Do you ever find yourself awake in bed at 2:00 am...on purpose? Yeah, that happens to a lot of us. For a lot of different reasons that are not insomnia. Maybe your bedtime book turned into a heart-thumping page-turner. Or your friends are in the middle of group text drama. Or you have to beat your last high-score on your favorite phone game. Or maybe, just maybe, you've got your laptop open and are getting some work done.

Whatever the reason, thousands of people every night (and day) are in bed—lounging, but not sleeping. Of course, this also comes with problems. You know what we mean. At first, you're lounging on one arm, a pillow propped under you and it's all comfy. Two hours of texting/reading/gaming later, and your shoulder and neck are killing you. You have to change your position. Even if you lay back on the pillows, staying tensed-up in that position can start to wear in the lower back.

Here at Nest bedding, we know all about making a bed as cozy as a dream with the right mattress and bedding. But we certainly don't think you have to be asleep to make your bed and enjoy every moment of lounging. For anyone who spends a lot of time staying awake in bed—day or night—there are a few things you can do differently to make that time extra comfortable.

1. Invest in a Reasonably Firm Mattress

If you've had aches after hours of lounging (or sleeping), then the first thing to investigate is always your mattress. A soft mattress may be great for carrying you off to dreamland. But if you're awake and sitting even a little bit up, you will find that sinking feeling to be more than a little problematic. A firmer mattress, or at least a mattress with a firm center and soft top, is much better for giving you the support you need to lounge comfortably for hours. If your mattress is too soft for lounging, try a firm topper or even a board under the mattress.

Oh, and if your mattress is old, that could be the problem too. Beds are supposed to last five to 10 years. Most people tend to keep them much longer than that, which results in lumps, uneven softness, and the notorious valley in the center. That valley is your biggest enemy of comfortable lounging. If you've got one, it's time for a mattress upgrade—which will be worth-while, since your bed is also apparently your new home office.

2. Surround Yourself with Variously Poofy Pillows

Once you've made sure your mattress isn't eating you alive (or while you're getting that taken care of), turn your attention to the pillows. Now, your pillows might be the first place your mind went when thinking about staying awake in bed. After all, they are vital to enjoying a good long bed-lounge. But what you may not realize is that your two uniform pillows are not doing you any favors. Whether you like firm or soft, thin or fluffy, what you need to enjoy an excellent lounging posture is a variety of pillows of various firmness, puffiness, and perhaps size.

Why? Because this gives you materials to build your lounging rigs. You want a firmer pillow behind your lower back if you are lounging backward into a pile of pillows, with a softer pillow behind your head. Firm pillows are great for propping yourself up while fluffy pillows bring that flexible comfiness wherever you need it. Even thin pillows have a purpose, propping up your laptop or serving as an extra couple inches of support.

3. Cozy Up with a Fluffy but Breathable Comforter

Another great tool to have in your all-night, all-day bed lounging is a big fluffy but nicely breathable comforter. Look for something with plenty of stuffing on the inside, not thin like a quilt. The purpose? A fluffy comforter can take the place of several pillows folded or wadded up beneath you. It's so big and easily reshaped that you can use the comforter to perfect your lounging comfort where your pillows may not be getting the job done. And you want it breathable, so it doesn't feel stifled when you're awake and snuggled up underneath.

Not to mention the possibility of both propping yourself up on and wrapping yourself in the cozy covers at the same time. A comforter is an excellent addition to your bed-lounging gear.

4. Add a Knit or Fleece Throw Blanket

Of course, once you're propped up on all your pillows and comforter, you may still want to snuggle up under a warm blanket. If you're up all night, one of the best ways to do this is with a lighter-weight knit blanket, fleece blanket, or a summer-weight quilt. These can be wrapped up in, thrown over your legs or used to make a light-blocking tent so your housemates don't discover that you're still up when you said you would be asleep.

This kind of blanket is called a throw blanket in most circles because you throw it onto the top of a bed or over the back of a chair. Most people already have one throw blanket in their house because, quite frankly, they're handy and comfortable at the same time.

5. Wear Close-Fitting Pajamas

Ever find your pajama pants wrapped tightly around your legs after shifting around in bed only a few times? Or with your nightshirt twisted up around your torso? Yeah, we know that one, too. Pajamas are usually loosely built because it's comfortable and most people don't move around much in their sleep.

But if you're up all night in bed feeling active and doing stuff, you're going to be moving around a lot more. And this can result in your PJs wrapping your body uncomfortably and sometimes awkward way. If you're going to be awake, try looking for pajamas or pajama-like clothing that fits a little more closely, so it can't wrap quite so many times around your body. Leggings, old t-shirts, or just more fitted pajamas make great alternatives that don't feel like they are smothering.

6. Turn on Some White Noise or Soft Music

A lot of people who stay up texting or reading all night will come out of it feeling surprisingly irritated or nervous. This experience is a normal part of being awake in the middle of the night and hyper-focusing when you (maybe) should be sleeping. But it's also caused by spending long periods in near-perfect silence. If your house is quiet at night, you might not even realize that you're spending hours without any music, background TV, or even the soft sounds of housemates being up and alive.

The best cure to that nervous feeling that can cause you to tense up and make the aches worse is adding a little noise to your soundscape. Soft music or even a white noise generator can seriously reduce the tenseness and agitation you sometimes experience when up too late, even doing something you love. It's better if you don't have to wear earbuds, but not everyone has that option while being polite to their housemates.