Updated : November 28, 2025
Published : December 28, 2022
Guides

Most people have had at least one bad night’s sleep on a sofa bed at some point in their life. Sofa beds are not known for being comfortable, but it might surprise you to learn that they’ve come a long way in the last few years.

In fact, some new sofa beds are as comfortable as regular beds. If you’re not ready to swap your old sofa bed for a new one just yet, then there are things you can do to make it more comfortable.

Read on to find out how to make a sofa bed more comfortable for a better night’s sleep.

Common complaints of old sofa beds

When it comes to sleeping on an old sofa bed, the most common complaint is that you can feel the bed’s metal frame through the mattress.

Old sofa beds usually have metal struts that are positioned under the hip or torso area. Add to this the fact that cheap sofa bed mattresses are notoriously thin, and it’s easy to see why it’s so hard to get a comfortable night’s sleep on a pull-out bed.

These aren’t the only complaints levied at old sofa beds. Other problems include:

The mattress is too soft or too firm
The black canvas decking under the mattress is worn out or sagging
The metal bed frame is creaking

Most of these common complaints can be resolved by upgrading the mattress, but in some cases, it makes better financial sense to replace the entire sofa bed. If this isn’t an option for you, then there are things you can do to make your sofa bed more comfortable.

Tips to make a sofa bed more comfortable

Whether you only sleep on your sofa bed once in a while or you use it every night, we have good news – it’s relatively simple and straightforward to make it more comfortable.

In this section, we share with you our top three tips for improving your old sofa bed.

1. Use a mattress topper

Sofa bed mattress toppers provide an extra layer of comfort on top of your normal mattress. Usually around two inches thick, they are particularly useful if your sofa bed mattress is thin or too firm.

Though it may be a relatively cheap solution, if the mattress underneath it needs replacing, then a topper won’t cover up its problems.

You should also consider that it may not be possible to fold up the sofa bed with the mattress topper still on it. You’ll need somewhere suitable to store the topper when it’s not being used, and for those who like to keep their living space neat and tidy, this means finding somewhere out of the way.

If you choose to invest in a sofa bed mattress topper, be prepared to look after it. Like any standard mattress, it will need cleaning and flipping regularly to prevent wear and tear.

2. Choose your pillows carefully

It’s tempting to reach for the nearest sofa cushion when you’re setting up your sofa bed for the night ahead, but if you do this, you’re likely to wake up the next morning with a stiff neck and shoulder pain.

For a better night’s sleep, try to make your sofa bed feel more like a regular bed by using proper pillows and bedding. This will create a comfortable and warm environment that helps to transform your living space into a temporary bedroom.

It’s also much better for your sleeping posture to use a proper pillow than a seat cushion, particularly if you use your sofa bed every night.

With a sofa bed from Furl, you can store your pillows and a duvet in the arms of the sofa.

Sofa cushions are not made for sleeping on, but they can be used to fill the gaps around the sofa bed to make it feel more enclosed and prevent things from falling through the gaps.

3. Look after the metal structure

If your sofa bed is squeaking (and this can be annoying when you turn over in bed), then try lubricating it with something like WD40. You should also check for loose parts and tighten up anything that needs it.

The frame and mechanisms that make up a sofa bed require regular maintenance. If it’s not possible to repair your sofa bed, then you may need to consider replacing it.

New sofa beds are comfortable enough to sleep on every night, so it’s possible to combine your sofa with your regular bed. This is a great way of freeing-up valuable room if space is at a premium.

Can you use a regular mattress on your sofa bed?

The most effective way of making your sofa bed more comfortable is to replace its thin, worn-out, and tired mattress with a new one.

The average sofa bed mattress is only 180cm long and 9cm thick, however some new sofa beds can fit a regular, full-sized mattress.

Furl’s comfortable sofa beds can fit a two-metre-long (6’6’’ long) mattress, so there is no need for your legs to dangle over the edge – and they are as thick as a regular mattress. But what’s more impressive is that you can still fold up this sofa bed with a full-sized mattress inside it.

Creating the right environment for sleep

Your living room isn’t the ideal place for sleep. It’s probably full of electronics that have bright stand-by lights, and these rooms often face the street so they can be noisy.

Making your sofa bed more comfortable is just the first step towards getting a good night’s sleep. You also need to create the right environment for sleep and that includes having proper pillows and bedding.

Here are our top tips for transforming your living space into a bedroom for the night.

Use lamps and plug-in night lights to create a more subdued mood for sleeping.
Consider having a side table next to the sofa so you can keep a glass of water close to hand during the night.
Use blackout curtains and blinds to keep out the glare of street lights.
Cover the standby light on your electronics or turn them off at the wall.
Consider including storage for your guests — e.g., a spare drawer for their belongings.
Choose bedding in calm, neutral colours like green, blue, cream, or grey.

With a comfortable sofa bed, you can offer your guests a place to stay on the spur of the moment at the end of a party or even give them a bed for a week or two.

Frequently asked questions on sofa beds

If you’ve still got questions on how to make a sofa bed more comfortable, you might find the answer here in our FAQs.

How much weight can a sofa bed hold?

The average sofa bed can comfortably hold between 90 and 120kg.

At Furl, we wanted to go one better so we developed a sofa bed for people of all shapes and sizes. Our sturdy sofa beds have been tried and tested up to 300 kg in weight. So, you can jump into bed safe in the knowledge that your sofa bed is designed to take your weight.

Can you leave sheets on a sofa bed?

It is possible to leave sheets on a sofa bed when you fold it away, but your duvet and pillows are unlikely to fit in there too. Consider buying a sofa bed with storage so you have a place to put your bedding when you’re not using it.

What is the difference between a sofa bed and a sofa sleeper?

A sofa sleeper is just another way of describing a sofa bed. Put simply, it’s a sofa with a pull-out mattress that transforms into a bed. You’re more likely to hear ‘sleeper sofa’ in the US, while in the UK, ‘sofa bed’ is the preferred term.