WWhen most of us think about how to get a perfect night’s sleep, we consider things like the firmness of our mattress, how cool or dark our room is, and what time we go to sleep. One factor we sometimes fail to consider? Our pillow configuration.
“I think pillows are often incredibly overlooked,” says Dr. W. Christopher Winter, a neurologist, sleep specialist and author of The sleeping solution.
Winter says she always asks patients what kind of pillows they have and where they got them. “It’s really surprising how few people can actually answer the question,” he says. “It’s like they always had the pillow or it just showed up in their bed at some point and they never questioned it.”
Finding the perfect pillow is an opportunity for people to improve their sleep without buying a new mattress, which can be time-consuming and expensive, says Winter, who also hosts the “Sleep Unplugged” podcast.
The following advice can help ensure your pillow configuration will provide the best sleep possible.
Not too low, not too high
The most comfortable sleeping position is highly personal. Some people will be more comfortable sleeping on their stomach, while others will sleep better on their side or back. (Generally speaking, sleeping on your side and back is better for spinal alignment.)
Pillow height is also highly personal; there is no scientific consensus still at the ideal pillow height. But a good rule of thumb is to use a pillow that fills the gap between your shoulder and ear, as this helps align your neck and spine, says Craig Hensley, associate professor of physical therapy and human movement sciences at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine. University. .
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“If the pillow is too thick, it will warp and cause pressure on the neck,” he says. “If it’s not thick enough, it will bend your neck the other way, which can compress some of your joints.”
Find the right firmness and material
Most people sleep better with a firmer pillow, says Hensley. Firm pillows support the head and neck better than soft pillows. Just be careful with a pillow that’s too firm, as this can cause stiffness from neck hyperextension, says Dr. Rachel Salas, a sleep neurologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep and Wellness.
The composition of the pads is also important. A study compared five different types of pillows: polyester, foam, contour foam with a neck groove, feather, and latex (which is bouncy and moldable). The study looked at whether each type of pillow contributed to participants waking up with a stiff back, headache or arm pain. The researchers found that feather pillows performed the worst, while latex pillows performed the best.
An added benefit of latex pillows is that they can protect against dust mites, says Winter. Certain materials, such as goose down, are porous and therefore more likely to trap dust mites than latex pillows.
Replace your pillows and wash your pillowcases regularly
If you wake up congested or with post-nasal drip, it could be due to allergens in your pillow. One to study found that 10% of the weight of a two-year-old pillow is due to dust mites and their excrement. Pillows can also contain dead skin, mold and pet hair.
“If the pillows are old, they can retain a lot of dust mites and human skin, which can interfere with the quality of sleep,” says Salas.
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Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America suggests replacing your pillow every two years. Hypoallergenic covers can be beneficial if you are particularly prone to allergies.
You should also wash your pillowcases at least once a week. A study found that pillowcases that hadn’t been cleaned in a week contained 17,000 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. This bacteria can be particularly spread if you drool, sleep with makeup on, or sweat a lot.
Strive for a refreshing effect
If your head gets too hot while you sleep, your sympathetic nervous system may activate, according to a 2015 study. This can prevent you from achieving deep sleep, which is essential for health. Using a pillow with a refreshing effect can help you sleep better, especially if you tend to overheat at night.
If you’re looking for a pillowcase that will keep you cool, avoid synthetic materials like polyester as they can trap heat, says Dr. Sudha Tallavajhula, medical director of the Neurological Sleep Medicine Center at TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston. Instead, opt for pillowcases made from natural fabrics like cotton, silk, and bamboo.
Pillows aren’t just for your head
When envisioning the perfect pillow configuration, it’s important to think beyond the pillows under your head, says Winter.
Pregnant women, for example, may benefit from pillows that support their abdomen or legs. People with back pain can also benefit from using body support pillows. Hensley often recommends that people with back pain who sleep on their back place a pillow under their knees, as this can decrease stress on the lumbar spine. People with back pain or sciatica who sleep on their side, he says, should place a pillow between their thighs, as this can decrease stress on the sciatic nerve.
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For those with shoulder pain, Hensley recommends sleeping on the opposite side of the injury and placing a pillow under the injured shoulder. For example, if you have pain in your right shoulder, sleep on your left side and place a pillow under your right shoulder.
Many people like to sleep with their arm under the pillow. But doing so can put a lot of weight on your arm, especially if you have a shoulder injury. If you feel more comfortable sleeping with your arm under your pillow, consider a special pillow that comes with an arm hole, says Winter.
Some people will benefit from increased height
Most people should only sleep with one or two pillows, says Salas. But there are exceptions to this rule. For example, sleeping a little higher can help pregnant women deal with shortness of breath and heartburn.
If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), your sleep quality will likely also improve if your pillow setting is a little higher, says Winter. When you sleep slightly elevated, stomach contents can flow downwards more easily. “When we lie down, they are more likely to regurgitate through the esophageal sphincter,” he says. “When you are more upright, gravity holds things better.” (Tallavajhula adds that sleeping on the left side is better for people with acid reflux due to the position of the stomach.)
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Snoring may also improve if you use a slightly higher pillow. Snoring is often a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which the airways become blocked and breathing stops. Sleep apnea should be treated with a CPAP machine. (Companies now make pillows that accommodate CPAP machines.) Allergies, obesity, and sleeping on your back can also cause snoring. Regardless of why you snore, sleeping with more pillows or a slightly higher pillow can help open your airways and reduce snoring.
“Something as simple as supporting your head can improve snoring, improve sleep apnea, and also tends to greatly improve elements of GERD,” says Winter.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
