Sleep time is beneficial to your body and overall health. It gives your body time to refresh and relax for another day with a flurry of activities. How comfortable you feel when sleeping is important too as you don't want to wake up with back or neck muscle pains. That means choosing a mattress and a pillow that will accommodate your sleeping needs best. If in search of a good mattress to buy, I would suggest you go for the Tempurpedic mattress. It's not only multi-layered but firm and supportive of your weight. Many pillow qualities are sold in the market for affordable prices.
People have their own preferences for pillows just like for mattresses. Pillows come in different material qualities. These qualities determine their firmness or softness. It's not the pillow in itself but the material it is made of that guarantees the quality of your sleep.
Pillow materials in the market today
Because pillows carry a lot of importance in determining your sleep quality, let's have a look at some examples of pillow materials.
The wool pillow is one of your best sleep companions as it is made to last longer compared to a cotton pillow. It is firmer and not the best to use for your neck support as it could leave you feeling stiff in the morning.
The Cotton pillow is soft and good for neck support. Unlike the wool pillow, it doesn't last long. It flattens out fast. Cotton is not the best of materials to go for if all you are looking for is durability.
Bird-down feather pillows
They are easy to find as they are sold by most vendors. Though soft, it produces noise when turning to change position during sleep. Your neck is also bound stiff when you wake up.
Polyfoam and Memory foam pillows
If looking for a good and quality pillow, these pillow types are worth your money. Some of the benefits you get include zero neck pains, good neck support and it is noise-free. These pillows will guarantee you quality sleep.
Pillow Usage
Pillow use is not only restricted to neck support but many sleepers use it to cuddle. Apart from providing you with warmth during cuddling, it gives you balance and support. To some sleepers, hugging a pillow during sleep provides them with a sense of security. Pregnant women are advised to sleep sideways. A pillow helps to provide support to this new routine.
Hugging a pillow or the use of inanimate objects like the artificial teddy bear has been known to soothe children to sleep. Interestingly, adults are also finding this routine to be helpful.
If you are accustomed to sleeping sideways, consider using a pillow for support and the overall weight of your spinal cord. The pillow you choose to use has to work in conjunction with your mattress for optimum support. A mattress that is way too firm or soft is not ideal for proper side sleeping. The best mattress is the one that is aligned to support your entire body frame.
A mattress that is too soft causes the pressure points of your body to sink into your mattress. What this means is that your head could cause your neck to fail to align with the rest of the body. As a side sleeper, you want to use a pillow size that is thick as your neck-shoulder distance.
This helps compensate for the misalignment created by the weight of your head. Memory foam and cervical pillows are the best options to go for. Pay attention to the pillow-size you buy. It should be proper and not too soft or thick. A thick pillow raises your head and neck way above your alignment. A pillow that is too soft has the reverse effect on your spinal alignment. It tilts your head downwards.
This group of sleepers need no pillow. If used to one, use a soft thin pillow beneath your thighs or head to align your spine. Sleeping on your stomach isn't the best of sleeping positions. Your head and neck are tilted out of your spinal alignment. However, it also turns out to be the best position for managing sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and snoring.
A pillow is useful for back sleepers as their sleeping position creates a gap between the mattress and lower back. Your neck is also not properly aligned in this sleeping position. To ensure proper alignment in your sleeping position, use a contouring foam mattress. It helps to align the space between the mattress and lower back. Also, address the space between your neck and mattress by investing in a well-balanced contouring pillow. Best pillows to go for are the cervical pillows and pillows that have a built-in neck support. Some experts also recommend using a thin pillow beneath the lumbar line to reduce pain in your lower back.
Choosing a pillow to use for your sleeping position should be a no-brainer. The best way to pick the best pillow is to first try it out on a flat surface to find out what works for you. Checking the value of a pillow by squeezing it about doesn't measure up to knowing the best pillow for use. You also want to use malleable pillows that can shape-shift as to align with your neck and spinal cords while changing positions at night.
Conclusion
Depending on your sleep position, consider buying a good pillow that helps to align your spinal cord for a quality sleep. Getting a good pillow comes with a range of other benefits that include proper respiration and smooth wrinkling of your skin. The best pillow material to use is the memory foam and Polyfoam pillows. For the stomach sleepers, a pillow isn't necessary as the position has a gap at the head and neck area only. However, stomach sleepers may want to use a thin pillow beneath their thighs or head. The other type of sleepers such as the side and back sleepers must have a pillow for proper spinal alignment.