Choosing the right neck pillow

Almost one third of our life is spent sleeping. Sleep is an essential biological need. In addition to rest and relaxation, proper sleep is necessary in order to maintain good physical and mental health. In recent years, changes in lifestyle because of too many activities, sleep time is compressed to lesser and lesser amount. Neck pain can affect the time and quality of sleep. How to improve the quality of sleep by reducing the level of neck pain or discomfort and in such a limited duration of sleep is a very important issue which leads many people to seek a new pillow.

Many experts have suggested that poor neck posture and support during the night may be responsible for waking with neck pain and stiffness, headache and shoulder blade or arm pain. Headaches originating from the neck are called cervicogenic headaches. They are referred from the upper levels of the neck. Shoulder blade and arm pain can be referred from the lower levels of the neck. It is suggested that individuals who wake in the morning with symptoms that were not present the night before, or patients whose symptoms are worse in the morning than when they retired the preceding night, are probably either using an unsuitable pillow or adopting poor neck posture overnight.

Studies have shown that a neck pillow can improve the quality of sleep and reduce pain levels. These studies, while usually of poor design and/or influenced by commercial incentives, focus on pillow design, rather than quality and specific properties of materials. Due to the large number of commercially available neck pillows, it is impossible to include all pillows in designed trials, thus studies regarding the how to choose the right neck pillow remain elusive and fail to surpass the credibility from health professionals providing patient advice based on the anecdotal suggestions of expert colleagues and professional associations.

The quality of sleep is influenced by many factors. A good neck pillow is an essential factor, especially for those suffering from neck pain and discomfort. There are a wide variety of pillows available on the market today in various materials, shapes and sizes. They are always emphasized to be a better product to benefit neck pain and sleep than others. However, as noted, there is not clear scientific evidence to prove these claims. The purpose of this article will be focus on details of design and how to choose the right neck pillow optimal for good sleep.

Obviously, you can't try every pillow to see which works best. Often, a new pillow may provide instant feedback the next morning that it is the right one. Sometimes, a week or so is needed to determine if it is right. This is called an adaptation period and there may be some discomfort as you get accustomed to the new pillow. This does not mean acute pain or a significant increase in pain or sleep disturbance - just some discomfort.

Videotape studies show that adults change their body position an average of 11 to 13 times per night. A majority of sleep time spent lying on the side, however, adults only spend 59–73% of their sleep in the side lying position, indicating that up to 41% of sleep is in the back position. This should be kept in mind when choosing a pillow that is specifically designed for one sleeping position. A side sleeping pillow may cause problems for those who change positions during the night into a back sleeping position. Ultimately, a pillow should allow the free motion of position changes during the night relevant to studies indicating postional changes are usually not a conscious movement.

There are many factors that influence the number of movements during sleep. Illnesses which affect sleep, like sleep apnoea, caffeine and heavy meals before bed increase sleep movements, alcohol decreases motion initially and increases movement during the later sleep, and dreams. Uncomfortable bedding affects movements along with the level of comfort, which may be related to temperature, unfamiliar surroundings, noise, anxiety and stress.

Finding the right neck pillow can be confusing and frustrating since there are so many options. Actually, this is a good thing, however, there are some basic features of neck pillows which can guide you to choosing the pillow that is best for you. This can help minimize frustration in choosing a pillow you are not happy with. Most reputable pillow companies do not allow returns due to Federal and State Health Regulations regarding bedding items or contaminables. We do not offer used pillows, so here are some guidelines for choosing the right pillow. Remember, there are no guarantees as everyone is different, but take some time to familiarize yourself with the general features of neck pillows to help minimize mistakes.

There is no specific pillow for any specific neck condition. Studies are lacking in providing a relationship between pillow and specific neck condition. There are usually multiple conditions and factors related to neck pain, therefore, it is usually best to find a pillow that suits your particular sleeping conditions and comfort requirements. In general, softer - more accomodating pillows are recommended for more painful conditions usually from injury or inflammation. Once past this point, a firmer pillow can be used if well tolerated. A transition phase from an accomodating pillow to a firmer or different design pillow can be challenging and should only be attempted when pain and discomfort levels are no longer tolerated by an existing neck pillow.

The way you sleep and the surface you sleep on will make a difference in the pillow you choose. A soft sleeping surface may cause more settling of the body in relation to the pillow and necessitate a decrease in pillow height, especially with firm pillows like the TempurPedic Neck Pillow. This may be a consideration in pillows with static sizes. A variable or adjustable height pillow can help compensate for this. In general, a soft pillow like the side sleeper or posture med, or an adjustable pillow like the inflatable or water pillow would be best for a soft surface bed where settling is a factor. Similarly, a firm surface will not give as much, therefore, may necessitate an increase in pillow height. In relation to the mattress, the effects of soft or firmness are also function of body weight, so this must also be considerd. For example; a soft sleeping surface in a high body weight person who likes to sleep on their side would choose the side sleeper at the recommended height since it is a soft density pillow and will tend to settle along with the mattress, however, if you like a firm pillow, you may want to choose a Tempur-Pedic in a size smaller than recommended to achieve the best fit.

