A good night’s sleep sets us up for good energy levels and good mood throughout the day. There are many factors that contribute to a healthy and supportive sleep environment. We all need a supportive pillow to get a good night’s sleep and we all know we want a good night’s sleep after a long day.
We know good posture throughout the day contributes to good health, but what about at night? What does a supportive pillow look like?
If you’re a side sleeper or back sleeper, a supportive pillow should be tucked into your neck and shoulder, and ultimately keep your neck in line with your spine. There are many different pillows on the market which can confuse consumers and lead them to make wrong choices. Feather-filled pillows tend to have no shape (if any at all) or support, and bamboo pillows tend to be too firm without any contour or shape at all. Pillows that are not supportive or wrongly used can make you wake up with a stiff and painful neck in the morning. A bad pillow or wrongly used pillow will cause joint misalignments and dysfunctions in the neck and therefore neck pain. Chronic neck pain and stiffness may also cause recurrent headaches.
A contoured pillow made from a foam or memory foam is best at keeping you aligned, as they tend to keep their shape better when placing your head on the pillow. But not one pillow fits all. A good pillow is one that is adjustable and has layers that can be added or removed to alter the height of the pillow, to suit your body. The contour supports your neck in a way that keeps it in line with your spine in side sleeping positions and when sleeping on your back. Good alignment and posture also ensures good oxygenation whilst we sleep, having an overall positive effect on our health.
Most experts will also recommend replacing your pillow every 1-2 years to ensure ultimate support, health and hygiene. Around 1 in 4 people know that they should change their pillow after 2 years, but wait longer to replace them. When we lie our heads down on our pillows we leave behind dead skin cells, sweat and body oil which accumulate over time. We spend a lot of time on our pillows at night so nasties such as bacteria, mould spores and dust mites can also create for a bad sleeping environment and can lead to chronic allergies and symptoms such as a dry and sore throat, recurrent headaches and chronic congestion. Washing your pillow case regularly is important, but there should also be a thicker case that is washable to keep your pillow clean.
"Most experts will also recommend replacing your pillow every 1-2 years to ensure ultimate support, health and hygiene. Around 1 in 4 people know that they should change their pillow after 2 years, but wait longer to replace them."
If you think your pillow needs a change or you have chronic neck pain, allergies (with or without seasonal change), recurrent headaches as a result of a bad pillow, it may be time to change your pillow. At The Myeline Clinic, our pillows are made from a memory foam which are also gel-infused and hypoallergenic to ensure you get the best night’s sleep. There are multiple adjustable layers as well as a protective case made from a stretch knit, that is easily removable and machine washable. We spend a third of our day, everyday, sleeping on our pillows, so it’s important to get it right.
If your pillow is over two years old, needs replacement and you would like to find out more about a pillow that suits your needs, contact us and we can measure a pillow that would suit your body, and show you sleeping positions that will ensure an optimal sleeping environment.
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