Advantages & Disadvantages of Bean Bags [Home and Health]

In general, bean bags are simply bags packed with various materials such as expanded polystyrene, dried beans, beads, pellets, and much more. You might not want to primarily sit on them when you have other options available.

But for those of us who have bean bags with us, they are so much more than just seating alternatives. But the question that comes to mind is whether or not you should go with them as your first choice or not.

According to multiple studies, there is a plethora of benefits of sitting or sleeping on a bean bag as opposed to a couch or a classic chair. Discover the advantages of adopting this piece of ergonomic furniture. Plus, read ahead to find out tons of advantages of investing in a top-quality bean bag.

Pros and Cons of a Bean Bag

Besides bean bag benefits, we will also find out its downsides. But first, let go through the advantages of a bean bag chair:

Advantages of Bean Bag

Improves Body Posture

Generally, everyone thinks that they must sit in a straight, hard-backed chair in order to have an ideal posture.  But, when positioned upright, a bean bag chair is far more helpful than a traditional chair for encouraging excellent posture.

Your head back, hips, shoulders, and neck are all well supported by the design of a bean bag chair. Moreover, bean bags prevents back pain. They are good for your back – back pain is prevented by their ability to adjust according to your body, thanks to their featured ergonomic design.

Environment-Friendly

Countless trees are cut down every day to make traditional house chairs and other wooden furniture. A bean bag, on the other hand, doesn’t require the usage of any trees, making it an environmental-friendly option. Knowing that this seating option isn’t made of wood allows the user to sit and relax without feeling any sort of guilt. 

Additionally, they are effortlessly disposable with little to no effort. Shredded foam, which is produced from recycled plastic or other materials, is commonly used filling in bean bag chairs. Consequently, a bean bag filled with eco-friendly fillings can contribute to a greener environment.

Affordability

A variety of beanbag setups can be used to decorate your entire home instead of spending a fortune on a regular couch.

A fairly inexpensive seating decoration idea that will keep your family together without paying a hefty amount is bean bags. In general, bean bags are one of the least expensive seating options available out there. 

Relieves Back Pain

After a hectic day at the office, sitting down on a classic chair, rough sofa, or couch might alter the natural body posture of adults.
They can develop back pain due to poor postural habits while spending a lot of time in front of a computer. Unfortunately, now children also suffer from back pain problems due to watching TV, gaming, and more.

In contrast to conventional furniture, a comfy bean bag filled with carefully chosen filler like memory foam will wrap around your body in its natural position without applying unnecessary strain on your neck.

Comfortable Seating Option

Bean bags offer extraordinary comfort to your whole body. A conventional chair provides support to the upper body by combining springs and foam. As you sit on them, the elements compress, spreading your weight out on the whole chair.

Similarly, bean bags work in the same way but perform the task way better than a chair. This is so because when you sit on a bean bag, the filling can spread however they want in all directions.

You can make seating shapes that flawlessly fit your body and eliminate pressure areas, making it as comfortable for yourself as you like. People find it unbelievable that they are able to form the seat in any way they desire.

Indoor and Outdoor Use

Invest in a high-quality, suitable bean bag and you can use it indoors and outdoors. Opt for bean bags to make your deck more appealing and comfortable.

It is a great way to encourage family members to spend more time outdoors than in their rooms. If you’re having a BBQ or new year party, you can use bean bags to create a relaxed and fun atmosphere.

Versatility

In the old times, the fabrics used for bean bags were of poor quality. But that is not the case anymore. In the present times, you can pick from a wide range of styles to match any interior design for your workplace or house.

There is currently a plethora of bean bags available as a result of amazing human imagination and never-ending technological advancements. If you check the places selling bean bags, you will find options available in various shapes, cool colors, and multiple sizes. It allows you to pick the one that suits your requirements. 

Useful for Workplaces and Homes

The best places to use bean bag chairs to relieve tension are in workplaces and homes. In homes, you can place them in living rooms, outdoors, and children’s bedrooms. As a result, kids will become happy and more active. Similarly, the workplace becomes an enjoyable place.

Plus, employees will become more productive because they won’t ever again suffer major back pain problems as a result of spending all day in front of the desktop.

Customizable

Many furniture items can be modified to fit your desired taste and design. But for customized features, you need to invest a lot of money. However, you can personalize and customize bean bags to your style without having to break the bank. Stunning customized bean bags can radically transform the overall appearance and mood of a home.

You can also make a bean bag on your own. It is simpler to make this piece of furniture than to look for furniture that meets your needs. For instance, you can have a huge variation of bean bag fabric with a pattern or even one with pre-filled fillings.  

Easy to Maintain and Clean

Cleaning traditional chairs are quite hard to clean. They cannot just be thrown in the washing machine with your other laundry. That is why, you must spot-clean them, which typically required assistance from experts. This will cost you a lot of money.

You won’t need to be concerned about this when cleaning your bean bags. The part of the bean bag that gathers the most dirt is the outer cover; all you have to do is unzip it and wash it as directed. You have to pay the cost of your standard washing machine cycle.

