A 180-degree recliner bed offers a fully lie-flat position, but being able to reach it does not, on its own, answer the question “can I sleep in it all night?”. Dozing off, an afternoon rest and night-time use each call for different checks. What matters is support, how easily the person can return to a seated position, how accessible the controls are and how much help is needed. The choice starts from the habit you want to make more comfortable, without confusing the lie-flat position with the lie-flat transfer configuration or treating the chair as automatically equivalent to a care bed.
In brief
The 180° lie-flat position lets you stretch out fully, but an afternoon break and a whole night call for different kinds of attention. Support, changes of position, access to the handset and the help available must also cover waking up and returning to a seated position. The choice starts from the kind of rest you want; if you are looking for a raised position because breathing while lying flat is difficult, you should talk to your doctor.
Start from the rest you want, not from the maximum angle
“I’d like to rest after lunch without going back to the bedroom” and “I can no longer sleep in my bed” are different requests. The first describes an activity and a preference; the second may involve difficulties that need to be understood before changing the surface.
For an older person, avoiding a transfer made only for a short break can be helpful. For someone who needs ongoing care, however, even a short rest has to fit into how the day is organised. The criterion is not always to use the most extended function, but to choose the one that fits.
Sollevita brings the backrest, seat and footrest into a fully extended, flat configuration. The Push Head powered headrest lets you adjust head support, and the footrest extension lengthens the support for the legs. These capabilities, described on the page for the Sollevita riser recliner chair with integrated care features, should be compared with the way the person wants to use the chair. [1]
Dozing, a longer break and the night: what changes
Duration should not be turned into a one-size-fits-all prescription. It is useful, however, to tell the scenarios apart: during a daytime break the person may have family members nearby and soon get back to their activities; at night, lighting, the availability of help and the needs to be managed all change.
The table helps describe the organisation; it does not set a maximum time in the chair. A short period does not remove a support problem, and a position the person likes does not, on its own, prove that it can be kept for the whole night.
| Scenario | Main question | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Habitual dozing | Does the person return to sitting as planned? | An accessible control, support and any help needed |
| Afternoon rest | How are changes of position and the return handled? | An agreed routine, the environment and the option of ending the break |
| An occasional night | Which night-time needs must be covered? | Light, a way to call for help, care and an alternative already arranged |
| Regular night-time use | Is the surface appropriate for that person? | A dedicated assessment where there is immobility or clinical need |
| Lie-flat transfer configuration | How is a transfer prepared? | The procedure, aids and staff planned: not a sleeping mode |
Before considering night-time use, also ask yourself why the current bed is not being used: difficulty with transfers, support, the environment or symptoms. These are different problems and may call for different solutions, even without changing the chair.
Support: look at the head, back and legs together
The lie-flat position makes it clearer whether the surface supports the person where it is needed. The Push Head powered headrest cannot make up for a seat from which the pelvis slides forward, and the footrest extension does not, on its own, correct an unsuitable initial set-up.
Sollevita comes in seat widths of 52 or 63 cm and three available seat depths. The three-layer seat construction combines a sprung seat base, individually pocketed springs and a comfort top layer. These are construction features worth assessing, not an automatic indication of how long the person can rest. [1]
If the person uses prescribed cushions or supports, bring them to the assessment. Do not remove them to get a position that looks more like the product photo. Likewise, do not add a high pillow under the head just because the backrest is now flat: the support must match the position the person tolerates.
If there is a risk of pressure ulcers, the choice of support surface and of position changes is part of the plan drawn up for the person. Resources from Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) point out the importance of assessing the risk and organising the necessary measures; the frequency and method of position changes should be agreed with those who look after the person. [4]
Preparing the move to the lie-flat position
Before the movement, keep the backrest, foot section and surrounding area clear. Side tables, clothing, blankets and cables must not get in the way of the moving parts. Place the handset where it stays within reach even when the arms relax.
Follow the adjustment sequence explained for the chair that was delivered. Backrest, tilt-in-space, footrest and Push Head powered headrest should be operated according to the manual and the instructions received; if a step is not clear, ask the Sollevita Team to show it to you before use.
If the person providing care operates the controls, they should announce each movement and agree on how the person can ask for a pause. There is no need to reach the 180° lie-flat position when an intermediate position is preferred or more appropriate. The options the chair offers are there to let you choose, not to impose the full range of movement.
Returning to a seated position is part of the lie-flat function
A useful trial does not end once the person is lying flat. You need to check how they find the handset again, how they communicate with the person providing care and how they return to the intended position. Waking up should not depend on random attempts to recognise the buttons.
In the agreed sequence, check head support, blankets and the position of the feet before the parts close up again. Do not improvise combinations to speed up the return. Once the person is seated again, give them the time they need to get their bearings; standing up afterwards, if planned, is a separate activity.
If dizziness, pain or unusual discomfort appears, stop the trial and seek the appropriate support. The Sollevita Team’s role is to clarify movements and how the chair works; a symptom should not automatically be put down to a wrong adjustment.
