How to Choose a Pillow

Sleep takes up about one third of our lives and is critically important for our health and well being. The quality of our sleep is affected by many factors and one of the most important of those factors is your pillow. To select the right pillow for you, you will need to take many factors into consideration. One of the most important of these factors is the position you sleep in. Selecting the right pillow for you can make a difference in how you feel each day.

How thick and how firm your pillow needs to be depends heavily on whether you are a back sleeper, side sleeper or stomach sleeper.

Back sleeper - A back sleeper will benefit most from a pillow of medium firmness. Pillows that are too firm will place too much pressure on the back of the head. Contour pillows may be a smart choice for back sleepers because they align the neck and spine without putting pressure on the head.

Stomach sleepers — Stomach sleepers need a soft, flat pillow. Stomach sleepers move their heads from side to side frequently and a flatter pillow will support their heads best. A thicker pillow will cause too much neck strain because it will push the head up and away. A down pillow is a great choice for stomach sleepers. Do not worry if you have allergies, look for a pillow with constructed with no leak material and put your pillow inside of a high quality cover.

Stomach sleeper - A soft, flat pillow is best for a stomach sleeper. Stomach sleepers tend to move their heads from side to side frequently. A soft, flat pillow allows them to do this without strain. Thick pillows also push their heads up and away causing more strain. Stomach sleepers will benefit from a down pillow. If you have allergies choose down pillows constructed of leak proof material and use a high quality pillow cover.

When you are choosing a pillow, first figure out what position you sleep in. Buying a pillow might be a trial and error endeavor. If you purchase a pillow and it does not work for you, then try another. Sleep is one of the most important things in our lives; it is worth it to spend some money to get the right pillow.