Are You Sleeping on The Right Pillow?

Are you sleeping on the right pillow? It’s in your bed and more specifically it’s on your side of the bed, but is it really the right pillow?Pillows are like shoes, you want to pick the one or ones that are right for you. Some people prefer sleeping on a flatter pillow, but flat pillows usually don’t offer the proper support for your neck. Now you can find flatter, foam pillows that offer a neck roll that offers the right amount of support for those who sleep on their back. If you sleep on your back, you want a neck roll to support the curve of your neck. Memory foam is a good option, because it molds to the shape of your head and neck.If you sleep on your side, you should have a thicker pillow. A high density foam that is the same thickness as the distance between the side of your head and the outside edge of your shoulder is the best choice. This type of pillow will support your head so that it isn’t tilting to the side all night squeezing and pinching off your nerves. Go for a pillow with an extra-wide gusset (a gusseted pillow has rectangular panels on all four sides to increase the thickness) to help bridge the distance between your ear and shoulder. You might also sleep with a pillow between your knees to better align your spine.If you are a stomach sleeper, it’s no wonder your neck hurts! No pillow in the world is going to make it better. You need to learn new sleeping habits to help your neck. Lying on your belly with your head rotated to one side all night is going to cause imbalances in your neck with one side of your neck muscles growing really contracted and the other side too stretched out.Just as it is with everything else, you get what you pay for. You are able to get a good pillow if you spend a little more money, however you don’t need to break the bank. Don’t be afraid to take the pillow out of the box to test drive it in the store. It will usually be in a bag, so take it out of the box and lay your head on it.Don’t forget that older pillows should be replaced every 18 months or so, because they can be packed with allergy triggers such as mold, dead skin cells, and dust mites. Pillow protectors can help extend the life of your pillow. You can test if a pillow is no longer useful by seeing if it springs back after you fold it in half. If it doesn’t spring back, it’s time to get a new one.