To fall asleep well and wake up easily, you need a good pillow. If it suits you in size, stiffness, and, which is very important, filler, then the spine retains natural curves during sleep, there is no tension in the back, and the blood supply to the brain is not disturbed. But how to find it, this most suitable pillow? And what fits under the criterion of “good”? After all, there are a lot of models, they are very diverse, and it can be difficult to choose a product only at first glance.
Each of us needs a pillow that is suitable in size, firmness and some personal preferences. Your sleep will be comfortable if during the rest the head lies evenly, the neck does not wrinkle, the muscles do not tense up. You don’t have to adjust to your pillow—the pillow has to do it for you.
There are supporters of the opinion that a person does not need to put anything under his head at all, but if you do not relax the cervical region, it will eventually become deformed, which entails big health problems.
If you get up tired in the morning, your neck and back hurt, you toss and turn half the night looking for a comfortable position – then it’s time to buy a new pillow.
Product requirements:
- shape retention even after prolonged use;
- easy care;
- hypoallergenicity;
- hygroscopicity, as well as high density, heat retention and the absence of conditions for the reproduction of microorganisms – these are, perhaps, an ideal pillow made up of such criteria.
Oh, and don’t forget the cover. Be sure to choose natural, soft and breathable materials.
When choosing firmness and height, consider your usual sleeping position.
If you like to sleep on your back, then give preference to a pillow of medium height and medium firmness, about 8-10 cm.
If you like to sleep on your stomach, face down, then you need a thin and very soft pillow, about 6-8 cm high. In general, it is considered the most inappropriate position for sleeping, but choosing the right accessory can compensate for the disadvantages of such a position.
Prefer to sleep on your side? Then it is better to choose a hard and high pillow that supports the neck.
If you are constantly tossing and turning in your sleep, choosing the best place, then most of all you will like a pillow of medium height and with soft filler so that it is convenient to crumple and quickly adjust to your current position.
Pillow fillers
The softest, most comfortable of them (both artificial and natural) are cotton, down, silk, holofiber.
Memory foam, gel and wool are medium-firm pillow fills.
Rigid fillers – natural buckwheat husk, horse hair, bamboo fibers (due to its high density).
Down and feathers are very soft and well ventilated fillers. But they like to accumulate dust and cause allergies. When choosing, pay attention to the modern quality criterion Fill Power, which indicates the elasticity of the down filling and the ability to recover after compression. The higher the value, the better the down product.
Polyester is hypoallergenic, does not absorb odors, is easy to wash, dries quickly and restores its original shape.
Buckwheat husk allows the most precise adjustment of the pillow to your body. These pillows have good air permeability, they have a pleasant massage and aromatherapy effect, and provide good hygroscopicity. Keep in mind that such a filler rustles and the first nights will be unusual to use.
The memory foam is a polyurethane foam that, by direct exposure to heat and weight, adapts to your body posture, conforms to the shape of your head and provides good support.
Latex filler is relatively soft, natural, safe, breathable, has antibacterial properties, does not attract dust. Not suitable for people allergic to latex. The service life of the product (without loss of original characteristics) is about 20 years. The price of such pillows will be slightly higher than the budget segment, but it’s worth it.
Bamboo fiber pillow fillers are very popular among customers because it is a non-allergenic, natural, breathable product. That’s just bamboo is not very suitable for a damp climate – the pillow is quickly saturated with moisture.
Camel hair and sheep wool are also very popular filler options, as they can keep warm and even help relieve muscle and joint pain. However, such pillows can cause allergies, and moreover, it becomes difficult to maintain their original shape over time.
Is it worth buying an anatomical pillow?
In the past, when organizing a bed, more attention was paid to the mattress than to the pillow. The latter was more often chosen according to the principle “convenient-inconvenient”. However, today those who have strict requirements for a comfortable sleep, as well as those who experience problems with the spine, are trying to choose the right bedding. Over the past few years, questions about how to choose an anatomical pillow and what is the approximate cost of a quality model, is becoming more and more relevant. The answer to it lies in many details – from the design itself to the functions of the filler.