Mantel Mount | March 25, 2024

What's The Best Position to Watch TV?

With MantelMount, whether it's one of our pull down TV mounts (like the MM700 Premier, MM540 Enhanced, or MM340 Standard) or our motorized drop down and swivel TV mount (the MM815), users are likely to enjoy watching TV more than without.

By watching TV at eye-level rather than at a high level, you are more inclined to eliminate neck and back pain; that which comes from sitting, laying, or standing in a poor body position.

However, curiosity takes its toll... in a good way. How do people watch TV once their MantelMount TV has been installed and is in its position away from the wall? What even is the best position to watch TV in? And is there a correct posture for watching TV, and if so, what is it?

After looking through a gaming website, Comic Vine, there's a world of many tightly-held opinions on TV-viewing positions.

Some questions that bubbled up within the discussion include:

  • Do you sit in front of the TV or off to the side?
  • Do your seating preferences vary depending on which show or movie you’re watching?
  • Do you rest your head or do you prefer to sit up straight?
  • Do you use a pillow to support your back or head?

The responses run the gamut. The following is a sampling to prove that there are many comfortable (and not-so-comfortable ways) to go about watching television.

  • “I’m an experimental sitter, I go through about 4 different positions during a one-hour show, from sitting down in the perfect, health position (upper body to lower body at 90 degrees and so forth), to laying down on the sofa sideways in a star position.” - Posted by EnigmaLantern
  • “Flat on my back. Sitting is for suckers.” - Posted by longbowhunter
  • “Feet and legs on the wall back and head on bed and watching tv upside down but my legs do fall asleep after a while.” – Posted by HumanRocket
  • “Sit on a sofa/arm chair. Will either sit up right or recline.” – Posted by mrdeceptionleader
  • “I sit in a chair, hunched up in a ball.” – Posted by AllStarSuperman
  • “I walk around in circles.” – Posted by Marionettegeist
  • "Ideally a reclining leather armchair with armrests and cupholders in front of a fireplace. Usually though I end up listening to TV from the other room while doing something else. I watch everything on the computer so if I miss some awesome stuff while in the other room I can rewind." – Posted by HeckTate

Let's dig a little bit more into a few of these responses and which TV mount might be best for the way they watch television.

1. The Experimental Sitter

“... I go through about 4 different positions during a one-hour show, from sitting down in the perfect, health position..., to laying down on the sofa sideways in a star position...”

The key to avoiding neck and back pain when watching television might just be this solution. For those of you out there that get antsy or need a different viewing experience than the normal one for hours on end (especially if you're binge watching your favorite show) is to change up the way you sit (or stand) while tuning into a movie or show.

If you, like the way you watch your television, need a TV mount that introduces you to a comfortable way to watch TV, well, we have the MM340 Standard TV Mount for you.

The MM340 Standard TV Mount is the entryway mount into the world of TV mounts. If you love this one, you'll love all the rest of our MantelMount products.

MM340

2. The Relaxing One

"Flat on my back. Sitting is for suckers."

Whether you're more inclined to watch TV in bed or you have "your spot" on the couch, laying flat and relaxing has its advantages.

Although it's not necessarily the correct posture for watching TV in bed, laying down flat as its perks. Frankly, laying flat in bed while watching TV is the easy part.

(If you are looking for ways on how to watch TV in bed without hurting your neck? We have a blog dedicated to the hot topic of TVs in bedrooms you will want to check out.)

Whether you're laying flat on your back on the living room sofa, on your bed, or maybe even on the family room floor, having a TV that is at eye-level is important for comfortability and TV clarity.

Which MantelMount TV Mount would we choose for "The Relaxing One"? The MM540 Enhanced, one of our most popular TV mounts, is a great option. 

With a built-in sound bar attachment, heat sensing pull down handles, and a lot more features, this is the TV mount for those who want to put their TV into position and relax.

 

MM540

 

3. The Pacer

"I walk around in circles."

Whether your TV is stationed in your living room, office, or kitchen, it's important to have the right viewing angles for whatever position YOU are in, too.

Do you pace while you watch TV shows or movies? Do you need to be walking around and let out all of that pent-up energy while watching sporting events?

Although it's likely hard to strain your neck or injure your back while standing and watching the TV, you should be able to stand and watch... comfortably. And watching a show, movie, or sporting event at the right height is going to provide a more enjoyable TV-viewing experience.

So, for the pacer -- or that someone who is on their feet while watching TV, cleaning, making food, or walking on their walking pad -- our favorite MantelMount TV Mount would be the MM700 Premier

The in-house favorite and the most expansive (feature-wise) of our pull down TV mounts, the MM700 Premier is great for any size TV (for 45" - 90") to view from different angles.

MM700 with a graphic image showcasing the way the TV on the MM700 mount swivels

4. The Fireplace Recliner

"Ideally a reclining leather armchair...in front of a fireplace."

Lastly we have "The Fireplace Recliner". We're biased but this is our favorite sitting position: with a book on the end table, a beverage of choice in hand, and comfortably seated in front of the fireplace where a TV is lowered in front.

It is possible to mount a TV above your fireplace, achieve the perfect eye-level TV viewing, all the while, having no back or neck pain.

The go-to choice for "The Fireplace Recliner" would have to be our latest TV mount: The MM815 Motorized Drop Down and Swivel TV Mount. The MM815 comes with a remote, allowing you to get into max comfort mode while not having to get up and tweak the angles of the TV.

Gif of how MantelMount TV mounts are used in daily life

Need more motivation as the "Recliner"? Read our blog on installing motorized TV mounts, which will likely put you in overdrive. 

Regardless of the position you're in while watching TV, here are a few more tidbits on TV-watching advice from the Consumer Reports. Also, Athletico Physical Therapy has mentioned to beat binge watching pain, TV-watchers should "lower your TV height to avoid needing to look up, which encourages a forward head posture." 

Whatever position you assume, we hope you gain the most enjoyment possible from watching your flat screen TV with a MantelMount TV mount, providing you with the best possible TV-watching angle.