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You wake up one morning with a stiff neck, even though you felt fine the night before. This experience can make even those who haven't paid much attention to bedding before want to consider finding bedding that suits them.
This article provides a detailed explanation of the causes of neck pain and solutions for those concerned about neck pain and wondering if the cause might be an ill-fitting pillow.
Causes of Neck Pain from an Unsuitable Pillow
When standing upright (normal upright posture), the cervical spine typically curves gently in an S-shape to support the head straight up from the spine. During sleep, maintaining this natural spinal curve allows for even distribution of body pressure and improved blood circulation.
This is where the pillow plays a crucial role.
Pillows support the head and neck during sleep, helping maintain the neck's curve and aligning the body. However, using a pillow that is the wrong height or firmness can fail to adequately support the head and neck, leading to an unnatural posture for extended periods. This puts significant strain on the muscles in the neck and shoulders during sleep, causing stiffness and pain.
Furthermore, a pillow that is too small in width can cause your head to easily fall off the pillow when you toss and turn, potentially leading to stiff shoulders or a crick in the neck.
Symptoms of an Unsuitable Pillow
The following are the four most common symptoms of using an unsuitable pillow:
- Shoulder, neck, lower back, and head pain
- Snoring
- Straight neck
- Decreased sleep quality
Let's look at each in detail.
Shoulder, Neck, Lower Back, and Head Pain
Sleeping on a pillow that is the wrong height or firmness can lead to an unnatural sleeping posture, putting strain on the muscles from the head to the neck and shoulders. This can cause pain, stiffness, and a crick in the neck in the shoulders, neck, lower back, and head.
For example, using a pillow that is too high lifts the head, putting a strain on the neck and shoulders. Continued use can lead to headaches, stiff neck, and stiff shoulders.
Conversely, a pillow that is too low creates a gap between the neck and the mattress, leaving the neck to support the head alone. This can cause stiff shoulders, neck pain, and difficulty breathing.
Additionally, since the neck and lower back are connected by the spine, strain on the neck can also affect the lower back. It is said that people with fewer muscles supporting their body are more prone to lower back pain from an ill-fitting pillow.
Snoring
Sleeping with a pillow that is too high can compress the airway, making snoring more likely.
The ideal pillow height for creating a natural neck curve varies by individual. As a general guide, aim for a height of about 5cm for slender individuals, 6cm for those of standard build, and 8cm for those with a larger build.
Straight Neck
"Straight neck" refers to a condition where the neck's natural curve flattens due to prolonged forward-leaning posture from daily habits such as smartphone use or desk work.
During sleep, the body attempts to repair the damage to the neck caused by a straight neck. However, using a pillow that is the wrong height or firmness can worsen the damage and fatigue instead of promoting recovery.
The article below summarizes the symptoms of a straight neck, simple diagnostic methods, and effective stretches for symptom relief. If you're interested, please take a look:
How to Identify a Straight Neck (Text Neck)! Also Explains Symptoms and How to Choose a Countermeasure Pillow
Decreased Sleep Quality
A pillow that doesn't fit your body can make it difficult to toss and turn, or conversely, cause you to toss and turn too much due to discomfort, leading to a decrease in sleep quality. If you "feel tired the next morning even after sleeping for enough hours" or "wake up in the middle of the night," it might be time to reconsider your pillow.
How to Solve Neck Pain Caused by Your Pillow
It is said that as long as you continue to use a pillow that doesn't suit you, neck and shoulder pain and stiffness are unlikely to disappear. To solve pillow-related problems, it is essential to use a "pillow that suits you" "correctly."
This chapter explains two points: how to check if your pillow suits you and how to use your pillow correctly.
Check if your pillow suits you
First, check if the pillow you are using is suitable for your body. If you are using a pillow that doesn't suit you, you will often see the following conditions:
- Waking up in the morning with the pillow displaced (away from your neck, or only the back of your head is on it)
- Waking up in a face-down position
- Sleeping with a hand under the pillow or head
- Sleeping with arms raised
- Numbness in hands or arms the next morning
- Stiffness or pain in the neck and shoulders the next morning
- Lack of a deep sleep feeling
- Waking up when you toss and turn
If even one of these applies to you, you might be using a pillow that doesn't suit you.
If a pillow fits your body, it won't shift significantly even when you toss and turn. Even if it seems like it might shift, you'll unconsciously move the pillow back or your body will follow it, preventing your body from separating from the pillow.
If you often find your head falling off the pillow, sleeping on your stomach, putting your hands under the pillow, or sleeping with your arms raised during sleep, it might be a good idea to reconsider your pillow.
Use your pillow correctly
Here's how to use your pillow correctly:
- Place your head and neck on the pillow.
- Grasp both ends of the pillow with both hands and pull it down until it touches your shoulders.
Here are the points to check to ensure you're using it correctly:
- Are both your "head and neck" on the pillow?
- Is your pillow touching your shoulders?
- Are your shoulders not on the pillow?
To provide proper neck support, make sure to rest not just your head, but also your "head and neck" on the pillow. Also, your shoulders shouldn't be on the pillow as this can cause your back to lift. It's best if the pillow touches your shoulders without your shoulders resting on it. Try using your pillow correctly by following these steps and checking these points.
【By Sleeping Posture】How to use a pillow to avoid neck pain
The "ideal sleeping posture" means maintaining a spinal alignment similar to a straight standing posture (normal upright posture), so the optimal pillow varies depending on the sleeping posture. 
