How to Choose the Perfect Sleep Pillow

Did you know that the more you sleep on a pillow, the more comfortable it gets?

That being said, the most comfortable sleep pillow may not be the one that is healthiest to sleep on. Many cervical support pillows are notoriously uncomfortable for the first couple of nights but provide profound long-term health benefits.

Do you have insomnia, or otherwise get poor quality of sleep? Experiencing poor sleep in the long term leads to cognitive decline, decreased memory ability, and not to mention a lot of pain and stiffness.

Many people suffer from sleep disorders, back or neck pain, or fibromyalgia, but never find a pillow that is both therapeutic and comfortable. They just don’t put that much thought into it.

This guide will help you find the most optimal pillow for your physiology and comfort.

Determine Sleeping Position

Spend a few nights monitoring your own sleeping position.

Do you tend to sleep on your back, your side, or your stomach? Are you a mix of all three? If you have a sleeping partner, you can also ask them for their opinion.

Manufacturers engineer pillow shapes to accommodate the widest range of customers, but just because a pillow is passable does not mean it is optimal for your sleeping position.

The latest research indicates that a good pillow should keep your spine in neutral alignment. However, because people have such different sleeping positions, it is impossible for one size to fit all.

You may need to test out a few pillows before you find the best for your position, but waking up refreshed and pain-free will be worth it!

Here are some general guidelines for each position.

Back Sleepers

Back sleepers need something full, but not completely flat. This ensures the pillow will tuck into the curve of their neck, supporting the neck and head and taking weight off their shoulders.

Side Sleepers

A contoured pillow could be good for side sleepers. For these sleepers, their shoulder ends up taking most of the weight of their head (and heads are extremely heavy!).

They will want something that takes the weight off their shoulder while keeping the neck supported.

Stomach Sleepers

Although this position does not come recommended by doctors for the pressure it puts on your internal organs, if you can only fall asleep in this position then all the power to you. You will want a pillow that is soft, but not too full. This will keep your spine in alignment.

Determine Specific Needs

When a company designs a pillow, they design it for a segment of the population. There is no one size fits all pillow.

This is why you need to find a pillow that is most suitable for your own needs. For example, if you are a hot sleeper, find a pillow with cooling qualities like gel beads or more vents. If you have fibromyalgia, consider different therapeutic pillows to relieve pain.

Know your own needs.

Do you have fibromyalgia?

Does your doctor tell you you have sleep-disordered breathing?

Are you a hot sleeper?

Research involving neck pain and pillows indicates that the majority of people who used a specially designed pillow for their pain gave positive feedback.

From my own experience, finding the right pillow essentially eradicated my neck pain.

And remember that regardless of if you have neck and shoulder pain, you will want a pillow that supports your neck to enhance your quality of sleep.

Qualities for a Sleep Pillow

The filling for a pillow directly translates to its quality and its therapeutic properties.

There are many filling options, from memory foam to synthetic down, to latex and cotton. When you do look for material, you should determine if it translates to any other qualities. For example, research has suggested that the thermal characteristics of pillows correspond to filling.

Other factors to consider are size, weight, cost, and quality. These should depend on your peripherals, like your mattress, and how much you can afford to spend. Generally, pillows come in a regular and king-size. If you have a king-sized bed, you may want to consider king-size pillows.

Insomnia Begone

Clearly, finding the right sleep pillow for yourself has lasting health benefits and quality of life benefits. Who wouldn’t want to wake up rested and refreshed?

If you are looking for more tips like this, check out our self-improvement section!