Pillows can help keep your body aligned while you’re sleeping, and ensure that you’re as comfortable as possible when you’re winding down for the night. If you’re looking for the perfect pillow, Whether you’re resting your head on a pillow or just need a few to guide you or support your sleep position adequately, they can be a useful tool to have, especially if you have poor sleep posture and find yourself waking up with chronic body ache.
Pillows actually date as far back as 7,000 BC. In Ancient Rome, pillows were filled with reeds, feathers, and even straw. Nowadays, we’re lucky to have a little more variety, and the best pillow options can include anything from memory foam to bamboo. Here’s everything you need to know about finding the perfect pillow from your comfort:
How To Find The Perfect Pillow For Your Sleep
How to find the perfect pillow for your sleep position
Whether you prefer to sleep on your stomach, or tend to sleep lying on your side, your sleeping posture can determine your pillow choice to a great extent. That’s because the right pillow can make or break your sleeping position.
Here’s a quick overview of the perfect pillow for you, depending on your sleeping position –
- Side sleepers: If you sleep on your side, choosing a firm, and quite thick, a memory foam pillow is going to work best in offsetting pressure in the rest of your body and keeping you comfortable throughout the night.
- Stomach sleepers: If you sleep flat on your stomach, then you’ll want something much thinner and softer – down pillows, or memory foam pillows that have a removable filling, can both work equally well for this purpose.
- Back sleepers: Finally, if you like to lay on your back when you’re falling asleep at night, it’s important to try and use pillows that are both flat but remain supportive, so they can help anchor your back, preventing you from twisting and turning into odd sleep positions that cause aches the next day.
If you struggle to sleep in bed alone it could be that you need a body pillow, these wrap round you to feel as if somebody is with you, almost like a comforter. There are lots of shapes and designs, including these Anime Body Pillows, on the market if you’re looking for something extra-special.
The best pillow options for your mattress
The type of mattress you have can also influence your decision when it comes to finding the perfect pillow for your sleep. Oftentimes, you’ll want your pillow to act as a balance to your mattress, which means if you have a firmer mattress, you might want to opt for softer pillows or vice versa.
How do you know it’s time to replace your pillow?
Most bed pillows will need replacing every eighteen months for maximum sleep hygiene. That being said, memory foam pillows often last longer, anywhere between two three years.
The best pillow options will give you an idea of how long they last before you commit to your purchase. For example, natural pillows tend to last longer than synthetic pillows, so if you want something that’s more durable, you may want to factor this into your decision-making.
The reason you’ll find yourself needing to replace pillows often is that they tend to collect dust mites (along with their feces), mildew, dead skin cells, mold, and certain types of fungus, all of which can negatively impact the overall quality of your sleep.
Some signs your pillow might be overdue for a replacement include stains or unwanted odor, along with misshapen or unevenly distributed fill. Another quick way to figure out if your pillow is too old is the fold test, which involves simply seeing if your pillows stay folded after pressing together in half.
What are the best pillow options available today?
Finding the perfect pillow for your sleep is ultimately a very personal process. Here are a couple of key factors you might want to take into consideration when choosing yours:
- Fill. Most pillows come with a wide variety of stuffing that can influence how comfortable they feel, as well as how light they feel. These include:
- Down: Pillows with a down stuffing are usually made from goose, or duck feathers, and tend to be more expensive than other variations of down. It can be challenging to find hypoallergenic down, making this option unviable if you’re particularly sensitive.
- Synthetic down: These types of pillows are less expensive than standard down pillows, but do need to be replaced more often. They range from medium to soft in terms of feel.
- Wool: One of the few natural materials that are also hypoallergenic, and are naturally resistant to mold and dust mites.
- Cotton: Similar to wool, cotton is also naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites and mold. Slightly firmer than down pillows, cotton pillows are an especially useful choice for allergies
- Latex: Latex pillows are a great choice for something if you’re on the lookout for a firmer pillow. It is also more durable and resistant to things like mold and dust mites, so it’s a perfect choice if you’re particularly sensitive in this area.
- Size. Once you’ve narrowed down what type of fill you might want for your pillow, you can move on to ensure you’ve found the right size. Pillows come in three main sizes- standard, queen, and king, but if you’re pregnant or just need the additional support, you might also want to consider investing in a body pillow, which is the perfect pillow to help further aligning your back, head, and spine in the best way for your sleep.
- Fabric. Finally, the type of cover you use on your pillow can be just as important as your pillow itself. Even the perfect pillow can feel stuffy and uncomfortable if you’re using highly processed, starched or stiff materials for your pillow covers. Opt for natural pillow covers that have independent certifications so that you can trust where they’re coming from.
With these many options, it can get overwhelming to narrow down the perfect pillow for you. Remember that ultimately, whether it’s latex or a memory foam pillow, you have to think about what keeps you comfortable, while allowing you to maintain proper sleep hygiene in bed. You’ll be waking up feeling supercharged and ready for the day ahead of you in no time!
