Buying pillows for the bedroom is an important decision that affects more than you might think. Your health, comfort, and overall well-being can be influenced by this choice. As trivial as it may seem, choosing the wrong pillow can impact many aspects of your life.
Finding the Right Support
The first step when buying a pillow is to understand the basics of pillow support. Proper support is crucial for a restful night’s sleep and to prevent neck or back pain, which can lead to long-term health issues.
Pillow support is determined by thickness, softness, shape, and the material used. These factors affect both comfort and price.
The Key Question to Ask Yourself: How Do You Sleep?
While having proper mattress support is ideal, it’s often too expensive, making pillow support even more important.
On Your Back
If you sleep on your back, your main concern should be your neck, shoulders, and back. Achieving proper support often requires more than one pillow. A firm pillow for neck and shoulder support, along with a back wedge, is recommended. If the back wedge feels uncomfortable, consider a thinner head pillow to reduce the angle of your body and provide better comfort.
On Your Stomach
Sleeping on your stomach can be challenging when it comes to support. You may need a thinner, softer pillow that doesn’t elevate your neck, as your focus should be on spinal alignment rather than neck elevation.
On Your Side
Side sleepers often experience neck aches and headaches due to the awkward angles they sleep in. Along with neck support, it’s essential to consider the alignment of your back. A firm, thick pillow for head support, along with a body pillow between your knees, will provide the necessary full-body support.
Restless Sleeper
Restless sleepers may find it harder to choose the right pillow because they are unsure of their support needs. The key is to try various pillows—soft and firm, thick and thin—to find what works best for you. Once you identify the sleeping position that reduces restlessness, you can focus on finding the ideal support.
Knowing the Link Between Your Pillow and Health
Improper pillow support can lead to various health issues, such as:
- Neck pain
- Headaches
- Backaches
- Spinal displacement
- Circulation problems
- Jaw pain
- Breathing problems
These discomforts are often overlooked, and many people don’t realize that proper pillow support can alleviate these issues. Without considering your pillow’s impact, you may spend unnecessary money on healthcare while never addressing the root cause.
Setting Your Budget for Pillows
Imagine that for $150, you could improve your sleep quality, posture, reduce stress, lessen headaches, and have more energy every day. It sounds worth it, right? When setting a budget for pillows, this is an important consideration. While you can find inexpensive pillows, they may not provide the quality support necessary for a full night of sleep.
A well-chosen pillow will positively affect your life, so it’s worth investing in one that suits your needs.
The Decorating Aspect of Pillows
When decorating with pillows, the process is straightforward:
- Pillows to fill pillow shams are for decoration. These can be more affordable and should be medium thickness and firmness. They should match the bed size (twin bed – standard pillow, full bed – standard pillow, queen bed – queen pillow, king bed – king pillow).
- Pillows for pillow cases are your main sleeping pillows and should offer the proper thickness and support. Again, size should correspond with your bed size.
- 2-5 decorative pillows, such as neck rolls, throw pillows, or body pillows, can be added for style and comfort.
Quick Guide to Buying Pillows for the Bedroom
- Determine your sleep position and what support is necessary.
- Decide on the number and size of pillows you need.
- Consider how many decorative pillows you want, and choose styles and colors accordingly.
- Set a realistic budget. Remember, you’re investing in your health and sleep quality.
- Shop in stores that accept returns.
- Test the pillows for one week.
- Evaluate how the pillow is working for you.
- If unsatisfied, return the pillow and continue searching for the right one.
The perfect pillow for your needs is out there—you just need to find it!
