Getting a great night’s sleep is crucial to your health and well-being, and the pillow you utilize has lots to do with this. A neck pillow can show you how to improve the standard of your sleep and forestall or relieve neck, back, and headaches. But how do you select one of the best one in your needs?
In this text, we’re going to inform you the whole lot it’s worthwhile to know to seek out the reply: what kinds of neck pillows there are, who should use them, and the way they differ from normal pillows. As well as, we’re going to offer you tricks to show you how to make the correct alternative when buying one.
What’s a neck pillow?
A neck pillow is designed to adapt to the form and curvature of the neck, maintaining an accurate and aligned posture of the spine during sleep.
They will not be only helpful for people that suffer from neck pain but in addition for individuals who need to improve the general quality of their sleep and forestall future discomfort.
What’s the difference between a traditional pillow and a neck pillow?
The difference between a traditional pillow and a neck pillow is that the previous has a flat and uniform shape, while the latter has a curved and variable shape. Which means the conventional pillow doesn’t adapt to the contour of the neck and could cause a forced and uncomfortable posture.
What kinds of neck pillows are there?
Probably the most common materials for neck pillows are the next:
- Latex: that is natural, elastic, and resistant. It adapts to the contour of the neck and offers good support.
- Viscoelastic: an artificial material that reacts to heat and body pressure, molding its shape.
- Fiber: soft and resistant, it may well be easily washed. It offers good conformability, but may deform with continued long-term use.
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Who should use a neck pillow?
A neck pillow is advisable for anyone who desires to improve their sleep and forestall or relieve neck pain. Nevertheless, there are some cases by which its use is very indicated:
- Back or side sleepers: these positions require greater height and support from the pillow to maintain the neck aligned with the remainder of the spine.
- Individuals who snore or have sleep apnea: respiratory disorders could be improved with a neck pillow that elevates the neck and facilitates the passage of air through the airways.
- Migraine or tension headache victims: many headaches are related to poor neck posture resulting in muscle contractures.
Why is a neck pillow helpful?
Although the indications we have now already mentioned are specific, there are also some advantages of use for individuals who don’t have sleep apnea or migraines. That’s, for individuals who don’t have any underlying disease.
Neck pillows could improve the standard of anyone’s sleep. By sleeping with proper posture, restorative sleep is facilitated, which translates into greater physical and mental performance through the next day.
It could also prevent future neck pain. By supporting the neck appropriately, neck muscle tension and concomitant inflammation is prevented, which reduces the danger of contractures.
In accordance with a 2007 study, using a neck pillow can have a positive effect on neck pain, nighttime sleep, and headaches. In that study, three kinds of pillows were compared: butterfly-shaped neck pillows, regular rectangular pillows, and roll-up pillows. The outcomes showed that the vast majority of participants using the butterfly neck pillow reduced their neck pain, while only 41% of those using the regular pillow achieved less discomfort.
Finally, blood circulation to the brain is also improved. Keeping the neck aligned makes blood flow to the pinnacle more efficient. Due to this fact, disorders related to poor circulation, similar to dizziness and vertigo, are less prone to appear.
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The most effective suggestions for selecting the best neck pillow
Now that you realize what a neck pillow is, what it’s for, what types exist, and why it’s helpful to make use of one, listed here are some suggestions for selecting the best one for you:
- Try different options: it’s best to try several neck pillows before buying one. Check which one most accurately fits your neck and posture. Try reviews on the web.
- Consider your height and weight: this influences the scale and firmness of the neck pillow which will likely be ideal. The approach to know if the pillow is the correct height is to see in case your head, neck, and spine form a straight line while you sleep in your side or in case your chin is parallel to the ground while you sleep in your back.
- Consider your mattress: the style of mattress you utilize also affects the alternative. It’s because the mattress influences how much your body sinks and, due to this fact, how high your neck must be aligned.
- Select the fabric you want best: each has its benefits. Viscoelastic is nearly all the time essentially the most advisable since it adapts to the contours of the neck and offers comfort and pressure relief. Fiber is light, soft, and breathable, but can deform over time.
- Find the form that appeals to you: there are different shapes for neck pillows, similar to rectangular, butterfly, or cylindrical. Every one has its advantages, so you must select the one which suits you best in response to your posture.
Do you already know what your ideal pillow is?
Change your pillow every two years. It’s advisable to accomplish that while you notice that it deforms or sinks.
This time will likely be fulfilled should you care for your pillow properly, following the manufacturer’s instructions. As well as, you must wash it regularly, air it, and protect it with a canopy.
Selecting a neck pillow shouldn’t be so difficult should you follow the following pointers we gave you. But there isn’t a magic here. To scale back neck pain and get a more restful rest, you furthermore mght need to have good sleep hygiene, perform exercises for the neck and spine and, after all, seek the advice of a health skilled if the pains are persistent or intense.
An excellent pillow could make the difference between a superb and a lousy night’s sleep. So don’t hesitate any longer and begin having fun with the advantages of a neck pillow – your health will thanks!
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to make sure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this text was considered reliable and of educational or scientific accuracy.
- Persson, L. (2006). Neck pain and pillows–A blinded study of the effect of pillows on non-specific neck pain, headache and sleep. Advances in Physiotherapy, 8(3), 122-127. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14038190600780239
- Shields, N., Capper, J., Polak, T., & Taylor, N. (2006). Are cervical pillows effective in reducing neck pain?. In Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE): Quality-assessed Reviews [Internet]. Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (UK). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK73379/