Author: Maria Alfano
Stiff neck, sore back, leg pain, these pillow ideas are what you need for a better night’s sleep. Wake up feeling refreshed and ready to start your day. The proper support can do wonders for your health. It’s even more important as we age to get better rest. Ever wake up thinking I am more tired now than before I went to bed last night? It’s more common than you think.
Whether you’re a side sleeper, back sleeper, you change positions a few dozen times a night, these pillow ideas will help you alleviate some of the aches and pains from lying down for 6 to 8 hours every night. Take it from someone with chronic neck pain, the perfect pillow helped me tremendously.
Sleep is elusive enough without the added stress of knowing you will wake up feeling worse than you did the night before. You toss and turn and just cannot get comfortable. Did you ever consider that it’s your pillow causing you all this torment? Studies have shown that getting the proper support while in bed will give you a more restful and peaceful slumber.
While you sleep your body repairs itself from the stresses of the day and it critical to your overall health. Good sleep is connected to a healthy weight, a healthy heart, and helps ward off illness. If these reasons aren’t enough to motivate you to get a good pillow, I don’t know what will.
This post is all about pillow ideas that will help you achieve your goal of getting to sleep and sleeping better than you have before.
5 Incredible Pillow Ideas For A More Comfortable Night’s Sleep
Pillows can be expensive and it is in the top 5 reasons why people just go to the local department store and pick up the cheapest one they can find. I’m not knocking anyone’s choices. Maybe if you spent a little more one time, you won’t have to keep replacing that pillow. And, that more costly one, will give you the support you need to help your body really rest at night.
Did you know that your body goes through 3-5 cycles of sleep patterns per night? REM sleep is the cycle where most people dream. Non-REM is that deep heavy sleep. The two sleep patterns rotate throughout the night to give you that refreshed feeling when you get up. It is estimated that approximately 30% of adults don’t get a good night’s sleep.
Pillow Talk
Loft – refers to the height or thickness of the pillow. This is important depending on your sleep style. Side sleepers will prefer a higher loft while back sleepers will want a medium loft
Support – is all about the pillow keeping your neck and head aligned with your spine and how it relieves the pressure from the parts of your body that hit the mattress.
Firmness – while this can come down to preference, the proper softness (or firmness) of the pillow beneath your head will depend on how well you feel when you get up in the morning after a good night’s sleep.
Size – pillows come in standard, queen, king, and body length. They will fit the size of bed you have at home. The most popular size is the queen. Body pillows are growing in popularity especially for side sleepers.
Pillow Ideas for Side Sleepers
Believe it or not, most people are side sleepers. The position is most natural. When you were in the womb, you were curled up in the fetal position on your side. It only makes sense that sleeping on your side would be your go-to position. Side sleeping keeps your spine aligned while you sleep. Your partner is grateful for your sleep style as it will help reduce your snoring as your air tube (esophagus) does not collapse into the back of your throat causing the restricted flow of oxygen.
These pillows will help relieve the pressure on your shoulders and hips by keeping the head and neck elevated and supported.
Pillow Styles
LEESA Hybrid Pillow – This pillow perfectly cradles your head and provides adjustable heights to support your neck at the optimal height for you. Removable panels allow you to test the correct height of the pillow so you get the best sleep ever. One side of the pillow is soft and fluffy. The other side has a cooling gel, perfect for when the night sweats and hot flashes come on unexpectedly. It comes in both standard and queen sizes.
PURPLE Harmony Pillow https://fave.co/36B0VzT- this unique pillow has a firmer outer edge to support your neck and a softer center for your head. It’s better than memory foam in that it maintains its shape over time and continues to cradle both the head and neck beautifully for a long time to come. The three height options allow you to purchase the one that best suits you. Some like it flat while others like it fuller. Don’t let the price tag dissuade you. This pillow delivers on its promise. Shop purple.com for your pillow
THREALOFT Pillow – this pillow idea is pretty recent and Bed Bath and Beyond have developed the perfect body pillow for side sleepers. The proprietary CoolMax formula helps regulate your body temperature as you sleep. And, it supports your head, neck, and legs too. Because it is so long it better aligns your spine and limits the stress on your pressure points. The extra-long 54″ is ideal for you no matter how tall you are.
Pillows for Back Sleepers
Back sleepers lay on their backs in a neutral position for most of the night. This position equally spreads the support to various points across the entire body. It suggests that you will have better support for your neck and head. The best type of pillows for back sleepers are moderately soft, medium loft than those for side sleepers. These will keep the neck, shoulders, and head aligned with the spine. Better support means a better night’s sleep.
KAPOK Pillow – Layla Sleep Inc has designed an awesome pillow with all the bells and whistles. The Kapok is as light as air with just the right amount of loft to give you the support you need while you sleep. It is made of shredded memory foam that cradles your head. The fabric has cooling properties to keep you from overheating while you rest. It is copper infused to not only help keep you cooler it doesn’t require you to keep turning your pillow over to find the next cool spot.
ZOMA Pillow – this unique pillow molds itself to fit anyone’s sleep style. The shredded microfiber filling conforms to support you just right. You feel like you’re sleeping on a down pillow that never loses its shape or goes flat. Its wicked, mesh fabric allows for air circulation that provides a cool place for you to rest your head. It is available in both queen and king sizes
Best ANti-snoring Pillow Ideas
Before you can find the best pillow to help with snoring, you need to understand why you snore in the first place. The common causes of snoring are acid reflux, sinus issues, or allergies. The symptoms could be more severe like sleep apnea where you have trouble getting enough air in due to obstructed passageways that result in your breathing stopping several times throughout the night. The snoring in this case is you gasping for air. If this is your case seek medical attention asap.
CRYSTAL COVE Wedge – this Brentwood Home wedge pillow is so versatile you don’t need to wait until you go to sleep to use it. It supports your entire body while reading your favorite book, watching TV, or using your laptop. Ultimately, the large shape supports your head, neck, and shoulders in an elevated position to alleviate the snoring. Activate charcoal-infused memory foam and the soft, natural, washable bamboo pillowcase feels like the best of luxuries that you will want beneath your head always. It comes in 7″, 10″, and 12″ high wedges.
TEMPUR Neck Pillow – Tempurpedic believes you need to spend as much selecting the perfect pillow as you do the perfect mattress. They believe they have developed the perfect neck supporting pillow for you. It is one of the best ergonomic pillows on the market. And, it is covered in the same luxurious fabric as their mattresses. The gentle roll fits beautifully at the nape of your neck, providing the utmost support and alignment to your spine. It comes in sizes Small, Medium, and Large.
This post was all about pillow ideas that can help address some of your issues to get you a better night’s sleep. No matter what your style of sleep is, there is a pillow here for you.
We would love to hear from you. Tell us about your sleep style and your favorite pillow!