How to Choose a Sleep Pillow

Are you confused about which sleep pillow to buy. There are so many pillows on the market today that choosing one is not easy. Not too long ago we can remember that the rectangular shape was the only pillow available. That day is long gone. Today pillows come in so many sizes and shapes that we are not sure which one to buy. They are made of many kinds of materials, too, other than feather, foam or down. And today doctors are not even recommending these traditional pillows to get a good night’s sleep. They are recommending memory foam for most people.

You see memory foam is superior to feather, down, and ordinary foam for support and pressure relief. You have also heard it called by other names such as visco elastic foam and they are the same thing. This foam was originally invented for the space program to relieve pressure. When it was discovered memory foam had remarkable properties that would benefit everyone, mattresses were made of it. Now today, pillows give these same benefits of relieving pressure, molding to the neck curve and body, aligning the posture correctly and increasing circulation of the blood. Scientists have discovered these are the things that give a better sleep.

A regular feather or urethane foam pillow will not give the support memory foam does. Memory foam gives support by molding to the body from your body heat and there is no space between your body and the foam. But how do you know which memory foam pillow is right for you.

Consider Your Body Type

Mainly two things determine the right pillow for you: 1) Your body type, and 2) The position you sleep in (most of the time). If you are a small or petite person, your neck curve is more shallow and so your pillow height will be lower. A petite adult can try a pillow designated for a child because an average size memory foam pillow may feel too firm and high, but the lower height of a pillow for child might work.

If you are a very tall person, your pillow height should be higher. Most people fall into the average range. Manufacturers sometimes put a size chart on their boxes.

However, since body types are endless, it becomes necessary to try the pillow before buying to make sure the pillow fits your particular neck curve which is often related to your body size. It fits when your head is not pushed too far forward or sinks too far backward into the pillow.

Pillows are not returnable so take your time to get the right fit. The best way to do this is to have the sales assistant observe you while you try the pillow so that they can check to see that your head is not too far forward or backward. You want a nice straight posture.

Consider the Position You Sleep In

The next thing to do is consider the position you sleep in. The neck curve when you lie on your back, is shallower than when you are lying on your side. Therefore, a back sleeper will not need the height of the pillow to be as high as a side sleeper does. The back sleeper can use a flat memory foam pillow or a pillow designated for back sleepers.

A side sleeper can use the contour memory foam pillow to fit the curve of the neck when lying on the side. The head will rest backwards onto the flat part of the pillow.

Someone who is a stomach sleeper (not the recommended position to sleep in) can sleep with a flat memory foam pillow.

Those strange-shaped pillows are called contour pillows and are designed to fit into the curve of the neck. When you do not give your neck support while sleeping, the neck will feel uncomfortable. You will toss and turn trying to get your regular soft pillow to support you and you will not sleep well. Try these new memory foam pillows to get a better sleep. They will keep you from “fluffing” your pillow causing distracting movement that wakes you out of sleep.

There are also some other materials that work well for supporting the neck and are also supportive. In fact, they may work better for some people, and that is why you should try several types of pillows. These other materials are buckwheat hulls, a natural alternative to memory foam, latex, which has very similar benefits as memory foam, and air.

Feather pillows may bring back wonderful childhood memories and you may prefer them, but they are no longer recommended for support and what science has found to give a better sleep. A very petite person may still be able to use a feather pillow or even no pillow if recommended by a doctor since these pillows have low height.

If you have any neck pain, you should consult with a medical professional as to what is best. They are usually familiar with the various types and can help you decide which one to choose.

Sometimes a good night’s sleep is just a pillow away.

Carol Fena, trained in pillow selection, helps you to know all about the best pillows to support your body on her website, pillowfitter.com pillowfitter.com.

Tags: sleep

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