How to choose the right pillow

In 7000BC wealthy Mestpotamians were among the first to use pillows – sleeping on a hard stone version that also gave them a higher ranking in society. The Egyptians used their stone pillows merely to lift their heads off the ground to stop being bitten by insects. And the ancient Chinese believed soft pillows sucked the energy from their bodies so they opted for a hard version made of stone, wood or ceramics.

None of them sound particularly comfortable. Thankfully pillows are now designed with comfort in mind but choosing the right one can be a minefield since there are so many available. So, which is right for you? It comes down to how you sleep and getting the right postural alignment.

Tummy Sleeper

Tummy sleepers are a rare breed. Most of us don’t count ourselves among the 7% of tummy sleepers. However, if  you snuggle up on your front in bed and fall asleep then you’re going to need a pillow that keeps your spine aligned as much as possible according to Dynamic Chiropractic’s Dr. David Kay. A low to mid profile pillow is better for those who sleep on their front so it doesn’t raise your head too much and leave you with neck pain. Some tummy sleepers even opt for no pillow depending on the comfort of their mattress top. SleepMaker has a range of memory foam through to contoured pillows – choose a profile to suit.

Side Sleeper

Possibly all of us, at some stage during the night will sleep on our side but if you find that is your most comfortable sleep position and mostly fall asleep on your side then you’re officially a side sleeper.

“Our preferred position when discussing with patients is lying on your side because what it does is it makes sure there’s a nice straight line essentially between your tailbone, all the way up to the base of your skull“ says Dr Kay. So you’re going to need a pillow that slots in nicely and supports your head off the mattress while still keeping that straight spine. A mid to high profile pillow is the best choice here & SleepMaker has an ample range of that would fit nicely for the side sleeper. Try one of our pillows made of memory foam that will support and mould around your head for ultra-comfort.

Back Sleeper

Back sleepers are notoriously linked to snoring and they sleep with sometimes more than one pillow. “What can happen with a lot of people though is they tend to prop their head up with too many pillows and they find themselves in that forward position- that puts a lot of strain on the neck,” Dr. Kay says. “Not only that, but it can close up the airways and it can also be implicated in things like sleep apnea which is when you actually stop breathing at night.” This can be dangerous and detrimental to your health, so it’s imperative you choose the right pillow if you sleep on your back. Contoured pillows can help with snoring by allowing the head to open up the airways. A high profile or mid profile pillow should do the trick for you back sleepers and the last word from Dr. Kay – avoid using two pillows!