Hello again. Do you ever wake up with a sore neck? Or just feel sore in general after what is supposed to be a "good nights sleep"?
I tend to wake up feeling sore in my neck more times than I care to count and recently I've been wondering what's to blame. Is it my pillow? My bed? Or me?
Two years ago I bought a brand new bed from Ashley's' Furniture Home Store and thought, "Finally all my sleep woes will be over." I had been sleeping on a mattress that was 20 years past its prime and was frequently plagued by back pain and fatigue. I figured it was because my mattress wasn't comfortable enough for me.
So I spent the money ($1500) and got a new pillow top that was slightly firm and thought, "Yes! I'll finally sleep well."
Sadly, my problems weren't fixed overnight. My body had to adjust to the new bed and I didn't get a real good night sleep for a few months. But after that I thought I was in the clear, no more sore mornings.
That was not to be the case. Stupid ole me forgot one important thing. I needed new pillows to go with my new bed.
I've been using the same pillows for as long as I can remember. They are thinner than a fall jacket and have no more oomph. Probably why I usually double them up or fold them over to get any comfort from them. Turns out to be safe you should replace your pillows every two years.
Great, I'll replace them then. But how many should I use?
We all need different things from our beds and pillows, so what I need won't be the same for you, but let's see what we can find out.
Pillows come in more shapes, sizes, and materials than ever before. Originally used only by the wealthy, pillows were filled with feathers or straw or in some cultures were solid pieces with fabric over top of it.
Over time and many changes we see pillows now filled with cotton, wool, down, beads, polyester, or foam, and are used not only for the head but the lower back, leg support and for the propping up of limbs. (There are also decorative pillows, body pillows, neck pillows and others but this conversation is strictly about bed pillows)
While firmness and size vary, it's hard to know what kind to use for yourself without testing all of them out first. (Probably why I've been using the same pillows for so long.)
You might be asking, "Does my sleeping position matter?"
Yes, it does. When you sleep on your back, stomach or side a different level of support is needed, to make sure your spine and neck stay in alignment. Back sleepers needing a medium firmness pillow to contour the neck, stomach sleepers needing a softer pillow for support and side sleepers needing a firmer pillow to keep the spin in alignment.
As I sleep on my back most now, I guess that means I need a medium firmness. But how do I know what medium is? And what filler should I get?
Knowing what the firmness is, is rather simple since most pillows have their firmness on the packaging. And sites online will let you choose how filled you want it. That is easy enough.
For the filler it comes down to how long you want the pillow and how much you want to spend.
This list breaks down the advantages, disadvantages and price points for multiple pillow types. I'll go over a few.
Down pillows are soft but they require constant fluffing to maintain shape and are costly. They last longer than polyester pillows (replaced at 2 years) but not much longer.
Memory Foam pillows last over 15 years if kept in good condition. They hold their shape and offer great support for back sleepers. (Yes!) They are however very expensive. (No!)
Polyester pillows are cheap, easy to clean, and did I mention cheap. Although they don't last very long (2 years remember) and don't offer much in the way of initial support. However they can be bent in half.
"But wait, how many should I have?"
I used to think I needed two pillows to sleep. I had done it for so long I assumed it was okay. The problem was I had the wrong pillows and they were long since useless for support and comfort. All it should take is one pillow suited for your comfort depending on your sleep position and your body contour.
That's it. Just one. That is, for your neck. People do choose to use pillows for their feet, for their back and so on. And that is okay, just make sure the pillows you use increase your comfort level. Not decrease it.
Personally, I'd spring for the more expensive reliable pillow since we spend about a third of our life sleeping. Why not spend the money on getting the most comfortable equipment for that practice? A good night's sleep can shape your whole day. No one wants to always wake up on the wrong side of the bed.
As always.
Keep reading. Keep learning.
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