If you are not getting a good night’s sleep and you wake up with pain in your neck, it might help if you change your pillow. Using a good pillow can help to prevent headaches, stiffness and pain in the neck. Using the right pillow will help to support the curve in your neck and help prevent spinal problems. If you have allergies, you may want to avoid pillows with down, silk, cotton, wool or latex. Try using a hypoallergenic pillow instead.
Sleeping with good posture will help to prevent neck and back pain. This is significant since the average person spends approximately one third of their life sleeping. There are several different kinds of pillows out there. Finding one with proper support and one that is comfortable to you is important. You may need to try a few different pillows to find the best one for you.
A cervical pillow can help to cradle the head and provide needed support to the cervical spine to prevent misaligned spinal bones. Common symptoms without support include a stiff neck, headaches, shoulder pain and numbness or tingling in the hands. When sleeping on your side it is important to fill the space between your head and the bed to keep your spine straight. If you use a pillow that is too thick or thin, your spine will not be straight and spinal problems may develop. When sleeping on your back, it is helpful to use a cervical pillow with a contour. This helps to support the normal curve that should exist in your neck.
Neck pillows come in all different shapes and sizes. It is important to choose one that best fits your size, especially the size of your neck. Adjustable pillows can make this easier. Inflatable pillows have been developed which use air cells to control the amount of air in the pillow. You can adjust the height of the pillow depending on how much air you put in. Water pillows can also do this. They have a chamber built in the middle of the pillow that holds water. You can put different amounts of water to increase or decrease the thickness and support.
Memory foam pillows are also a good option for many people. These are built with space age material that conforms to the neck. They can help dampen vibrations and are a good option while traveling to minimize vibration and temperature changes. A combination pillow may also be a good option for those that have a difficult time finding a pillow that is comfortable with good support. These combine memory foam with other fill material to increase softness. A body pillow is often a good option for those with neck and back pain that need full body support.