Lets talk about pillows. This is without a doubt one of the most common topics of conversation we find our patients are curious about.

Almost everyone has been told to buy a certain type of pillow in their life, whether it be a suggestion from a health practitioner or a recommendation from a family or friend. Too often we hear our patients say, that they have spent upwards of $100 on a new pillow to find they don’t feel comfortable and aren’t sleeping well.

Why is a correctly fitting pillow important?

We literally sleep for half our life, so how we lay in bed on our pillow does affect the way we feel. If we have a poorly-fitting pillow, our neck and shoulders can tighten or stiffen leading to neck pain and headaches.

So what do want to think about when we’re searching for the best pillow?

SUPPORT – usually we recommend a memory foam pillow, as it supports your neck and shoulders without letting them sink down towards the mattress. Sometimes a feather pillow whilst soft, doesn’t hold your head up in line with your neck and spine which can lead to stiffness and muscular tension.

SHAPE – a contoured-type shape of a pillow usually suits everyone, as it is adjustable to your height and body. A thicker height would suit someone who has a bigger build and broad shoulders. A thicker height would also suit someone with a firmer mattress instead of a soft mattress which you may sink into more leading to neck soreness. The lower height of the pillow would suit someone who is petite, or has a softer mattress. A lot of memory foam contoured pillows have a removable insert which you can add in/remove to further customise the pillow to your needs.

SLEEP POSITION – whether you are a back, side, or tummy sleeper, the position you sleep in will impact which pillow will suit you. A side sleeper usually suits the high or low side of a contoured pillow depending on their shoulder size and shape. Similarly, a back sleep will usually feel comfortable with a contoured pillow, particularly the higher side as it provides the neck with support without letting your head extend backwards too much. A stomach sleeper benefits from a lower profile pillow, as you don’t want anything too high that’s going to push your head too far off the bed.

Have a look at this video explaining these points further!

Jump Online

We have our favourite pillow available for you in clinic or online. You can check it out here

If you have any further questions about the type of pillow we would suggest for you, give us a call at the clinic on (03) 9773 8085 or book an appointment online.

Have a great week!

Bec @ Total Balance Healthcare

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This blog post is an educational tool only.  It is not a replacement for medical advice from a registered and qualified doctor or health professional.

Phone: (03) 9773 8085