Does your sleeping position “fit” with your pillow?
“High pillow” is not necessarily “worry-free”, the pillow has to be chosen in this way
The human sleep time accounts for nearly 1/3 of the whole life, and the pillow also accompanies nearly 1/3 of our life course . Therefore, choosing a good pillow during sleep has a great impact on our resting state, and an unsuitable pillow is often the bane of many neck, shoulder and back pains.
It is necessary to use a pillow
First of all, we must affirm the function of the pillow. The human cervical spine has an arc called physiological lordosis. The human body is most comfortable maintaining this natural physiological arc under any circumstance, including during sleep. The function of the pillow is to maintain this normal physiological arc when a person sleeps, to ensure that the muscles, ligaments, spine and various tissues of the neck can be in a relaxed state.
A pillow that’s too high is not good
There is an old saying “sit back and relax”, in fact, the pillow should not be too high, just a punch. If the pillow is too high, it will cause the neck muscles to be in a state of hyperextension for a long time, causing discomfort. If you are lying flat, the pillow is sunk just enough to support your neck.
For a few people who like to sleep on their stomachs, they should pay more attention to choosing thin pillows. It is not necessarily used as a pillow, but it can also be placed on the abdomen to cushion the pressure on the internal organs when lying on the stomach.
In addition, the position of our pillow is also important. Although it is called a pillow, it is actually a pillow close to the neck.
Different sleeping positions require different pillow materials
Many people may not even be aware of any problems with pillows, and they will not put a lot of effort into choosing a pillow. The pillows they sleep on every day are either too hard, too soft, too high, or too short; some people even fill the pillows with cotton, stuffed clothes, sponges, and many pillows are filled with spring pillows. Think about how tight the neck and shoulder muscles must be when you rest your head in a very uncomfortable position for so long!
Generally speaking, the material of the pillow should not be too soft or too hard, just moderate. A pillow that is too hard can cause poor breathing during sleep, while a pillow that is too soft can cause excessive pressure on the head and neck, resulting in poor blood flow.
For those who like to sleep flat, the material inside the pillow must be soft and stretchy. Porous fiber pillows are a good choice because they are breathable and elastic.
For those who like to sleep on their side, the pillow needs to be a little harder. Press down to keep the neck and body straight and relax the neck muscles. Buckwheat pillows are very suitable, and this material is warm in winter and cool in summer, and can change shape along the movement of the head, which is very comfortable to use.
Those who like to sleep on their stomachs can choose a thin down pillow, which is fluffy and breathable, effectively reducing the pressure on the internal organs.
For those with cervical spine problems, you can choose a memory pillow. The memory pillow can fix the head position, prevent the problem of stiff neck, and reduce the pressure.
Pillow cleaning is more necessary
Our hair and face produce more oil, and we tend to attach more dust and bacteria, and some people may drool while sleeping. Therefore, pillows are very easy to get dirty. Be sure to wash pillowcases regularly, and regularly place pillows in the sun to dry and sterilize.
Written by Yue Jianning (Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University)