Sleeping Better is Easy with the Right Pillow

Do you think a feather or down pillow is about the best pillow you can buy. Think again. Today, there are many other choices in styles and materials. Many are engineered by ergonomic specialists and can improve your sleep.

One huge improvement in sleep pillows are those made of memory foam. This foam was invented for the space program to relieve pressure against the body.

When it was discovered memory foam had remarkable properties that would benefit everyone, mattresses were made of it. Now today, pillows give these same benefits of relieving pressure, molding to the neck curve and body for superior support, aligning the posture correctly and increasing circulation of the blood. Scientists simultaneously have discovered these are the things that give a better sleep.

The better sleep comes from the memory foam helping you to stay sleeping longer through your sleep cycles. The longer you sleep and complete the cycles, the better the quality of your sleep and the more refreshed you feel.

Memory foam, however, may not be right for everyone and some other materials may be better according to your body type and position you sleep in.

But how do you know which pillow is right for you.

Mainly two things determine the right sleep pillow for you:

1) Your body type, and,
2) Position you sleep i

A small or petite person has a more shallow neck curve and pillow height should be lower. A petite adult should not be afraid to try one designated for a child as a regular one may feel too high, but the lower height of a child's pillow might work. The feather,down, or buckwheat ones might also be right.

If you are a very tall person, your pillow height should be higher. Most people fall into the average range. Manufacturers sometimes put a size chart on their boxes. Tall and average size people usually do very well with memory foam pillows. Try them to get the best fit.

The next thing to do is consider the position you sleep in. The neck curve when you lie on your back, is shallower than when you are lying on your side. Therefore, a back sleeper will not need the height of the pillow to be as high as a side sleeper does. The back sleeper can use a flat memory foam pillow or a pillow designated for back sleepers.

A side sleeper can use the contour memory foam pillow to fit the curve of the neck when lying on the side. The head will rest backwards onto the flat part of the pillow.

Someone who is a stomach sleeper can sleep with a more flat pillow and may like the feather or down pillows or no pillow.

There are also some other materials that work well for supporting the neck and are also supportive. In fact, they may work better for some people than memory foam. These other materials are buckwheat hulls, a natural alternative to memory foam, latex, which has very similar benefits as memory foam, air and synthetic down.

Feather pillows may bring back wonderful childhood memories and you may prefer them, but they are no longer recommended for support for everyone. It is important to try several types and get the right one for you.

And, finally, if you have any neck pain, consult with a medical professional for what is best. They are familiar with the various types and can help you decide which one to choose.

For more information and reviews of ergonomic products, see www.pillowfitter.com.