How To Choose 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. Let’s try to shed some light on how to choose the right neck pillow for you.

Why Know How To Choose The Right Neck 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, often 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 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 temporary discomfort.

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 only 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 positional 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 apnea, 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.

Why Is Choosing The Right Neck Pillow A Pain In The Neck?

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. 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.

How To Choose The Right Pillow For My Neck Condition

Studies are lacking in providing a relationship between pillow type and specific neck conditions. 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 accommodating 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 accommodating 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.

Does The Mattress Matter?

The way you sleep and the surface you sleep on will make a difference in the pillow you choose. If you have an old mattress, new mattresses can be affordable and a good investment for your health. 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. This may be a consideration in pillows with static sizes. A variable or functional pillow with separate sections in one pillow can help compensate for this.

In general, a soft 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 considered. 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.

How To Choose The Right Neck Pillow – Ergonomics

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 are multiple height surface pillows which are functional pillows. They do require deliberate positioning from back to side and side to back.

The thing to keep in mind is that if you are asleep and change positions a lot, you may find yourself waking in awkward positions. The idea for a multiple height pillow is valid in that back sleeping requires a different height than for side sleeping due to the shoulders. They provide great support for higher levels of pain.

The most popular of these is the Therapeutic Pillow, which has soft angled transitions making it easy to change positions. It is very good in that it can be measured to fit well and keeps a good posture for both side and back sleeping and I highly recommend this pillow for acute conditions or higher levels of chronic pain.

Additionally, a body pillow can help improve sleeping posture and comfort for the back and shoulders as well. It can also help to make changing positions more deliberate, therefore, making the multi-height pillows a better option.

How To Choose The Right Neck Pillow: Soft Or Firm?

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 a soft memory foam pillow is a great solution for more advanced degenerative conditions.

Higher end Talalay processed latex and is very good for neck conditions, whereas the Dunlop latex pillows tend to be bouncy. There are also pillows that use zoning which allows a traditional shaped pillow to function like a contour pillow. These memory foam pillows also have an option for infused aromatherapy like lavender and are a great combination of soft and firm.

Firmer pillows can help with posture and neck curve problems, however, they are not as comfortable or as accommodating as softer ones, but still 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.

Elements – Water

The water pillow changes support automatically as you change position. Water pillows are heavy in weight, but stay in position which is a benefit to some who have to move their pillow because they get out of position.

It requires some work to get it adjusted just right, but is a very good pillow in that it responds to changing positions without any effort while sleeping. This reacts to changing positions automatically having the benefit of a functional pillow for side and back sleeping without the concern of deliberate motion to change positions.

How To Choose The Right Neck Pillow: Stomach Sleepers

Although I do not recommend stomach sleeping because it places too much strain on the neck joints and muscles, a low height pillow would be an option. Some people find that no matter how hard they try, they need to sleep on their stomach to get a good night’s sleep. It is important not to use a firm or higher height pillow, especially with a soft mattress.

The best pillow for stomach sleepers is a cervical pillow for stomach sleepers in that it is designed for that purpose along with options for back and side sleeping. It allows stomach sleeping with a better cervical posture, reducing rotational and extensional damage that can cause neck problems, as well as providing better air flow. It is a very versatile pillow in that you can use it for any sleeping position, making it the ideal pillow to transition from stomach to side and back sleeping.

Temperature – Too Hot!

As foam pillows can sometimes build up heat depending on your sleeping temperature environment, a great alternative is the advent of gel foam cooling pillows that use a cooler technology in soft memory foam to control and release heat build-up.

Feathers & Down Fill

We do not offer feather or down 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 suggested in a study from a 2009 Manual Therapy Journal study. It is stated “Feather pillows should not be recommended.” However, we do offer down blend pillows which combine down with feathers for traditional comfort with better support for the neck.

How To Choose The Right Neck Pillow – Pillow Reviews

There is something about human nature; we like to read reviews. There can be a page of useful information that takes 15 minutes to read, however, most people will spend hours reading pillow reviews, The more the better. What’s more, the worse the review, the better response it will get. Ever see, “Was this review helpful”? You will find many more likes on the negative reviews than the positive ones! With impulsive buying and dazzling adds, are these reviews really informed. Are they all human? Are the giveaways for reviews?

Does the cheapest price get better reviews? This goes against the often stated rule that you get what you pay for. Generally, better materials make better pillows and this is reflected in price. We have had plenty of complaints of those who buy numerous cheap, low priced and high review pillows that wind up in the closet or trash. Usually, after that, many will realize that you need some important information and a good quality pillow to help. Many with difficulties opt for the two pillow solution.

We support Amazon and they are our sponsors for many pillows as we have evolved more into head supports. Ironically, our most popular pillow sold there is the therapeutic pillow, and the page states frequently returned item. If you read our page, you can probably guess why. In fact, we say who should not use the pillow. Use your head not your eyes.

I’m Still Confused!

If you still have a difficult time choosing the right pillow, it is hard to go wrong with the water pillow. This pillow reacts to your changing positions, adjustable for firmness and level of fill or height.

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 solutions that might provide the most comfort for you, or provide a solution after searching for the best pillow(s).

If you would like to read more, please see the best pillow for neck pain article. Always pay attention to details like sizing, comparing to your own.