I never saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reciting the Quraan in his prayer at night in sitting condition until he became old. Then he used to sit in it (the prayer) and recite the Quran until forty or thirty verses remained, then he stood and recited them and prostrated himself.
مَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقْرَأُ فِي شَىْءٍ مِنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ جَالِسًا قَطُّ حَتَّى دَخَلَ فِي السِّنِّ فَكَانَ يَجْلِسُ فِيهَا فَيَقْرَأُ حَتَّى إِذَا بَقِيَ أَرْبَعُونَ أَوْ ثَلاَثُونَ آيَةً قَامَ فَقَرَأَهَا ثُمَّ سَجَدَ