When the couch calls

You know that feeling when you sink into your favourite couch? It is like a warm hug. It is familiar, it is soft, and the second you settle in, your body says thank you. But then there is the other side of it. Getting up off that same couch feels like a full-on effort. For me, it is almost always paired with a grunt or a groan, especially if I have been there for a while. As a certain singer once said, how can something that feels so good be so bad?

Last week, I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up at two in the morning, stumbled into bed, and the next day my neck was stiff, my back was tight, and I was making those dramatic sighing noises every time I had to bend or move. Sound familiar? I know I am not the only one.

So here is a challenge if you are up for it. Next time you hear the couch calling your name, try sitting on the floor instead for just thirty minutes. That is it. Thirty minutes. No distractions. Just sit. And notice what happens.

I can almost predict it. You will find yourself wriggling and shifting positions every minute or so, hunting for something that feels right. The time will crawl. You might even start questioning why you agreed to this. But when you stand up afterwards, chances are you will not feel that same couch-induced stiffness. No creaky knees, no sighing or groaning, just a simple stand up and carry on. That says something.

There is actually a reason this happens, and it is grounded in how our bodies were designed to move. In the book Built to Move by Kelly and Juliet Starrett, they talk about how we are made to sit in natural, ground-based positions. When we sit on the floor, we are not just being old-school or quirky. We are helping our hips move the way they are supposed to. We are restoring range of motion, supporting healthy joints, and getting some good practice at getting up and down. This movement is essential if we want to stay independent and mobile as we age.

To me, this is not just about sitting. It feels like a bigger analogy for life. The things that feel easiest or most pleasurable in the moment are not always the ones that serve us best long term. That does not mean we have to avoid them completely, but being aware of the trade-off is important.

Take dessert, for example. I do love a good tiramisu. And yes, I will sometimes skip my run to sleep in a little longer. I do not beat myself up over it. I just try to make those the exception rather than the rule. If eighty percent of the time I am making choices that support my health and energy, then I am okay with the other twenty percent being a little more relaxed. Life is not about perfection.

I am not claiming I will never choose the couch again. Let’s be honest, I love a comfy lounge session as much as anyone. But I am becoming more aware of how those choices make me feel afterwards. So maybe, next time I plan a big binge session of The Handmaid’s Tale, I will set myself up on the floor instead. Chances are I will watch fewer episodes, move more during, and feel a lot better the next day.

That sounds like a win to me.