We sleep on pillows to elevate the upper spine and keep the vertebrae in our necks aligned with the rest of the spine. The spine has a natural curve to it, and when we lie down our head sinks into the mattress exacerbating the curve which can cause all types of spinal and muscle maladies. So, the right pillow that is conformed to the way you sleep, should help the stress on your neck and spine. The right mattress and the right pillow will also help you get a better night’s sleep by keeping your body from tossing and turning through the night. When you first lie down and it feels uncomfortable, that discomfort will get worse instead of better throughout the night. You want to avoid this. When your body isn’t comfortable and you are lying restless you are not going to enjoy the benefits of a full night’s sleep.
There are all types of pillows. The trick is to find one that suits yourself, making sure you aren’t using one that is too high, too low, soft, or hard. The neck is composed of 7 vertebrae with muscles and nerves attached to them. These muscles and nerves control things like our shoulders and arm exit through the joints between these vertebrae. So, if you aren’t sleeping correctly there’s a risk that some area in your upper body will become compromised. There are also blood vessels all around your neck that when impinged from lack of support, will not supply certain parts of your body with the right amount of oxygen and blood.
Pillows come in all different shapes and sizes, measuring from a low, medium, and high profile. It takes a bit of trial and error to find the pillow that accommodates your mattress and body shape.
The pillows that are popular today are memory foam and polyester. Latex, feather/down, and buckwheat husk. I have tried them all, and being a right-side sleeper I have found that the memory foam works best for me. Since I stay sleeping on my right side through the night just one pillow works for me, but for others, it doesn’t. Those who tend to turn and twist during sleep need more than one pillow to trade off on. This is not an exact science, so again it’s going to take some trial and error to get it right.
Another thing to think about is using a pillow between your legs. It can help alleviate stress and pressure on your back and your hips. It can also improve circulation.
Good luck on your quest for the perfect pillow or pillows.
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