Most folks are thinking about the "deficit" of being forced into the classic "banana" shape, which most every one would find painful on the knees. I am sitting in my recliner right now, but my knees are not force into hyper-extension, because the recliner does not curve up into a banana shape in the foot area.
Most here sleep on the diagonal, which avoids the worst part of that banana curve. Now the strange part is that often we can add even MORE banana shape to the hammock, but be even more comfortable on the diagonal. It may be curved sharply straight down the mid-line, but we still end up pretty flat in the legs on the diagonal. Though some still have to put a little something under their knees.
Some of my hammocks allow me to sleep straight down the mid-line, at least with my upper body. But my legs have to be out to the side, which then puts a little flex in them, again avoiding the knee-hyperextension that the "banana" shape would force into them. This is often very much like the recliner I am so comfortable in now.
But one area where I think the vast majority of folks just MUST end up with their body "flat"- no matter how much curve in the hammock- is side sleeping, especially with legs straight. For me, a bridge is the ONLY one that will allow this down the mid-line, as well as being the flattest(flattest=best for side sleeping legs straight). All of the others REQUIRE a diagonal for this, or at least an extreme fetal with or without diagonal. And some will not be great even on the diagonal. On the few non-bridge hammocks where I can sleep on my side in the mid-line, an extreme fetal position is required. And why? Because it will be possible to position hips to head FLAT, in one half of the hammock. If I try mid-line legs straight, I am going to have some serious waist discomfort. IOW, my recliner is GREAT, but try sleeping in it on side/ legs straight. It won't take long until I am in fetal, not that that is a problem. But if I want my legs straigh on my side, I have to be in my bed or a hammock that allows me to be "flat".
So, as far as the leg comfort goes for back sleeping, ending up in either a flat-
or knees slightly flexed- position is needed for me, regardless of how much the hammock is curved/not flat. And I prefer a slight or a lot of recliner position, like you. What must be avoided is
knee hyper-extension (opposite of flexed) which is inherent in assuming the curved shape of the hammock. So not necessarily flat total body, but at least zero knee hyper-extension. Which is avoided by either being flat, or knees flexed, like in a recliner.
And unless you are on your side with legs straight, it is only the legs which need to be at a minimum flat, and preferably flexed. But on my side legs straight, my entire body better be flat!
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