The right pillow is important for a good night’s rest. A good pillow can support and protect your spine, joints and promote overall back health. It also allows greater periods of relaxation and REM sleep.
Tips for pillow buying for all types of sleepers: (scroll down for specific sleep positions)
- Should be medium to hard firmness – never soft (like that of a feather pillow)
- Should be hypoallergenic
- Avoid the cheap and nasty $20 pillows, you can get a very good pillow between $85 – $120
- Always use a one-way permeable pillow protector (will allow for air, moisture and heat to move away from the pillow and not into the pillow)
- Regularly reassess the structural integrity of your pillow – if it looks old and lackluster, its probably not doing you any favours
- There is no one pillow that is perfect and will be amazing for everyone, use the tips below and find what works for you
Tips for buying a good pillow for SIDE Sleepers:
- Should have a contoured surface that cradles your head
- Should have a flat surface which remains in contact with your bed
- Should be the depth from your shoulder to your ear (too high or too low will create tissue insult via stretching and joint compression)
- Should have two edges of different heights (standard & slightly higher) that you can experiment with for comfort
Tips for buying a good pillow for BACK Sleepers:
- A pillow height that is slightly less than the depth of your shoulder to your ear
- Should also have a contour to promote the natural cervical curve (lordosis)
- Should aim to prevent your head from rolling sideways
Tips for buying a good pillow for Tummy Sleepers:
- There is no ideal/good pillow for sleeping on your tummy because you should not be sleeping on your tummy (sorry)!
- Invest time in retraining yourself to sleep on your side or back (your spine will be much better off when you’re older)