In your life, you will spend around 30% of your time asleep, and how you feel in the remaining 60% will be significantly affected by how well you sleep. There are lots of factors that affect the quality of our sleep – light exposure during the day, consistent sleep-wake times, temperature, noise, and more – but a very important one is our pillow.
You see, pillows are not simply a soft accessory to rest our heads on. They actually play a big role in making sure that you get a sound night’s sleep and, just as importantly, they ensure that your neck and spine remain in alignment so that you don’t end up in pain. At least, that’s what they do if you pick the right one. The wrong ones can lead to muscle soreness and stiffness, tendonitis, and even herniated discs.
However, there’s no need to lose sleep over choosing the right one. This guide will walk you through the most important features you need to consider.
Your Sleeping Position
The type of pillow that you need to buy will be different depending on whether you sleep on your side, front, or back, and whether you are a restless sleeper who moves around a lot. This is because you need a pillow that keeps your spine in a neutral position in order to prevent neck problems or pain. All we mean by “neutral position” is that when you are lying down using it, your neck should be straight, not tilted in any direction.
Generally, people who sleep on their side need a thick, firm pillow. For their neck to be straight, their head essentially needs to be lifted by the width of one shoulder, which is why a thicker pillow is necessary. The firmness ensures that this position is maintained throughout the night.
Stomach sleepers, on the other hand, don’t have to lift their heads as high. They can make do with a thinner, softer pillow. Back sleepers are similar. They just need to avoid having their head arched forward by a pillow that’s too thick.
Those who move around a lot will benefit from a soft, squishy pillow where the fill inside it can move around.
The Fill
Speaking of the fill, this is what will decide whether your pillow is fluffy or firm, and also how it needs to be washed. Down is a popular choice for those who want something luxuriously soft, and it can be combined with feather to make it firmer and cheaper. However, some people are allergic to down. There are also synthetic down alternatives.
Memory foam is a popular modern choice and is popular with those who are very still sleepers as the fill cannot be moved around. Shredded memory foam allows a bit more movement.
Another modern option is latex, which has similar qualities to memory foam but returns to its original position faster when not in use.
Conclusion
If your goal is optimal sleep quality, then the most important things to consider are the thickness and firmness of your pillow. Use these to compare pillows within your budget range, and don’t forget to take a look at the care label either.