Light and Movable

The portability of bean bags makes them incredibly catchy and alluring. Since you can move them whenever required, this characteristic makes them a popular option for outdoor seating. Due to their low weight, even young toddlers and children may easily move small bean bag chairs wherever they want.

No matter how frequently they are moved, they won’t harm your flooring because they are so lightweight.

Additionally, they don’t take up much room, allowing you to add extra bean bags for your family and friends enjoyment. When you need extra seating for visitors, you can both store them in storage and pull them out as needed.

Disadvantages of Bean Bag

Can Impact Posture Negatively

Although we’ve already mentioned earlier that bean bags can be beneficial for your body posture, they can be harmful if not taken care of. There is a risk of doing major harm to yourself if you dont sit or lay on bean bags properly. They can ruin your posture if you sit on them incorrectly or for long hours.

Difficult to Get Up

Because of bean bags’ softness, they sink when you sit or lay on them. That is why you will find it challenging to stand up from them once seated, particularly if you have leg or knee health issues.

These seating options are difficult for pregnant women and elderly persons to use. As you sink into a bean bag, getting up can easily strain your muscles.

Not Suitable for Infants

Although bean bags may look like the ideal seating option for babies, they are certainly not the best option for them. Children older than 12 months can use bean bags, but for newborns younger than 12 months, there is a risk of suffocation.

So, it’s recommended to avoid putting your infant on bean bags because it will be difficult for them to stay calm and get rest.

Easily Get Dirty

It’s so appealing to sit in a bean bag with a glass of red and a good book. But getting into and out of it might lead to spills. If you have pets or preschoolers in the house, keeping a bean bag chair clean might not be an easy job to do.

They can get pretty dirty frequently depending on what material the bean bag cover is made of. It is a serious problem associated with a bean bag. If your children spill something on it, the stain might never come out depending on the fabric. You wouldn’t be the first homeowner to spill something on a bean bag and destroy it completely.

Prone to Tears and Mess

Cheap bean bags may tear or have broken zippers if you do not use them carefully. If the bean bag filling spills onto your floor, it can cause a huge mess to clean up.

Because the lightweight beads float everywhere, it can be very difficult to clean them up. You cannot use a vacuum cleaner because it will quickly be packed with the beads.

Can Cause You to Sweat

The fabrics and styles of bean bags may make them sweaty and uncomfortable to sit on for a long period of time. Humidity makes you sweat a lot, especially on your back. So, you would need to take this point into consideration before picking the next bean bag for your home

Benefits of Bean Bags for Kids

When it comes to the benefits of bean bags for kids, there are plenty of them. Some of the major reasons to use these comfy chairs for your preschoolers are as follows:

Make a Cheerful Sitting Area

It’s important for kids to have a place where they can relax. You can put it in the classroom or kids’ living room. A bean bag chair is a great way to decorate your home or classroom to make the environment relaxed for children.

You can even move this cozy corner around as needed since the chairs are easy to carry and don’t require any assembly. Make your kids feel at ease by sitting on a bean bag, holding a cozy stuffed animal, and letting them do their homework in a fun way.

A Variety of Fabric Options

Some bean bags are intentionally made for kids. These seating options are available in various fabric options to choose from. There exist bean bag fabrics that are easy to grip and make it easy to move for your kids from one place to another.

So, they can freely move them around the house or classroom. Plus, tons of fabrics make it effortless for them to comfortably sit on it.

Offer Proprioceptive Input

Body awareness is a problem for a lot of children who are suffering from sensory processing issues. The best way to provide your kids with the necessary proprioceptive input is by giving them a bean bag chair.

Children can use the bean bag chair to sit, lie down, or even lie on their stomachs with the lightweight bean bag on their backs.

A position offers the chance to try out various body positions and receive deep pressure input on the joints and muscles. As bean bags are extremely comfy, your kids can also jump on them to have fun.

Multiple Sizes and Shapes

Selecting the ideal bean bag is a very personal decision for every parent. You have tons of bean bag chairs, just like there is a myriad of different traditional seating options. Many different sizes are available, allowing you to make sure it fits your children’s body.

A typical round-shaped chair will work excellently if they desire to wrap around it. Alternatively, if your kid likes to make stretches after a hectic day in school, a long bean bag chair will be best for them.

Bean Bag Health Issues

Although bean bag solves multiple health issues, they may cause some problems for the users as well, if they don’t take the necessary precautions when using them. These health issues are:

• Sitting or lying on a bean bag in the wrong position can cause back pain and pain in other body parts and joints such as the neck.
• Lying in an appropriate body position can disturb your sleep cycle as you won’t be able to sleep properly.
• It may cause suffocation to toddlers as they are unable to move their bodies on their own.
• The fillings may contain chemicals that are harmful to the user’s health.

Bean Bags are Worth Your Investment!

To summarize, bean bags have countless benefits. There are some negative things as well but they can be countered with ease. If you learn how to use the bean bags the right way, bean bags are certainly worth your money. Besides, bean bags are fine for kids as well. But toddlers should avoid using them.