Written By: Shelby Andrews
Picture this: you come home from a long, exhausting work day. Dinner is finished, the chores are completed, and now it’s finally time to curl up into bed for the night. You lay down, rest your head on the pillow and close your eyes for a much-deserved sleep.
Sounds ideal, right? That is, until you wake up in the morning with a kink in your neck or a pain in your back.
Did you know that using a pillow that is too hard or too soft can cause neck pain? If your neck is bent for an extended period of time, it will become uncomfortable and likely cramp or kink.
The firmness or softness necessary for your pillow depends entirely on the position you sleep in at night. For example, if you sleep on your side and use a soft pillow, your neck will bend to allow your head reach that pillow each night. Sleeping on your back with a firm pillow causes the neck to bend forward all night. Likewise, if you sleep on your stomach and your pillow is too firm, your neck will be bent backwards.
Sounds confusing, right? Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. Read on to learn all about which type of pillow you should be using at night.
If you sleep on your back
Back sleepers, when it comes to pillows, less is more. You should be choosing a thin pillow. This will allow for some head support, but not so much that your neck is being craned forward.
Memory foam pillows are an ideal solution for back sleepers as they will mold to the natural curve of your neck allowing for extra support through the night.
If you sleep on your stomach
To preface, we do not recommend sleeping on your stomach if you can avoid it. Regardless of pillow choice, sleeping on your stomach will strain your neck. However, if you absolutely must, make sure you are using the thinnest pillow possible. Additionally, try sleeping with a soft, malleable pillow (such as feather or down) under your tummy to avoid any possible back pain/strain.
If you sleep on your side
For side sleepers we recommend a firm, thick pillow for sleep to keep your neck aligned with your spine.
Bonus tip: if you’re a side sleeper who often experiences back pain, try sleeping with an extra pillow between your legs.
Now that you know which pillow you should be using each night, go get some sleep!