The Importance of Pillows
Pillows! Always there for us, always there to support us during our most vulnerable times! But, how important are they really?
While some of us would be happy with any chair cushion as a pillow, others are adamant about the type of pillow they sleep with. So, do pillows actually do anything?
To think about this, think about the size of your bed. A pillow covers nearly 1/4 of your sleeping surface! It's like a mini mattress, but just for your head and neck!
While a good mattress will support you and align your spine,
having a bad pillow that sags after all the hard work your mattress did to keep you aligned is kind of like having a salad, with 4 cookies afterward. A very good try! But you're ultimately undoing what you just did.
So, what do pillows do for you?
Largely, they allow you to keep your spine at a neutral position! Doing this lets you stay asleep through the whole night, improving both the quantity and quality of your rest! Additionally, it's always nice to wake up without a painful crick in your neck.
Thankfully, picking pillows is largely up to the user! Entirely comfort-based, pillows come in a variety of heights and firmnesses. Really, besides having a pillow, there are very few rules on how to find the perfect pillow for you!
However, over the years, we've noticed people who sleep in certain ways benefit from certain pillows, so while these are by no means hard or fast rules, here are our recommendations!
Side Sleepers
For side sleepers, we recommend our shoulder cutout pillows!
These pillows allow your shoulder to dip down, nestling perfectly in your neck to perfectly support your head! The design also helps reduce tossing and turning in your sleep! While other sleepers can use and enjoy these pillows, we largely recommend them to side sleepers specifically!
Typical pillows don't usually offer specific room for your shoulder, causing a misalignment of the spine.
Stomach sleepers
For those who sleep on their stomachs, we recommend a very thin pillow, something that can be shifted around easily!
Sleeping on your stomach with a thick pillow will increase neck strain, as you have to raise your chin to sleep on it. You should also try sleeping with your forehead angled towards the pillow, rather than turning your head to the side, as this can cause irritation to your vertebrae.
Back sleepers
Finally, back sleepers! Sadly, only about 10% of the population are back-sleepers. This is unfortunate, as most health and sleep experts agree that sleeping on your back is one of the healthiest ways to sleep! Back sleeping is beneficial because it's the least likely position to cause any harm to your spine.
For back sleepers, we recommend mid loft pillows, like these!
Besides loft, there's a lot of options for pillows!
There are many different types of infusions and materials you can make pillows out of! From lavender to CBD, chamomile, and peppermint, whatever your preference is, there's some pillow for you!
In short, while a high-quality pillow is very important for a good night's sleep, there's plenty of options and choices when choosing a pillow!
latex pillows
However, for those looking for the eco-friendliest and healthiest option, there are multiple types of natural, organic latex pillows! Since your head is directly on it, off-gassing from memory foam pillows can affect your health in a very major way!
Instead, choose a latex pillow! Latex naturally has an open-cell design, which keeps the pillow cooler rather than heating up as memory foam does! These are made of different types of latex, with sheep wool and cotton covers, which means they're fully recyclable and biodegradable!
All in all, latex pillows are by far the best for anyone looking for a chemical-free, VOC-free, natural and organic pillow that doesn't harm the planet!