Pillow talk-Having neck and back pain? Changing your pillow just might do the trick.

By Dilanka Gamlath-October 31, 2017, 8:49 pm 

You’ve changed your mattress, changed your sleeping style, adjusted your posture at your workstation with two Central Bank Annual reports under the computer monitor and a Colombo City directory under your feet. But nothing alleviates your neck and back pain. The only thing you haven’t done already is sleep on a wooden plank like a geisha. But that’s taking sleeping to a whole new level.

The solution may be as simple as changing your pillow. People hardly realize that sleeping patterns differ according to physique and preferred sleeping style. There are people with wide shoulders, narrow shoulders, broad hips and narrow hips. Some are side sleepers while some are back sleepers, yet a few others sleep on their stomach. Then there are those who like to sleep with a pillow between their legs, under their stomach, under their feet, on the side, on either sides...well, you get the drift. The point is, the generic pillow at the supermarket may not be right for everyone.

Health issues

According to sleep expert – didn’t know there was such a thing till now – Michael Breus, PhD, a clinical psychologist and author of Beauty Sleep: Look Younger, Lose Weight, and Feel Great Through Better Sleep, Pillows can not only impact the quality of our sleep, but also how healthily we rest and recharge.

That’s the right pillow. The wrong pillow can lead to headaches, neck pain, shoulder and arm numbness, discomfort, sneezing and wheezing, according to orthopaedic surgeon Andrew Hecht, MD. Don’t be silly, a pillow can’t give you the wheeze, but it sure as hell can exacerbate underlying health problems.

When a pillow is past its prime skin cells, mould, mildew, fungus, and dust mites accumulate in it. In fact, according to Breus these make up more than half of an old pillow's weight. Yuk! A rule of thumb is to buy a new pillow every 12 to 18 months. It should definitely not exceed two years.

Sleeping style

Your first criteria for picking a pillow should be your sleeping style. In doing so you should keep in mind that the function of a pillow is to keep your head level with the spine, in what’s referred to as ‘neutral alignment’. Your head should not tilt too far back or too far forward.

Back sleeper tip: Back sleepers need thinner pillows so their heads do not bend too far forward. Extra cushion at the bottom would support your neck, but this type of pillows is hard to come by in the Sri Lankan market.

However pillows with extra cushion effect at the bottom is available online.

Side sleeper tip: Side sleepers need thicker pillows to make up for the distance between the shoulder and the head. Most of the pillows in the Sri Lankan market would do fine for side sleepers. But if you are prone to neck pain, take care to buy a pillow that’s not too plump, so your head wouldn’t tilt too far to one side. Pick a soft pillow with extra cushion effect.

Stomach sleeper: Pick a very thin, flat pillow. In fact, you might not even need a pillow. To align the spine you might want to tuck a pillow under your stomach.

Stuffing

Pillows are available in various stuffing options even in Sri Lanka from foam, natural rubber, kapok, poly fibre, to the slightly more expensive antibacterial, micro gel and even goose feather pillows. In foreign markets there are combination stuffing and memory foam pillows as well.

The head and neck support provided by a pillow may actually depend on the stuffing. For example a normal poly fibre type maybe too firm. Kapok pillows are cool and healthy as they are all natural and therefore also hypoallergenic, but have the tendency to ball up over time making the pillow uncomfortable. Besides, it can turn into a breeding ground for microorganisms and bacteria. The trick is to sundry the kapok pillow every two days.

Foam pillows also provide ample neck and head support as long as you pick the right density. The higher the density more the support and lesser the breakdown.

What matters most is how the pillow feels. If you don’t have the option of trying the pillows out lying down try them against the wall. For example if you’re a side sleeper, stand with the side of your arm against the wall and put a pillow between your head and the wall. If the pillow is too plump or firm it’ll tilt your head away from the wall. Vice versa and your head will tilt towards the wall. Remember the trick is to maintain the natural alignment. You’re neck has to remain straight. Same can be done for any other sleep style.

So feel free to poke, prod lie down when your pillow shopping, never mind the onlookers and sales people who might think you’ve lost your marbles. Because, after all picking the right pillow is a difference between a good night’s sleep and waking up with a neck and back pain.