We all know how important sleep is. Without a good night of sleep it’s more difficult than usual to focus in class, study, and efficiently complete your coursework.
The key to a good night’s sleep may be the pillow you lay your head on, according to a Yahoo News article, “Picking the Perfect Pillow.”
The wrong pillow doesn’t provide the support everyone needs to keep their spine and neck aligned, which can lead to neck and back pain. Another issue is the age of your pillow. Older pillows also don’t provide the support you need. Also older pillows may be overloaded with allergens (mold, dust bunnies, fungus, etc). In fact, half the weight of your pillow may be comprised of allergens if your pillow is older than two years.
So, finding the right pillow, replacing your old one often, and guarding against allergens are very important. And the perfect pillow, whether it plays music, lies perfectly flat, or is supports your neck flawlessly, is out there for everyone. You just need to know how to find it.
Back Sleeper: Yahoo News recommends a medium firm pillow with extra stuffing in the bottom third for those of you who on your backs. You want to make sure your neck is cradled by the pillow, and not flexed forward.
Side Sleeper: Firmer, thicker pillows are the best option for side sleepers according to the article. They offer the best support, even in the gap between your ear and shoulder.
Stomach Sleeper: Neck strain can be an issue for side sleepers, so Yahoo News suggests a soft, flat pillow.
But there’s more to it than just the way you sleep. You need to know what style of pillow is perfect for you too.
Feathers: Buoyancy, softness, and fluffiness vary depending on the type of feathers used in each pillow, according to Yahoo News. Down is often considered to be the softest, but it’s also the most expensive. Mixtures of down and goose or duck feathers will provide more support and also cost less.
Fiberfill: According to the article, fiberfill pillows are soft, pliant, and moderately priced. But be careful to follow washing instructions because they may become lumpy after laundering.
Foam: These pillows are supposed to be the firmest and they provide a lot of support, the article points out. They’re also available in a variety of designs for even more support.
Did you know that you can actually buy specially designed pillows that will work as a radio?
Audio Pillow: If you prefer to be lulled to sleep, just plug your pillow into an audio source with a standard headphone jack and relax with music only can hear. You can even use some of these pillows as an alarm in the morning.
