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Many people struggle to find the right pillow, experiencing issues such as "feeling uncomfortable with my pillow and having trouble falling asleep" or "feeling tired even after getting enough sleep."
This article aims to help such individuals by explaining the reasons why a pillow might not be a good fit, how to check for this, ways to adjust an unsuitable pillow, and how to choose the right one.
Main Reasons Why Your Pillow Might Not Be a Good Fit
Several factors can contribute to a pillow not being suitable.
1: Incorrect Selection
When choosing a pillow, it's crucial to match it to your head size and weight, body type, neck shape, and preferred sleeping posture.
Therefore, buying a pillow without considering whether it's right for you—for example, because it was a gift, a friend recommended it without verification, you were drawn to a stylish design, it felt nice to the touch and you assumed it would be comfortable, you prefer a low pillow for stomach sleeping, or you can't sleep without a high pillow—is considered an incorrect selection.
The appropriate height and firmness of a pillow vary from person to person, so choose one that considers your body type.
2: Pillow Height and Size
Pillows are designed to support your head and neck, maintain proper posture during sleep, and facilitate smooth tossing and turning. Therefore, a pillow that is too high, too low, or too small is not good.
Using a pillow that is too high can lift your head, putting strain on your neck and shoulders, and prolonged use can lead to headaches and a straight neck. Conversely, a pillow that is too low can create a gap between your neck and the mattress, causing your head to be supported solely by your neck, which can lead to not only stiff shoulders but also neck pain and difficulty breathing.
Furthermore, a pillow that is too narrow can cause your head to fall off the pillow when you toss and turn, leading to sleeping in an awkward posture, which can result in stiff shoulders or a crick in the neck.
3: Pillow Material
Firm pillows, often made from materials like pipes or buckwheat hulls, are said to make tossing and turning easier. However, if they are too firm, they may not fit the curve of your neck properly, leading to poor pressure distribution. This can strain your neck and shoulders, and concentrate pressure on the back of your head, impairing blood circulation, which should be avoided.
On the other hand, soft pillows, often made from materials like down or low-rebound urethane, allow you to sleep in a relaxed state without tension in the muscles from your neck to your shoulders.
However, if a pillow is too soft, your head might sink in, making it difficult to toss and turn, disrupting your sleeping posture, or causing your neck to tense up due to an unstable head. Therefore, it is important to choose a pillow with appropriate firmness and elasticity.
4: Not Matching Your Sleeping Posture
The cervical spine typically forms a gentle S-curve to support the head straight from the spine, and it's important to maintain this curve during sleep. For back sleeping, the ideal pillow height should reproduce the same S-curve as when standing. For side sleeping, the ideal pillow height should keep the bones from the head to the back straight.
If you often sleep on your side, you need to choose a pillow height that accounts for your shoulder width.
5: Imbalance with Mattress or Futon
It's also possible that your pillow feels unsuitable due to a poor match with your mattress (or futon). The way your body sinks into the bed varies depending on the material and firmness of the mattress, so instead of just considering the pillow, pay attention to the balance when using both.
Revising your mattress can sometimes alleviate stiff shoulders and lead to higher quality sleep.
How to Check if Your Pillow Suits You
First, let's check if your current pillow is suitable for your body.
Checkpoints to see if your pillow is suitable
- When you wake up in the morning, your pillow has shifted (away from your neck, or only the back of your head is on it).
- You wake up in a prone position.
- You sleep with your hand under your pillow or head.
- You sleep with your arms raised.
- You experience numbness in your hands or arms the next morning.
- You have a stiff neck or shoulders, or pain, the next morning.
- You don't feel well-rested.
- You wake up when you toss and turn.
If even one of these items applies to you, your pillow may not be suitable.
If a pillow is a good fit for your body, it won't shift significantly even when you toss and turn. If it seems like it might shift, you'll subconsciously move the pillow back or your body will follow it to prevent separation. If you're using an unsuitable pillow, you might be tossing and turning excessively in an unconscious attempt to adjust to physical discomfort.
If your head often falls off the pillow during sleep, or you frequently sleep on your stomach, with your hands under your head, or with your arms raised, it might be time to reconsider your pillow.
Check if your pillow is suitable by your gaze when lying on your back
While there are individual differences, here's a general way to check for the appropriate pillow height.
When lying on your back, with your face at a natural angle, look straight up at the ceiling. The appropriate height is when your gaze falls slightly below vertical (towards your feet). If your gaze is too low, the pillow is too high; if your gaze is too high, the pillow is too low.
For side sleeping, the ideal pillow height is when the bones from your head to your back are straight. You can check this by lying on your side against a blank wall and consciously noticing if your body is parallel to the ground.
What happens if you use an unsuitable pillow...
Continued use of an unsuitable pillow can lead to various sleep disturbances.
1: Poor Sleep Quality
Using an unsuitable pillow can make it difficult to toss and turn, or conversely, lead to excessive tossing and turning due to discomfort. If you get enough sleep but still "feel tired when you wake up" or "feel very sleepy during the day," your pillow might not be suitable.
2: Increased Snoring
While various factors cause snoring, if your pillow is too high, your chin can drop, constricting your airway, which can lead to increased snoring.
3: Stiff or Painful Shoulders and Neck
An ill-fitting pillow can lead to an unnatural sleeping posture, causing strain on the neck and shoulders, and resulting in stiffness and pain.
4: Back Pain
Since the neck and lower back are connected by the spine, strain on the neck can affect the lower back. People with less muscle support for their body are particularly prone to lower back pain when using an unsuitable pillow.
