Which Pillow Should You Buy?

A Guide to Buying The Best Pillow (2020)

Pillows are an integral part of our sleeping arrangements and we can’t sleep or even rest without them. But we hardly put any thought into purchasing pillows.

Just like how you choose your mattress by the way you sleep, how you feel, and so on, pillows need to be chosen the same way. They play a major role in shaping our posture while sleeping and the wrong pillow can lead to painful frozen neck and shoulders.

But how do you choose the right pillow for yourself? Here’s where we’ll help.

In this article, we’ll talk about which pillow you should buy keeping in mind your ailments, sleeping habits, sleeping positions, and preferences.

According to Sleeping Positions

• Pillows for back sleepers

A large section of people are back sleepers, and in fact, many of us tend to sleep on our backs at night, even if we’re not typically back sleepers. When you lie on your back, the pillow should support your spine’s curve and give adequate support to your head, neck, and shoulders. The pillow shouldn’t be too high, as it can sabotage the curvature of your backbone. But a pillow that is too flat won’t be comfortable. So an average-sized pillow will be just fine. For further comfort, you can also place a smaller pillow(s) under the knees to keep your spinal cord in a comfortable position and lower back strain.

• Pillows for Side Sleepers

Side sleeping is perhaps the most preferred position for sleeping, but not having the right pillow to suit your side sleeping habits can hurt your body. For side sleepers, a thick pillow is essential to keep the spinal cord straight and aligned. Other than this, a firm pillow between the legs will provide better spinal alignment. Without this, the leg on top will drift downward and ruin the straightness of the spine. So it is beneficial for side sleepers to have a pillow between their legs.

• Pillows for Stomach Sleepers

The final kind of sleeping position is on the stomach, and this is also arguably the worst. Sleeping on your stomach puts a lot of strain on your neck and back, and also causes difficulties in breathing due to the pressure on your chest. It is advised that you steer away from sleeping on your stomach. However, if you still prefer to do so or just do it due to medical reasons, a flat pillow should be used. No pillow is a better option, but if you do need a pillow, make sure that it is as flat as possible. This will keep the natural alignment of the spine in check.

According to Sleeping Habits

• Pillows for hot sleepers

Have you ever heard the term “Hot Sleeper”? Hot sleepers are those who tend to feel hot while sleeping, and often wake up sweaty and drenched. If you’re a hot sleeper, then orthopedic pillows that have a dent around the head and higher sides surrounding the neck are the best. Such pillows are proven to be cooling and helpful to the spine. However, for something more generic, opt for latex-based pillows. Latex is a material that promotes ventilation and helps in air circulation, which is beneficial for hot sleepers.

• Pillows for Cold Sleepers

On the other hand, if you’re a cold sleeper and tend to feel cold at night,

or someone who prefers warmth and coziness, then we suggest that you go for feather pillows. Generic feather pillows are said to be much warmer than other materials, and they’re also much softer, thus giving you a feeling of warmth and coziness. There isn’t a specific type of pillow shape that is better, so a generic shape is perfectly fine.

According to Ailments

• Neck Pain

Neck pain is one of the most common sleeping ailments that people have. Most of the time, they’re caused due to the usage of improper pillows. But thankfully, there are several special pillows that you can buy to rid yourself of neck pain. While the shape will differ according to the kind of pain you have, and the way you sleep, the best material here is memory foam. Memory foam gives the perfect balance of support and comfort and keeps the neck aligned well with the spine. Buckwheat comes in a close second with similar advantages.

• Back Pain

Similarly, back pain is another common problem that most people have. Especially older people or those involved in daily manual labor. To alleviate back pain, get yourself a wedge pillow to place underneath your back. This will give your spine the support that it requires. Another essential tip is to place a dual-profile pillow underneath your knees. This is a uniquely shaped pillow with curved edges that keeps your spine aligned straight. While specially-shaped pillows are the better option, normal shaped pillows in these regions will work fine as well.

• Allergies

For all of you who suffer from allergies, make sure that you get yourself a hypoallergenic pillow. This is even more important if you suffer from dust allergies. Dust and particulate matter can collect on the surface of the pillow and cause terrible allergies. Getting a pillow made of hypoallergenic material will be of great help as it prevents the collection of such particulate matter.