Supine Sleep: Spine gently curved in an S-shape
For back sleeping, a pillow that maintains a gentle S-curve in the cervical spine, similar to a straight standing position, is recommended. Choose a pillow with the right height, firmness, and size that can properly support not only your head but also the curve of your neck.
Furthermore, when lying on your back with your head on the pillow, an ideal sleeping posture is considered to be when the angle of inclination from the neck to the head is 10-15 degrees, and the tip of the chin is about 5 degrees lower than the forehead.
Side Sleeping: Spine and floor perfectly parallel
When sleeping on your side, a pillow that keeps your spine straight from your head to your back, just like when standing upright, is recommended. By supporting your head at an appropriate height and keeping your spine straight, you can reduce the burden on your neck and shoulders.
When sleeping on your side, your head and neck are further away from the mattress due to the width of your shoulders, so the optimal pillow height differs between "back sleeping" and "side sleeping."
Recently, there are three-dimensional pillows with a lower center and higher sides, or pillows with firm sides to prevent the head from sinking too much. If you toss and turn a lot, you might want to try these.
Stomach Sleeping
When sleeping on your stomach, you generally turn your face to the side. If the pillow is too high, your head will be at an unnatural angle, putting a strain on your neck. Therefore, a low and soft pillow is recommended. While there are pillows specifically designed for stomach sleepers with a hollow in the middle, if you are using a regular pillow, cradle the pillow and try to avoid creating a gap between the mattress and your body.
Since the tongue doesn't fall back and obstruct the airway, snoring is less likely, and because the heart's weight doesn't press on the lungs in this sleeping position, it's said to make breathing easier when you have a cough.
Also, some people feel more relaxed and secure when sleeping face down, as their abdomen is warmed. However, this position can twist the spine and neck, increasing the risk of neck pain and stiffness upon waking, facial and dental misalignment, and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). It can also compress the chest and potentially hinder lymphatic flow, leading to swelling.
Prone sleeping has many disadvantages, so it's only suitable for short durations, such as when falling asleep. It's not recommended for prolonged sleep.
How to Choose the Right Pillow
The role of a proper pillow is to fill the gap in the curve of the neck from the head to the shoulders and support the neck. Here's how to choose a pillow that suits you.
Choosing by pillow height
A pillow that is too high or too low is not good. If the back of your head is too high, your neck can be compressed, leading to neck and shoulder stiffness, pain, and even snoring. Conversely, a pillow that is too low can destabilize your head and put a strain on your neck and shoulders.
Generally, when lying on your back with your head on the pillow, an ideal sleeping posture is considered to be when the angle of inclination from the neck to the head is 10-15 degrees, and the tip of the chin is 0-5 degrees lower than the forehead.
Since body types vary, the optimal pillow height also differs. As a general guide, aim for a height of about 5cm for slender individuals, 6cm for those of standard build, and 8cm for those with a larger build.
Also, to maintain an ideal sleeping posture even when tossing and turning on your side, a three-dimensional pillow with a lower center and higher sides is ideal.
Choosing by pillow size
To ensure smooth tossing and turning, you need to be particular about the width of your pillow. Although it varies depending on body type, generally, choose a pillow that is at least three times the width of your head so that your head doesn't fall off the pillow no matter which side you turn to. Furthermore, you also need sufficient depth to cover your shoulders, so an ideal size is a width of 60cm or more and a depth of 35cm or more.
Choosing by pillow material
The pillow material affects sleeping comfort, so choose based on your preference. Here are four main pillow materials:
| Material | Features |
|---|---|
| Urethane foam | High cushioning. |
| Polyester batting | Elastic and soft. |
| Pipe material | High breathability, durability, and elasticity. Easy to care for as it can be washed entirely. |
| Buckwheat hulls | Moderate firmness. High moisture absorption and breathability. |
In addition to firmness and elasticity, "breathability" also affects sleeping comfort and is often a criterion for material selection. Highly breathable pillows allow heat and moisture to escape easily, preventing stuffiness, making them comfortable for sleeping during hot summer months or for individuals with higher body temperatures.
Choose products designed for sleep
Choose a pillow developed to provide quality sleep, rather than based on design or affordability.
Since it is important to use a pillow that matches your body type and sleeping posture, custom-made pillows are also recommended. However, custom-made pillows are often expensive, so if that's not feasible, choose a pillow that is close to custom-made.
If you wake up with neck pain, also pay attention to "tossing and turning."
To avoid neck pain during sleep, it is also important to toss and turn.
If you don't toss and turn at all during sleep, the same areas will be continuously compressed by gravity, which can impede blood flow and cause neck and shoulder pain and stiffness. Tossing and turning changes your posture, thereby promoting blood circulation.
However, if you toss and turn too much, your sleep quality will also decrease. The ideal frequency for tossing and turning is said to be about 20 times per night, and choosing a pillow that suits you is crucial for adequate tossing and turning.
Sleep without neck pain with a pillow that suits you
People sleep for a very long time, about 6-8 hours daily, so it's important to use a pillow that suits you. By creating a natural neck curve while you sleep, you can prevent sleep problems such as stiff neck, stiff shoulders, lower back pain, and headaches. If you're concerned about neck pain, why not reconsider your pillow?
Relieve neck pain with a pillow! Check out Brain Sleep pillows
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