5: Headaches
Headaches can be categorized into "primary headaches," which are not caused by underlying diseases, and "secondary headaches," which are related to brain diseases. Most headaches that occur due to worsening stiff shoulders are "primary headaches."
Using an unsuitable pillow can cause the muscles around the neck and shoulders to become tense, leading to cervicogenic neuromuscular syndrome (neck stiffness). As a result, blood circulation can worsen, and the fascia of the skull can be adversely affected, potentially causing a constricting or pressing pain throughout the head or in the back of the head.
6: Straight Neck
Straight neck is a condition where the cervical spine, which normally has a gentle S-curve, becomes straightened. While prolonged desk work or smartphone use leading to a forward-leaning posture is a primary cause, prolonged periods where the head is pushed forward by a pillow that is too high is also considered one of the causes of straight neck.
7: Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is a condition where the airway (upper respiratory tract) narrows during sleep, leading to repeated episodes of "apnea" (cessation of breathing) or "hypopnea" (shallow breathing). Repeated apnea and hypopnea cause the brain and body to become oxygen-deprived, putting a strain on various organs.
Since sleep becomes shallow, you may not feel rested even after sleeping for a sufficient amount of time.
8: Impact on Appearance
While no face is perfectly symmetrical, an unsuitable pillow and resulting poor sleeping posture can contribute to facial asymmetry. Particularly, prolonged stomach sleeping can exacerbate facial asymmetry, so it's advisable to choose a pillow that allows for comfortable back or side sleeping.
How to Adjust a Pillow That Doesn't Suit You
Here are some temporary ways to adjust a pillow that doesn't suit you. These are only temporary fixes, and for a lasting solution, it's essential to find a pillow that truly fits you.
1: Pull the pillow right up to your shoulders.
Some people sleep with only their head on the pillow, but generally, the correct way to use a pillow is to pull it close enough to touch your shoulders.
Simply pulling the pillow right up to your shoulders so that both your head and neck are on it can reduce strain on your neck and prevent neck, shoulder, and back pain.
2: Adjust using a bath towel.
You can easily adjust the height of your pillow using a bath towel.
If your pillow is too low, place a folded bath towel underneath it. If your pillow is too high, place several bath towels under your body. Make fine adjustments to achieve the ideal sleeping posture, where your chin is slightly tucked in.
How to Choose the Right Pillow
To achieve an ideal sleeping posture, it's crucial to choose a pillow with appropriate height and firmness that distributes the weight of your head and body and provides adequate support.
1: Choose based on your sleeping posture.
For side sleeping, due to shoulder width, the head and neck are further from the mattress, so the optimal pillow height differs between back sleeping and side sleeping.
Recently, there are various pillows available, such as those with a lower center and higher sides, or pillows with firmer sides that prevent the head from sinking too much. If you toss and turn a lot, you might want to try these.
2: Choose based on pillow size.
A pillow should not be too high or too low. If the back of your head is too high, your neck can be compressed, leading to neck and shoulder stiffness, pain, and snoring. Conversely, a pillow that is too low can destabilize your head, putting a strain on your neck and shoulders.
Generally, when lying on your back, the ideal sleeping posture is where the angle of inclination from your neck to your head is 10-15 degrees, and your chin is 0-5 degrees lower than your forehead. Since body types vary, the optimal pillow height also differs, but aim for approximately 4 cm for men and 3 cm for women as a guide.
Furthermore, 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. You also need enough depth to cover your shoulders, so an ideal size would be at least 60 cm in width and 40 cm in depth.
3: Choose based on pillow material.
The feel of a pillow varies by material, so choose a texture you prefer.
Cotton
Offers a soft sleeping comfort, recommended for those who like to feel gently embraced. It is washable, but tends to flatten slightly, with a recommended replacement every 2-3 years.
Low-rebound Urethane
Excellent flexibility, slowly sinking to firmly hold the shoulders and head. Provides a high degree of fit for the head and neck, stabilizing sleeping posture. It is sensitive to temperature, becoming firm in winter and prone to retaining heat in summer. Generally, it is not washable.
Polyester Fiber Material
A synthetic fiber in a cotton-like form. It offers cushioning, making it ideal for those who prefer a soft feel and volume. Being synthetic, it is washable, but its elasticity and volume will diminish with age.
Down/Feather
Material collected from waterfowl, characterized by its airy, fluffy feel, and among natural materials, it is resistant to flattening. It excels in moisture absorption and release, but some products might have a distinct odor.
Microbeads
Pillows filled with small particles of expanded polystyrene. They are highly fluid, conforming to the head's shape and providing excellent pressure distribution. With a unique soft touch, they are also used in cushions and body pillows.
Pipe
A material shaped like finely cut straws, varying in size and hardness. It firmly supports the head and neck, offering a good fit during tossing and turning and excellent pressure distribution. It is highly breathable and durable, with a recommended replacement every 3-5 years. Not suitable for those bothered by the rustling sound of the beads.
Buckwheat hulls
Excellent breathability and heat dissipation, making it suitable for Japan's hot and humid climate, but it can attract insects if not maintained. It is inexpensive, but has a shorter replacement cycle of 1-2 years compared to other materials. Recommended for those who prefer a firm pillow.
4: Choose from products designed for sleep.
For high-quality sleep, a pillow that suits you is essential. Instead of choosing based solely on design or low price, opt for a pillow developed to provide good sleep.
Pillows are Important Bedding for Sleep
To improve the quality of "sleep," which is said to occupy "one-third of our lives," it is essential to use a pillow that suits you.
If you want to improve your health and daily performance, not just through exercise and diet but also by enhancing sleep quality, consider ditching an unsuitable pillow and finding one that truly fits you.
