Your pillow plays an important role in your daily sleep. A bad pillow can give you neck, back and shoulder problems and provide a restless night’s sleep. A great pillow provides you with high quality, deep refreshing sleep.
But with so many different pillows out there, how do you know which pillow is best for you?
Purpose of a pillow
A pillow serves two main purposes, which is to provide:
- Comfort – The more comfortable you are in bed, the easier it will be to fall asleep.
- Correct sleeping posture – A good pillow supports you neck and head, putting them in the correct posture preventing stiffness and muscle pains in the neck, back, head and shoulders.
Choosing the size and shape of your pillow
The biggest factor for deciding the size and shape of your perfect pillow is your sleeping position.
Side sleepers do best with a large, thick pillow that bridges the gap between your mattress and your neck and head keeping your neck and head in line with your spine. Pillows for side sleepers should be firm to medium.
Back sleepers should go for a medium sized pillow that provides just enough support for the head and neck. The height should be neither too much so that it tilts the head too far forward, nor too little so that it extends the neck and tilts your head upwards. Medium firmness is ideal.
Stomach sleepers need very little support so should choose a relatively soft, flat pillow. You need to lift the head off the ground just enough to align the neck and spine.
Testing the height and firmness of a new pillow
Here’s a quick test you can do in a sleep store to try out a new pillow or against your own pillow to see if it correctly supports and contours to your body:
- Stand next to a wall as if it you were lying down on your mattress. For example if you are a back sleeper, stand with your back against the wall, with your side against the wall for a side sleepers and facing the wall if you sleep on your stomach.
- Now rest your head against the wall. Notice how your neck and head and isn’t straight with your spine? The job of your pillow is to fill this gap.
- Put the pillow in between your head and the wall and notice the alignment of your spine from your neck down to your back. Is it straight or is it bent? Does it feel comfortable or uncomfortable? Would you be happy to spend 8 hours in this position?
If you were using the perfect pillow, you would be looking straight ahead. If not, it’s not right for you.
The broken pillow test
Like everything, pillows over time wear down and lose their effectiveness. The average lifespan of a pillow is around 2 to 7 years. Here’s a quick test to see if your pillow is still up for the job.
- Fold your pillow in half
- Put a light weight on top of the pillow, such as a shoe.
- Let go of the pillow
The pillow should fold back into shape, flinging the shoe off it. If not, the pillow has lost its shape, firmness and support and you should consider replacing it.
Types of pillow fillers
Pillows are filled with a range of materials, each with their own properties:
- Feathers – Creates a firm pillow and keeps a good, adjustable shape.
- Down – Softer and often more expensive than normal feathers, providing medium firmness.
- Memory foam – Firm but adjusts to pressure points, moulding its shape around your head and neck.
- Buckwheat – Medium to firm providing good support. May be noisy when moving around at night.
- Water – Firmness can easily be adjusted by altering the water levels. Contours around your neck and head but may be noisy when shifting position.
- Wool – Medium to soft. A good thermal regulator maintaining a temperature neither not too hot or cold.
- Cotton & Polyester – Less expensive that wool, often medium to soft in firmness.
Choosing the right pillow for you
Pillows come in all shapes and sizes and vary in firmness. The perfect pillow for you may not be the perfect pillow for someone else. The best thing you can do is go to a bed store and try a few out. Find a mattress around the same firmness as your own, lie down and see how they feel.
Important questions to ask when trying out a pillow are:
- Does it feel comfortable, not too soft, not too firm?
- Does it provide the right support for my head and neck to align my spine?
- Would I be happy to spend eight hours in this posture?
- Does the temperature of the pillow feel good against my head?
If the answer is ‘yes’ to all of these questions then congratulations, you have found your perfect pillow. 
