Could Your Pillow Be Causing Headaches, Neck Pain, and Sleeping Problems? How to Pick the Right One

After waking up in the morning, you should feel well-rested, energized, and ready to tackle whatever the day brings you. While this is great in theory, the fact of the matter is that many people don’t have the luxury of waking up and feeling this way. Instead they wake up with a headache, neck pain, and feel tired thanks to poor quality sleep. Even though you may be quick to chalk it up to just a lack of sleep overall, or being under a lot of stress or pressure, it could actually be the fault of your pillow.

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Did you know that by sleeping on the wrong type of pillow for your needs can lead to discomfort, pain, poor quality sleep, and even headaches? What that means is that simply by switching your pillow, you could drastically improve the quality of your sleep and start waking up feeling refreshed. Here we’ll take a look at some tips that should help you find the right pillow for your needs.

Don’t Just Grab the Cheapest and First Pillow You See

You’ve probably seen those pillows that are just a couple of dollars in the big box stores. They tend to be over-stuffed and poufy which may seem ideal, but these typically aren’t the best route. The stuffing used in these pillows is not great quality and that volume will be gone within the first couple of weeks. Ideally these ones are better for décor, for when you want to put a decorative sham on a pillow for the bed, but it’s not the pillow you should use for sleeping.

Spend Some Time Reading Up on Pillows

It’s also wise to read up on various pillows and to also check out reviews. A great place to do this is sleepsherpa.com, which is often visited for its in-depth mattress reviews, but it also contains those same detailed style of reviews where pillows are concerned. You can also take it one step further and look at the bedding reviews, because even the linens you pick will help to determine how well you sleep.

Make Sure the Pillow is Replaced Regularly

While this won’t help you pick the right one, it is important to note that pillows should be replaced every 18 months. If you are using a memory foam pillow, these last much longer, so they can be replaced every three years. At this point, no matter how perfect the pillow was for you, it will lose its integrity and support and start causing more harm than good.

Factor in the Filling

The filling is a big part of what makes it the right pillow for you. Some are going to be softer and more malleable than others, but that may not be what you’re looking for. Keep in mind that with those feather-filled pillows, the sharp ends can sometimes poke through, which may not be ideal.

Your Sleep Position Plays a Role

The final thing to consider is how you sleep – are you a back sleeper, side sleeper, tummy sleeper, or a bit of everything?Most pillows will state what position they are meant for, so this will help to point you in the right direction.

At the end of the day, picking the right pillow can involve a little trial and error unfortunately. Once you are successful though, you should notice a big difference in the quality of your sleep and how you feel in the morning.

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