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Pillows are an important bedding item that is said to affect the quality of sleep. This article provides information to answer various questions for those who feel their current pillow is too low, including the pros and cons of low pillows, and how to raise a low pillow.
Advantages of Low Pillows
The biggest advantage of using a low pillow is that it places less strain on the neck and shoulders when sleeping on your back.
1: Less strain on the cervical spine
High pillows can compress the cervical spine or cause excessive strain on the neck and shoulders by lifting them off the bedding, leading to stiffness. In contrast, low pillows leave little gap between the neck and the bedding, reducing the strain on the cervical spine.
2: Easier breathing
When you rest your head on a low pillow, your chin naturally lifts, which opens the airway and makes breathing easier. This not only helps your body relax but also helps prevent snoring and insomnia that can occur when the airway is narrowed.
Disadvantages of Low Pillows
Pillows that are too low also have disadvantages.
1: Can cause neck and shoulder stiffness, and headaches
If a pillow is too low, sleeping on your back can cause your neck to hyperextend and your chin to lift too much, compressing the cervical spine and leading to neck and shoulder stiffness. This can result in poor blood circulation and even negatively affect the fascial tissue of the skull, potentially causing a constricting or throbbing pain throughout the head or in the back of the head.
Furthermore, because the neck and lower back are connected by the spine, strain on the neck can affect the lower back. It is said that people with less muscle to support their body are more prone to lower back pain when using an unsuitable pillow.
2: Can cause congestion and swelling
If your head remains lower than your heart for an extended period, blood can accumulate in the brain, potentially causing congestion and swelling. If you often wake up with a swollen face, a pillow that is too low might be one of the reasons.
In addition, sleeping with a low pillow can make your mouth open more easily, leading to increased mouth breathing. Those who sleep on their side often may also find it uncomfortable.
The Importance of Using a Pillow That Suits You
Using a pillow that doesn't suit your body can create a gap between the pillow and your neck, leading to excessive strain on your neck and shoulders, cervical spine compression, and poor pressure distribution. It can also hinder smooth turning during sleep, or conversely, cause you to turn excessively due to discomfort, thereby reducing sleep quality.
If you often wake up in the middle of the night with neck or shoulder pain, or experience neck or shoulder stiffness, headaches, or numb hands in the morning, or feel tired despite getting enough sleep, your pillow might not be suitable. Also, if you unconsciously place your hand under your head when you wake up, or if your head isn't properly on the pillow, it's time to reevaluate your pillow.
Pillows that are too high or too low are not good, so choose a height that allows for easy breathing and turning.
How to Determine the Right Pillow Height for You
Since people have different body types, the optimal pillow height also varies. Determine the pillow height based on whether it allows you to achieve the "ideal sleeping posture."
The "ideal sleeping posture" means maintaining a neck curve and spinal alignment similar to your standing posture (normal upright posture). When sleeping on your side, your shoulder width creates a gap between the mattress and your neck, so the optimal pillow height differs from when sleeping on your back.
Also, when checking the right pillow height for you, measure it on the mattress or futon you usually use. Since the mattress or futon will sink under your body weight, you cannot accurately measure it on a hard floor. Get into your back or side sleeping position, place a folded bath towel under your head, adjust it to achieve your ideal sleeping posture, and then measure the height of the bath towel.
1: For back sleeping, the spine should have a gentle S-curve
To maintain a comfortable upright posture, the human spine has a gentle S-curve. Maintaining this natural spinal curve even while sleeping ensures that body pressure is evenly distributed and blood circulates easily.
Generally, when lying on your back, the 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. This is because it widens the cervical intervertebral foramen (nerve exit) and ensures an open airway.
2: For side sleeping, the spine and floor should be perfectly parallel
For side sleeping, the ideal height is when a straight line from the forehead to the nose, chin, and center of the chest is parallel to the bedding. When the head is supported at the appropriate height and the spine is straight, it can reduce the burden on the neck and shoulders.
Since the body has curves, depending on the bedding, the neck and spine may bend, and the lower back may sink. To achieve an ideal sleeping posture, it is important to choose bedding of appropriate height and elasticity that distributes the weight of the head and body and provides adequate support.
3: Ease of turning over
Actually rest your head on the pillow and check how easy it is to turn over. If it's easy to turn over while you're awake, it means you can turn over effortlessly even during sleep.
Turning over is said to promote blood circulation, regulate body temperature, distribute body pressure, and repair the spine (align the spine), making it indispensable for resetting discomfort such as lower back pain. Furthermore, turning over appropriately reduces the burden on the body and improves the quality of sleep.
For healthy adults, the number of turns during 8 hours of sleep is said to be between 10 and 30, with an average of around 20. Fewer turns than this can increase the burden on the body and potentially degrade sleep quality.
Also, the ideal number of turns for a child overnight is said to be 50 to 90 times, which differs from adults.
To maintain an ideal sleeping posture whether sleeping on your back or turning onto your side, a three-dimensional pillow that is lower in the center and higher on both sides is recommended.
Who Benefits from Low Pillows
Here are characteristics of people whose sleep quality is likely to improve by using a low pillow.
1: People with "text neck" (straight neck)
Text neck is a condition where the natural curve of the cervical spine is lost and becomes straight due to prolonged forward-leaning posture from using smartphones or computers. A low pillow can create a natural curve in the cervical spine when sleeping on your back, which can alleviate pain from text neck and is expected to improve symptoms.
2: People with a narrow gap between their neck and the bedding
People with a small neck curve (the gap between the head's contact surface and the back's contact surface when lying down) will likely find a low pillow fits well. While it varies depending on body type, such as head size and back muscles, shorter, slender individuals and women tend to have a narrower gap between their neck and the bedding.
How to Raise a Low Pillow
If you feel your current pillow is slightly too low, try placing a towel under it or adjusting the amount of filling inside the pillow.
1: Place a towel under the pillow
You can easily change the height of your pillow by placing a folded towel underneath it. If the towel and pillow tend to shift, try putting the folded towel inside the pillowcase.
2: Use an adjustable pillow
There are also adjustable pillows that allow you to change the height by inserting or removing adjustment sheets, or by adding more filling. If you're unsure about the ideal pillow height for yourself, try an adjustable pillow.
Try an Adjustable Pillow
To avoid the risk of choosing a pillow that doesn't suit you, it's recommended to use an adjustable pillow that can be tailored to your ideal height.
Reconsider Your Pillow for a Comfortable Sleep
To improve sleep quality, it is very important that your pillow suits you. Sleep, which is said to account for "one-third of your life," is a precious time for both mental and physical recovery, so take the opportunity to reevaluate your pillow.
