Pillows: choose well to sleep better

Posted by Team Maria on December 17th, 2019

Poorly adapted to our needs, a pillow risks not only damaging the quality of sleep, but causing various health problems. Since we spend a third of our lives in bed, it is in our interest to take the time to choose gel seat cushions buying guide!

Aesthetics do not rhyme with comfort

You can't imagine a cozy bed without imagining it with several plump, fluffy pillows. However, the pillow that appeals to its aesthetic qualities is often not the same that suits the needs of the sleeper.

"People have several useless pillows, often bought on promotion without consideration for the criteria that should influence their choice, such as their morphology and the comfort that the pillow provides," notes Louis-Martin Despa, regional director at Dormez-vous.

Result, despite an overabundance of pillows in our homes, many of us have not yet found the right one.

The wrong pillow creates discomfort and forces the body to adjust continuously during the night. Muscle stiffness, less deep sleep or a feeling of being more tired when you wake up than when you go to bed are sometimes signs that it's time to change your pillow.

A question of morphology

Each morphology has its particularities: the length of the neck, the width of the shoulders and the weight of the head are aspects that must be taken into account when choosing a pillow. To find out if a model suits us, and since many stores have non-refund policies on these types of items, we should not hesitate to test the merchandise before taking out our wallet.

We will then choose a pillow depending on how we sleep, the best positions being to lie on your back or side. "The ventral position should be avoided, as it imposes significant stress on the upper cervicals," says Annie Lalonde. It is a protective reflex. "

Whether sleeping on your back or on your side, however, the spine should remain in the neutral position when the head is placed on the pillow. It's all about thickness.

If we sleep on our backs, we should have a fist and a half (ours) of clearance between the chin and the sternum. If the space is larger, the pillow is too thin; less is that it is too high.

When sleeping on your side, your nose and chin should be on the same axis as the sternum. An inclined neck is a sign that the thickness of the pillow is not adequate.

A good pillow will promote a deep and less turbulent sleep. However, few people stay static all night. Some pillow models are therefore configured to meet the needs of versatile sleepers.

Whichever model you choose, you still have to use it correctly. The pillow should fill the space under the neck to support it well, and the shoulder should be positioned at the edge of the pillow, not over it. As for the head, it should be centered on the pillow, unless using a model suitable for both back and side sleep. In this case, the pillow will be thinner in the center: when you are lying on your side, you will rather place your head on the edges of the pillow.

What is hidden under the pillow

There are two categories of pillows, those of the comfort type and those of the support type recommended by the health specialists interviewed. Nothing prevents, however, from finding happiness in one or the other of the two categories.