Zero Gravity, the 180° lie-flat position and the lie-flat transfer configuration serve different purposes
The 180° lie-flat position concerns the flat surface. Zero Gravity combines tilt-in-space, backrest and footrest in a position with the legs and feet raised. You do not need to choose Zero Gravity for every break, and it is not a treatment for sleep disorders. [1]
The lie-flat transfer configuration, on the other hand, combines the flat position, vertical height adjustment of the whole chair and the removable side panel so the chair can be placed alongside the bed. It is used to prepare certain transfers, with the methods and aids planned for the person. Falling asleep in a chair set fully flat does not mean using the lie-flat transfer configuration.
If you want to compare the alternatives within your routine, Sollevita’s relax and rest options describe the adjustments available. In this article the question stays more specific: what kind of rest to organise and how to manage its end as well.
When the need to sleep in a chair calls for a medical opinion
If a person turns to the chair because they feel short of breath when lying flat, simply advising them to raise the backrest is not enough. New breathing difficulty needs a medical opinion; if it is severe or accompanied by signs that it is serious, urgent help must be sought. France’s Assurance Maladie (national health insurance) stresses this distinction in its information on recent breathlessness. [2]
Snoring combined with observed pauses in breathing, or marked daytime sleepiness, also deserves an assessment. The Assurance Maladie points out that suspected sleep apnoea must be checked through a diagnostic process, not simply by choosing a position. A chair does not replace a treatment that has already been prescribed. [3]
A care bed may still be necessary because of the type of mattress, access to care or how the night is organised. Sollevita’s 180° lie-flat position offers an additional option for resting during the day: any night-time use should be assessed according to the person’s needs.
A seven-day diary, without introducing night-time trials
When use has already been agreed, you can note down for a week how the usual breaks go. There is no need to start sleeping in the chair to fill in the diary, and you should not wait seven days to report a symptom.
Record the planned activity, the position used, who operated the controls and how the return went. The diary does not measure the clinical effectiveness of the chair: it helps describe preferences, difficulties and organisation.
| Day | Planned rest and position | Controls and return | Observation to report |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | To be filled in | To be filled in | To be filled in |
| 2 | To be filled in | To be filled in | To be filled in |
| 3 | To be filled in | To be filled in | To be filled in |
| 4 | To be filled in | To be filled in | To be filled in |
| 5 | To be filled in | To be filled in | To be filled in |
| 6 | To be filled in | To be filled in | To be filled in |
| 7 | To be filled in | To be filled in | To be filled in |
It may turn out that an intermediate position is preferred to the fully flat surface, or that the handset needs to be repositioned. These are concrete points for the consultation. Health-related difficulties and technical ones should be reported to the relevant contacts, without mixing them up.
Battery, calling for help and care: what to have ready for waking up
The lithium battery powers the motors and allows adjustments without a constant connection to the mains socket. However, it should not be considered inexhaustible, nor used as an absolute guarantee of a return in every circumstance. Charging, indicators and handling a fault follow the instructions for the configuration. [1]
If the person does not operate the controls independently, it must be clear how they can call the person providing care. A handset is not automatically a call system. A phone or other usual device should be kept within reach and separate from the chair’s controls.
Tutorials and video calls with the Sollevita Team can help you understand the functions. After-sales support does not replace the personal care needed during rest: they are two different kinds of support, to be organised without leaving everything to technology.
FAQ
Common questions
Can a 180-degree recliner bed replace a bed?
Not automatically. It offers a flat surface for resting, but a bed and a chair differ in access, surface and care activities. Its use should be assessed in relation to the person and their needs, especially when a whole night is being considered.
Can I use Sollevita for an afternoon rest?
Yes, when the position meets the person’s needs and the return is organised. Intermediate angles can also be used: you do not always have to reach 180°. Support, controls and any help that may be needed are part of the assessment.
How long can you stay lying flat in the chair?
There is no duration that applies to everyone. Mobility, support, the need to change position and individual instructions all matter. When the person needs care, the duration and manner of resting should be agreed with those who look after them, without deriving a fixed interval simply from the fact that the chair has a lie-flat function.
Does the Push Head replace a prescribed cushion?
No, not automatically. It is an integrated adjustment of head support, not a universal substitute for specialist supports. A prescribed cushion should be taken into account in the assessment and not removed in order to try the chair.
Does the battery guarantee a return to sitting during a power cut?
It can power the motors if it is charged and working, depending on the configuration and the instructions. It would not be correct to promise a return in every situation. Before use, you need to know about charging, warning signals and how to get support if a fault occurs.
Is the diary meant for trying seven nights in the chair?
No. It is for observing breaks and rest periods that are already part of the routine. It does not encourage introducing night-time use, prolonging an uncomfortable position or putting off a medical opinion. It can be useful even if you only record short daytime breaks.
Sources and references
[1] Sollevita — Care riser recliner: 180° lie-flat position, adjustments, battery and construction.
[2] Assurance Maladie (French national health insurance) — I am suddenly short of breath and struggling to breathe (in French): the need to assess recent breathlessness and determine how urgent it is.
[3] Assurance Maladie (French national health insurance) — Sleep apnoea: symptoms, diagnosis and course (in French): warning signs and the need for a diagnostic process.
[4] Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) — Pressure ulcers: risk assessment and recommendations for prevention and treatment (in French).
The next step: clarify how you want to rest
Describe the usual way of resting, the support needed and who manages the return. To clarify the handset, battery and technical support, refer to Sollevita after-sales support and the Sollevita Team. A good choice starts from the kind of break you want, not just from the maximum angle that can be reached.
