How Many Pillows Do You Need?

Pillows are an essential partner of a bed. If you have a comfortable mattress bed, it’s just appropriate that you match it up with a comfortable pillow. But is one pillow just enough for you? Since the pillow is intended to give proper support and comfort for the head, an extra one could serve another purpose.

Sleeping positions:

There are people whose dominant position in sleeping is lying on their backs, some on their sides and some lie flat on their belly.

Those who spend most of their time lying on their back need a soft pillow so as not to raise their head too far up. An extra pillow can be used to give a little raise to your legs if you feel comfortable with it, this could be quite a relief especially when you spend too much time standing or walking during the day.

If you spend most of your time sleeping on your belly, you may need a thinner and softer pillow so that it will not curve to your head. You may not need an extra pillow if you have this habit.

If you are a person who sleeps on their sides, which by the way are what posture experts recommend, you may need an extra pillow to support the leg which is farthest from the bed. Suppose you're lying on your right side, the left leg could be quite uncomfortable since it could be pulled down to your front or to your back straining certain muscles and tissues. Putting a pillow in front of you and resting the left leg on it could give you much comfort and thereby reducing the strain on your muscles and tissues.

An extra pillow can also be used for cuddling which could give so much comfort to some people, not just physical comfort but also psychological. Our every day ventures, activities, interactions with people can give us so much stress that cuddling a pillow may provide some relief to stress.

When you sit in your bed to watch television or read, an extra pillow could come in handy to support your back.

Pillow materials:

Just like mattresses, pillows are manufactured with different materials. The type and density of these materials determine the softness and comfort of the pillow. When you buy a pillow, prefer the ones which are made with natural materials. There are those which are composed of down or feathers but are also relatively expensive.

Those made with synthetic materials may emit chemicals which may be harmful to your health in the long run. They are not so good for people who lie flat on their bellies as the pillow comes closer to the nose.

To augment your comfortable mattress be it an air mattress, memory foam, tempurpedic or whatever type which give you comfort, choose a pillow which also gives you comfort to your head. Choose the type which is appropriate for the type of sleeper you are. An extra one could be necessary not just for physical health but for emotional health as well.