wind-down routine
Reading can be a relaxing way to end the day. Try reading at about the same time each night, put your phone across the room, and dim the other lights in the room. Over time, picking up your book becomes a cue to slow down.
Your reading-in-bed checklist
- A book light with warm, adjustable brightness
- Two or three pillows for back support
- A page holder for one-handed reading
- A bookmark that won't slip out
- Everything within arm's reach
Want all of it in one go? The Night Reader Kit includes a rechargeable book light, a zip book sleeve and a wooden page holder. You can also browse all of our reading in bed essentials.