It is important to know if you are deliberate in changing positions during sleep or if you do not wake up or consciously move during sleep. There is a Cervical Neck Pillow which is very good in that it can be measured to fit well and keeps a good posture for both side and back sleeping, however, it does require deliberate positioning from back to side and side to back. It is a great pillow for higher levels of pain. The thing to keep in mind is that if you are asleep and change positions a lot, you may find youself in awkward positions. This is also the case for multiple height surface pillows like the Neck Pillow and the TempurPedic Contour Pillow. If you are a strict side sleeper, the Contour Neck Pillow is an option that provides soft support and height measurement. Additionally, for side sleepers, a body pillow can improve sleeping posture and comfort. It can also help to make changing positions more deliberate, therefore, making the multi-height pillows a better option.

If you are not a deliberate sleeper, other pillows with a continuous surface work well. You may find that an adjustable pillow may help to get better positioning. The main question is the preference for firmness which refers to the quality of materials used or quantity of adjustment. I find that the Posture Med Pillow, which is soft, is good for more advanced degenerative conditions and is the one I use. You may like the tempurpedic neck pillow which is a more firm support memory foam and there is a Full Size Memory Foam Pillow with a firm support and higher height for taller individuals that is a less expensive option. Firmer pillows can help with posture and neck curve problems, however, they are not as comfortable or as good for pain relief. A firmer pillow may be good if you have been sleeping on a very non-supportive or worn out pillow for a period of time. In general, the softer pillow is better for pain relief in acute or recent problems or with chronic or long standing neck problems that flare up frequently. It is sometimes recommended that you should progress from a soft pillow to a firm pillow as your condition progresses or improves. In some cases this may be true, however, once you find the right pillow, it is sometimes difficult to change. A pillow like the PostureMed has 2 different heights with different shapes, so that if you need more support, you can switch sides.

The water pillows; Water Filled Pillow which is firmer than the Water Pillow and the Inflatable Pillow change support automatically as you change position. The water pillows are heavy and the inflatable pillow is very light except for the ultra which uses a memory foam for additional comfort and helps keep the pillow more stationary. Both require some work to get them adjusted right, but are good pillows in that they respond to changing positions without any effort while sleeping. This has the benefit of the different height pillows for side and back sleeping without the concern of deliberate motion to change positions. The inflatable pillow does require periodic adjusting to maintain correct fill. The inflatable pillow also comes in a version that is apprpriate for stomach sleepers. Although I do not recommend stomach sleeping, the Stomach Sleeper Pillow is an option. Some people find that no matter how hard they try, they wake up on their stomach. It is important not to use a firm or higher height pillow if this is the case for you.

As foam pillows can sometimes build up heat depending on your sleeping temperature environment, the Chiropractic Neck Pillow and the Chiropractic Pillow can be a good option. The Buckwheat Pillows are also a good option for keeping your head cooler in warmer environments and there is a Buckwheat Neck Pillow which provides more firm neck support. Other options for a fiber based pillow that has a basic uniform surface for neck and back sleepers are the Neck Align Pillow and the Orthopedic Pillow

We do not offer feather only pillows. While some recommend feather pillows for neck pain, this has not been my experience. Lack of support for the use of feather pillows for neck pain has been recently confirmed in a study from Manual Therapy Journal 2009 May 6. [Epub ahead of print - Article In Press]; Pillow use: The behaviour of cervical pain, sleep quality and pillow comfort in side sleepers. It is stated "Feather pillows should not be recommended."

Basically, multiple height pillows (separate heights for back and side sleeping) require deliberate changes in position for back and side sleeping. This may ultimately reduce the quality of sleep from consciously changing positions or causing one to wake up in an awkward position from unconsciously changing positions without adapting to the pillow. Adjustable pillows (air and water filled) require an initial period of adjusting to find the right level of comfort and also require periodic adjusting to maintain that level of comfort. Most memory foam pillows are usually high or firm density. A higher density memory foam does not mean better quality or more comfort. If you are not sure, my recommendation is the Posture-Med Pillow as I find this pillow provides the greatest user satisfaction, least amount of "break in period" or "getting used to", and is a reactive pillow that conforms to your neck. It is a good choice, especially if this is your first neck pillow. The Posture Med Pillow focuses on quality of materials rather than a novel design. The unique research into this pillow included qualities like; Density (lbs / ft3), Percent of Indent Force Deflection, Tear Strength (lbs/lin inch) and Elongation Pecentage to provide a great combination of support and comfort.

Remember there is no one specific formula to determine the neck pillow that is best for you. Often, you will have a personal preference for some particular reason. I have recommended pillows based on clinical findings and experience only to find that it may be the opposite that the patient is comfortable with. Ultimately, it is this comfort level that provides the best relief. A good nights sleep is more important than trying to determine what is best for a particular condition and hopefully this article can serve as a guide to determine a pillow that might provide the most comfort for you.

If you need further assistance or have questions regarding how to choose the right pillow, we encourage you to contact Neck Solutions and we will try to help.