Since we spend about one third of our life sleeping, a good pillow is not just for neck pain sufferers. Everyone can benefit from sleeping on a well designed pillow.
Some symptoms of poor neck and upper back alignment from the wrong pillow may include snoring, headaches, insomnia, numbness in the arms and hands and neck pain or stiffness.
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The right neck pillow will cradle your head and support your neck without distorting the normal posture and alignment. Choosing the right neck pillow can be confusing, however, a good pillow can make a huge difference.
Avoid using too little or no neck pillow at all which places the unsupported neck under strain all night long. Using too many pillows or too firm of a pillow can push the neck up and pinch the joints together. This may strain muscles and place uneven pressure on joints which can cause inflammation, a common cause of neck pain when waking in the morning.
It is not recommended to sleep on your stomach as this puts pressure on your internal organs, neck, jaw and lower back!
It is important that neck pillows have a contour to accommodate the natural curves of the neck to maintain the proper neck posture while sleeping. Whether you sleep on your side or back, your pillow must be soft enough to mold to your head (weighing about 10 pounds) and still fill in the space between your bed and your neck. Your head is bigger than your neck so supporting both without distorting the position of your neck is important.
There are many neck pillows which offer good support and pain relief. You may have to try more than one to find the best pillow for you and your needs, but lets try to get some basics down.
If the head is too high or too low in relation to the rest of the body, the neck and upper back can be placed under stress. Similar problems can occur if the head is allowed to roll sideways when sleeping on your back, or if the upper back is not supported along with the neck.
Providing adequate support is difficult because most people sleep both on their sides and their backs, and these positions require different support. The head needs to be supported approximately two inches higher in the side position than in the back position. Many people often subconsciously try to make this correction by putting their hand under the pillow when they roll over on their sides. In the back sleeping position, the head not only needs to be supported at the right height, but prevented from tilting forward and restricting air passages, or from rolling from side to side which can put stress on the neck. Upper back support is also required in this position to prevent the weight of the body from pulling the neck out of alignment.
Pillows have gone high tech. Memory foam pillows are made with a space age material which can dampen vibrations and maintain neck temperature on cold evenings. A travel pillow made of memory foam is a good choice for on the road to avoid constant vibration and temperature changes which can increase levels of neck pain. Water pillows change as you move and have clinical studies to prove their effectiveness. There are also air inflatable pillows which you can adjust to your preference.
With the merger of high tech and the pillow, everyone can find one that is just right and benefits from a better nights sleep and better health.