How to Choose the Best Pillow for Any Sleeping Position

If you want to sleep well, selecting the best pillow can be the single most important decision you’ll ever make. But it’s not that easy. 

Should you go with a soft pillow or a hard one? Should you go with wide or narrow? Is there something for good room temperature?

Even more important, you also need to consider what pillow is best for the sleeping position you prefer. Why? People sleep in different positions (i.e., side sleeping, front sleeping and back sleeping, etc.)

Thus, you need to find out your pillow according to your position. Isn’t it possible that you can sleep without a pillow, so you do not have to choose a sleeping pillow? 

Here’s the short answer: No. 

But here’s the longer (and more important) why you should consider before choosing a pillow. 

What are the benefits of choosing the right sleeping pillow?

Imagine that you have rested all long night, and, in the morning, you are feeling fatigued, back pain and weary, etc. 

You should investigate the reasons for what is causing you discomfort. We can tell you that maybe you are sleeping without a pillow. Thus, you need to sleep on a pillow. Below are a few of the reasons.

Having the right pillow supports the natural posture

In whichever position you sleep, it is better to use a pillow. Here’s why:

Sleeping without a pillow means you are exposing your spine to danger in an unnatural posture. This, in turn, can ultimately result in straining your muscles and joint pain too. 

However, if you are a stomach sleeper, you should use pillow though in a different position. The key is to should choose a sleeping pillow to remain in a natural posture.

Having the right pillow alleviates neck pain

If you suffer from neck pain in the morning or all day, you should choose a sleeping pillow. The right pillow can help provide neck pain relief. 

A study was conducted which produced assumption-supportive results. The study was a test conducted on 52 patients who suffered from neck pain. 

These patients were given four pillows. Forty out of 52 patients reported that it using pillow alleviated that neck pain. So it is a good symptom for those who are suffering from neck pain. 

Having the right pillow improves personal comfort

If you feel comfortable keeping your head a little above your body, you should choose a sleeping pillow. 

Sleeping is an essential phase of daily routine, and its purpose is to give you rest. Your comfort matters when you have worked all day long. Dr. Rubin Naiman, a sleep specialist, considers pillows as a matter of personal comfort. 

Having the right pillow improves individual sleeping position

Sleeping positions need to be determined whenever you want to sleep. Each sleeping position requires a pillow for a reason. 

Dr. Andrew Weil reported that if you sleep on your back, the purpose of the pillow is to save your head from being sunk in the mattress. 

In case you are a side-sleeper, the pillow has an important role – that is, to maintain a distance between your shoulder and ear. 

If you are a stomach sleeper, you should necessarily use a pillow. It will ease lower back pain. A good pillow may also help reduce snoring.

Having the right pillow helps you wake up to a better morning

You have worked all day long. Now, anything you would want will be a night of better sleep. 

No one wants to wake up in a bad situation. That is where the role of a good pillow plays well.

As all the reasons to sleep on a pillow have been mentioned earlier, all combined will give you a better morning. A pillow alone can make your day. 

Choosing pillow tips: Factors to consider 

As the benefits of pillows have been written up, now you would want to buy pillows to have a comfortable sleep. Here are a few things you should consider before you choose a sleeping pillow. 

1. Sleeping position

If you are a back sleeper, you should have minimal support in the form of a pillow. For a side sleeper, a medium-density pillow would work better. For those who sleep on the stomach, a soft and lower density pillow is the best. 

2. Pillow sizes

There can be three sizes of a pillow; king, queen, and standard. Standard size pillow measures from 20 to 26 inches.

The queen size extends from 20 to 30 inches. The king-size measures from 20 to 36 inches. Choose the pillow size by considering your bed size. 

3. Pillow filling

A pillow can be filled with any kind of materials i.e., foam, memory foam, down, feather, and polyester. All of them vary in comfort and support. Choose where you feel comfortable. 

4. Pillow firmness

The firmness of a pillow can be determined by four of its levels, which are soft, medium soft, firm, and very firm. Based on your comfort, you can choose a sleeping pillow. 

5. Special pillows

Special pillows are those which are intended to provide special relief to a person. For example, if you have neck pain, buy a special pillow that can help provide relief. 

6. Budget issues

Consider your budget first before you buy a pillow. Remaining within your budget while choosing a sleep pillow can help you in managing finances.

7. Covering of pillow

Though it has nothing to do with your comfort directly, paying attention to a pillow cover is important. Make sure it’s clean, soft and breathable.