Get the right neck pillow to align your spine when you sleep

Sleep is one of the most important parts of your health and wellbeing. Good quality sleep really benefits your mental and physical health – it boosts your mood and lifts your energy levels too. Getting a good night’s sleep is a combination of following a healthy sleep routine , and using the right mattress and pillow to support your spine neutrally. Here, Drummoyne Chiropractor, Dr Luke Ross, offers his advice to help you find the best pillow for your body.

So, what pillow should you choose for your neck? While there is some research on how pillows impact sleep, studies have not definitively identified an “optimal pillow” for your body. Helpful right? Not really.

Well, the truth is this: finding the best pillow for yourself is much like Goldilocks’ experience. Ideally, the ‘Goldilocks pillow’ is one that supports your head and neck while maintaining a neutral position. Do you need a firm pillow? Or, do you need a soft one? What pillow will be “just right” for you? It’s time to find out.

How to find the best pillow

When it comes to finding the right pillow for your body and sleep style, the onus is on you to find out. Get a journal, or start a note in your phone, and start to monitor your experience. Here’s some questions to consider:

●      Was I able to get comfortable when I went to sleep?

●      Was I comfortable when I woke up?

●      Did I wake through the night due to discomfort?

○      How many times?

●      Did I have neck pain / shoulder pain / headache when I went to bed?

●      Did I have neck pain / shoulder pain / headache when I woke up?

●      Do I feel well rested?

○      NOTE: Only a handful of people wake up and leap out of bed with vigour, the majority feel we could use an extra 10-15 minutes and take a little bit to warm up.

Journal this information for one week with your current pillow. Then, buy a new pillow that’s different to your own (you can do this affordably from a department store like Kmart or Big W). Repeat the journaling process. Compare. If you don’t find much improvement, you can try a contour pillow. Contour pillows can be priced from $70 - $300. They can be purchased from bedding stores, or your chiropractor.

As you complete this pillow comparison process, remember to discuss your experience with your chiropractor too. Contour pillows are what we choose to sleep on ourselves, and the pillow we recommend to our patients following a thorough diagnosis of their personal circumstances. Your chiropractor can help you find the best pillow for good quality sleep by reviewing your sleep position too.

How your sleeping position dictates your neck pillow

Side Sleepers

If you sleep on your side, ideally your pillow will fill the space between your head and the mattress, ergo the width of your shoulder. If you sleep with your arm under the pillow to bolster it, it may not be thick enough for you. Additionally, some people experience pins and needles or numbness in the hands when sleeping on their side if they have their arm curled up under the pillow. If this is you, try sleeping with your arms down by your side or hugging across your body for a more correct postural position. Bonus tip! Try putting a softer pillow between your knees, to help stop your pelvis rotating, and take pressure off your hips and lower back.

Back Sleepers

Sleeping on your back is the easiest way to assume a neutral position, without contorting your spine. A pillow that is very thick and firm may flex your neck too much. A pillow that is too low or too soft might leave your neck feeling unsupported. Additionally, if you have a tight lower back, laying on your back with your knees up or a pillow underneath them may help relieve some pressure.

Stomach Sleepers

Don’t! Sleeping on your stomach is a position that leaves the neck rotated. Unlike the comfy chiropractic tables, mattresses do not allow you space to breathe, thus forcing rotation and strain of the neck. If you experience any of the previously mentioned aches and pains, stomach sleeping is the most likely position to exacerbate those aches and pains. A handy tip to train yourself out of this position, is to sleep on your side while cuddling a pillow. Having the pillow against your chest replicates the pressure you would normally feel from the mattress. Voila!

Relieve neck pain from the wrong pillow

At Sydney Spine and Sports Clinic, we put you first. We believe in offering chiropractic solutions that enable you to make informed and educated choices about your health. We can help you find relief from neck pain caused from poor posture when you sleep. If you are suffering  discomfort, talk to us about how we can help relieve your pain whilst offering you advice on the best pillow to support your spine. Make an appointment with one of our chiropractors. Sweet dreams!