When I was backpacking in India in summer 2023, I found myself visiting the most important pilgrimage site for Buddhists — Bodh Gaya. Mahabodhi Temple — an extraordinary place at the centre of this rural holy town — is the very place Buddha was enlightened after meditating under the sacred Bodhi Tree for 49 days without moving from his seat.
The monks who looked after the temple would often meditate for up to 10 hours per day. Getting into a cross-legged position, eyes gazing downward, chin tucked slightly with my palms naturally falling onto my thighs, I sat there — for about 10 minutes before I could start feeling the discomfort in my back.
How were the monks able to sit in the same position for up to 10 hours a day, every day, without getting chronic back pain?
The truth is, it doesn't matter how long you're sitting down for. It matters how you sit. Even as hunter-gatherers, we spent an average of 9–10 hours sitting each day — the same amount of time we do today. The type of seating that we sit on, though, has changed dramatically, and we're making ourselves suffer with chronic pain later in life because we're not doing enough to fix our posture before it's too late.
Imagine yourself well into retirement: you're able to keep up with the grandchildren, keep doing the things you love like gardening, and not have to worry about the stress on your mind and body that chronic pain can cause, simply because you decided to invest in solid, wooden chairs that correct your posture while you worked at your desk and dined at the dinner table.
Research shows that wooden chairs, especially those with ergonomic designs, can provide the perfect balance of support and natural alignment. Unlike heavily padded chairs that encourage slouching, a well-crafted wooden chair helps maintain proper posture by engaging your core muscles and promoting a neutral spine position.
In this blog post, I'm going to debunk the myths about wooden chairs and show you why investing in wooden chairs may turn out to be one of the smartest decisions you'll ever make.
Are Wooden Chairs Uncomfortable? - Myth Debunked Once And For All
Many people assume wooden chairs are inherently uncomfortable, equating hardness with discomfort. This couldn't be further from the truth. The key lies in understanding that comfort isn't about softness — it's about proper support and alignment of your spine, which well-designed wooden chairs excel at providing. Wooden chairs also encourage active sitting; this means that the core muscles are engaged to some extent to maintain an upright position, leading to better overall posture and stronger core muscles over time.
Unfortunately, the "profit above all" mentality has led to lower-quality, mass-produced chairs with little regard for ergonomics becoming the norm in workplaces and homes. The result? A generation suffering from back problems, poor posture, and chronic discomfort. However, there's a growing shift back toward quality wooden furniture, led by those who recognise that investing in proper seating means investing in their long-term health and well-being.
How To Choose Comfortable Wooden Chairs in 5 Steps
Different forms of wooden dining chairs will be more or less comfortable for different people. Luckily, there are some things to look out for when you're on the hunt for comfortable wooden chairs, which I'll walk you through now.
1. Look For A Sloped Backrest
Chairs with 90-degree corners are quite possibly my worst nightmare. I remember one of my dear friends and her husband had a dining set made from teak that they had brought back from India. The table was beautiful and had a rustic charm to it, but the chairs had a square flat seat and a tall backrest that went straight up. For Sunday dinners, it was agonising to sit down, and I always found myself slouching because my spine couldn't lean back into the chair.
The lesson here? A good wooden chair should have a backrest that's slightly angled — around 100-110 degrees is ideal — and provides lumbar support. This slight recline allows your spine to maintain its natural curve while still keeping you upright and engaged. Some of the best wooden chairs I've encountered incorporate both of these things, making them surprisingly comfortable for extended periods.
Pictured: Side profile of Farmhouse Slat Back Chair, revealing the sloped backrest
2. Seat Contours
The contours of a wooden chair's seat play a crucial role in distributing pressure evenly across your body. A slight dip or curve in the seat, along with a waterfall edge at the front, helps reduce pressure on your thighs and promotes better blood circulation. This natural sculpting of the wood, when done correctly, creates a seat that cradles your body while maintaining proper alignment — something that's particularly important during those long dinner parties or work sessions.
Pictured: Windsor Dining Chairs with contoured seats
3. Find The Optimal Seat Height That Promotes a 90-Degree Angle At The Knees
When it comes to chairs, comfort can be somewhat subjective. However, there are some universal principles when it comes to seat height. The ideal position is one where your feet can rest flat on the floor while your knees maintain a 90-degree angle. This ergonomic positioning helps prevent strain on your lower back and promotes better circulation to your legs, making it easier to maintain good posture for longer periods.
4. Look For A Chair With A Stable Base, This Encourages A Straight Posture
The rigid structure of wooden chairs gives sitters the confidence to sit back fully against the chair. This stability encourages a straight posture, as there's no need to lean forward or sit at the edge as one might do on a less stable seat.
In contrast, chairs with wobbly legs or unstable bases can cause people to compensate by tensing their muscles or adopting awkward positions, leading to unnecessary strain. A solid wooden chair with well-constructed joints provides the perfect foundation for maintaining proper posture throughout extended sitting periods.
When you're investing in wooden chairs, pay particular attention to how the legs are attached to the seat. Look for mortise and tenon joints or robust screwed connections that will maintain stability over years of use.
5. Choose A Chair With A Wide Backrest
A broad backrest offers uniform support to the entire back, from the lumbar region to the upper back and shoulders, ensuring no part of your back is left unsupported or strained.
This feature is particularly beneficial for people with broader shoulders or those who tend to shift their sitting position throughout the day. A wide backrest also helps distribute weight more evenly, reducing pressure points that can lead to discomfort.
One thing to note is that the width of the backrest should be proportional to the overall size of the chair — too wide and it can become cumbersome, too narrow and it won't provide adequate support. The ideal width typically ranges from 12 to 14 inches for most adults.
Pictured: Farmhouse Slat Back Carver Chair
These are the five things I would look out for when choosing a comfortable wooden chair that provides excellent support, ensuring proper posture that will prevent chronic pain and discomfort from becoming concerns. The very first thing to do before considering comfort, though, is to evaluate the quality and craftsmanship of the chair, as this will affect the comfort level — but I'll talk about "How to Tell if a Wooden Chair Is Actually Good Quality and a Smart Money-Saving Investment" in another blog post. After you've found a quality chair that meets the criteria, you then want to start looking at the measurements and features that I've detailed above. Considering all of the above before you buy a wooden chair is key to ensuring you won't have to deal with stressful furniture returns if it's not a perfect fit, mindlessly surf the internet through hundreds of options, or waste money on chairs that end up causing more problems than they solve. Now that you know what to look for in a wooden chair that will support good posture and long-term comfort, you can make an informed decision that will benefit your health for years to come.