Getting the proper amount of quality sleep is an important part of staying healthy, energized, and ready to tackle your day, every day. Unfortunately, too many people are missing out on crucial winks for one simple reason: they aren’t using the right pillow.
You might not think about it, but your pillows are more than just a soft place to rest your head. In fact, it’s a necessary aid in getting a good night’s sleep. It promotes proper sleep posture by keeping your head and neck aligned with your spine, helping you sleep better for longer—and avoid waking up with neck pain and discomfort.1
If you’ve been tossing and turning when you should be snoozing and snoring, your pillows may be to blame. Thinking of switching it up? Here’s how to choose a pillow that’ll knock you out.
Step 1: Choose The Right Pillow Filling For You
At the end of the day, there’s no such thing as the right pillows—there’s only the pillow that’s right for you. That means you should first consider your personal tastes. Do you prize softness and moldability? Or is a flatter, more durable bed pillow more to your liking?
Knowing what various fills have to offer in terms of softness, adaptability, and durability can help you choose the pillow best suited to your needs. There are practically as many options for pillow filling as there are sleep styles, but some of the most popular include:
- Down fiber – The stuffing of down-filled pillows comes from the coat of small, fine feathers beneath the tougher exterior feathers of ducks and geese. Fluffy, soft, and moldable, it makes for a pillow that comfortably adapts to your personal sleep style. That said, down pillows may flatten after use, retain heat in the summertime, and aggravate allergies. A more expensive option, they can have long lives with proper care.
- Feather fill – The feathers from the backs and wings are used for feather pillows. They’re lightweight but durable and sufficiently moldable. Like down, it can be challenging to maintain the shape of a feather pillow, and they’re more difficult to clean than some other styles.
- Memory foam – Most memory foam is made from a mixture of polyurethane and other chemical compounds that give it its accommodating, shape-shifting abilities. Memory foam pillows may feature a block of filling or a filling of shredded foam, both of which mold to the head and neck of an individual sleeper.
- Polyester fiber fill – These curly, man-made fibers are a more affordable fill option. The durable polyester pillows stand up to repeated use but are still soft and fluffy.
Step 2: Consider Your Preferred Sleep Position
Did you know that other than checking the pillow size chart, you should also consider your preferred sleeping position?
Whether its sprawled on your stomach, curled on your side in the fetal position, stretched out flat on your back, your position has a lot of influence over how your head and neck interact with your pillow.
That’s what makes sleep position such an important consideration when it comes to choosing the best pillow for you. It directly factors into the fill and firmness of the pillow type you need.
Not sure how to choose the right pillow for your preferred sleeping position? Here are some pointers:
- Best pillows for sleeping on your side – If you’re like approximately 74% of Americans who sleep on their side, you’re best served by a pillow that’s thick and firm.2 Look for one that offers a tall loft for maximum head and neck support. Looking for a firmer pillow? Memory foam, down, and buckwheat pillows tend to offer the most firmness. Additionally, using a knee pillow for side sleepers can provide extra support.
- Best pillows for sleeping on your back – One of the biggest risks of sleeping on your back is tilting your neck too far forward. You can alleviate this risk by opting for a slightly thinner pillow with a reduced loft. A memory foam pillow that molds to your specific head and neck can give you the support you need.
- Best pillows for sleeping on your stomach – Compared to side and back sleepers, stomach sleepers make up a significantly smaller percentage of the population, which can make finding a perfect pillow a tiring task.3 The most important thing is to choose one that’s as thin as possible. This will help keep your neck properly aligned with your spine and prevent neck pain like cramping, kinks, and soreness.
Coop Home Goods—Bedding For Your Best Sleep Ever
Once you’ve determined the pillow type that’s best for you, it’s time to go shopping. And the place to find all the pillows, bedding, and everything else you need to transform your bed into a blissful sleep space is Coop Home Goods.
At Coop, we know that everybody sleeps different. That’s why we’ve designed our pillows using breathable, fully adjustable materials that conform to your personal needs so you can get the best sleep ever, every night. Not to mention our CertiPur-US certified pillows are made from high-quality and safe memory foams that are cruss-cut for better breathability and most of all, safe.
Quality materials meet personal design—find your perfect pillow today and sleep better tonight with Coop Home Goods.
Sources:
- Medical News Today. Sleeping without a pillow: Benefits and risks. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/sleeping-without-a-pillow#
- PR Newswire. National Sleep Survey Pulls Back the Covers On How We Doze and Dream. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-sleep-survey-pulls-back-the-covers-on-how-we-doze-and-dream-184798691.html
- Sleep Foundation. Best Pillows for Stomach Sleepers 2022. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-pillows/best-pillow-for-stomach-sleepers#