Last Updated on
Sleep is an essential component that many people neglect. With sleep quality, your brain can recharge after a long day full of thinking. With a brain that is fully recharged, you can make better decisions and function properly. More importantly, having proper sleep is linked to a healthy lifestyle.
This is why memory foam pillows are becoming more popular. They can help you attain better sleep quality and better spinal alignment while reducing your neck pain. So, if you’re one of those people, we have created a handy guide on using a memory foam pillow correctly to reap the benefits and get a better night’s sleep.
How to Get Good Night’s Sleep
After reading the above statement, who wouldn’t want to get a great night’s sleep? However, this can be easier said than done. Many people all over the world today suffer from bad sleep. As this is the case, many people have looked for a solution for their poor sleep quality.
Introducing the Memory Foam Pillow
There is a reason that memory foam pillows have become increasingly popular. They come in various shapes and sizes suitable for all types of sleepers, whether you decide to sleep on your front, back, or side.
When you place your head on a memory foam pillow, it becomes a softer pillow. In this method, the now shaped memory foam reacts around the points of the pressure of your head. As a result, the memory foam pillow disregards its original shape to form itself around the natural curve of your head, providing support in all the right places.
However, once you take away your head off of your memory foam pillow, you are also taking away the pressure points of your head from it. When this happens, the memory foam pillow material will soften up yet again. The memory foam pillow will then slowly go back to its original shape.
This method will repeatedly happen every time you rest your head on your memory foam pillow. Thanks to the elasticity in the viscoelastic that they are made from, your memory foam pillow will bounce back to its original shape every time.
Choosing a Memory Foam Pillow
Memory material pillows have come a long way since their humble beginnings. For example, there are now many different types of memory foam pillows. This is because everyone needs or wants something different when they sleep.
It’s clear to see that you need to choose the right memory foam pillow for you. Due to this, here is a basic guide on picking the right memory foam pillow for you. As well, when you get the best memory foam pillow that fits your needs, this article will also tell you how to use them the right way.
Body Heat
One thing to consider when picking your memory foam pillow is your body heat. Some people have hotter bodies than others. People who get hotter quicker will need to choose the right pillow that can cool them down. This is because sleep experts have discovered that a cool environment while you sleep gives you a deeper and better sleeping experience.
Sadly, a traditional memory foam pillow is not good at absorbing heat away from your body. This is because the memory-material-filled pillow takes and keeps the heat from your body and holds onto it. This makes you sleep hot.
Fortunately, with recent improvements in memory foam products, you can find memory foam pillows that remove excess heat from your body away from you. However, it is important to note that memory foam pillows still need proper and regular washing while they do remove heat from the body.
If you feel yourself burning up when you sleep, you need to pick a memory foam pillow with a filling that is designed to remove excess heat from your body. Look for a memory foam pillow that has been mixed with materials that can cool you down. Some of these materials include but are not limited to, graphite, charcoal, gel, or copper.
As well, try to stay away from high contour memory foam pillows. A contour memory foam pillow has solid memory foam which traps heat from your body. Solid foam memory pillows absorb the heat and don’t distribute it very well. Since this is the case, you should use a shredded memory foam pillow. This is because the shredded memory foam in this memory foam pillow has pockets that allow airflow to function properly.
Sleeping Positions
Another thing to consider when picking your memory foam pillow is your sleeping position. There are multiple sleeping positions that you can adopt throughout the night. However, it would help if you chose the right memory foam pillow according to your sleeping style to support your body. This will prevent backache and neck pain and will keep your hips aligned.
Back Sleeper
If you are a back sleeper, you need to have a pillow that has a medium loft and density. Since this is the case, it’s recommended that back sleepers need shredded memory foam pillows. Again, this is because you can adjust the loft and manipulate it in a way that suits you.
Some sleep specialists recommend not sleeping with a pillow if you sleep on your back. However, you may feel more comfortable placing your memory foam pillow underneath your knees to promote the natural curve of your spine.
Side Sleeper
If you are a side sleeper, you need to have a firm pillow that will mould your head and keep your spine aligned. If you sleep with your head too high or too low, you can wake up with neck or back pain. Alternatively, you can use another memory foam pillow between your knees to keep your hips aligned and support your back.
Stomach Sleeper
Stomach sleepers require something on a softer scale. Therefore, a shredded pillow is ideal as you can also remove some of the fillings to adjust the loft and ensure it is perfectly comfortable for you. If your head is too high while sleeping on your stomach, your spine won’t stay aligned and could impact your body’s natural curves.
Using Your Memory Foam Pillow
First of all, you may find that your memory foam pillow is quite hard when you first settle your head on it. This is perfectly normal, and there’s no need to worry. The memory foam will react to the warmth of your body and begin to contour around your head as time goes by. If you don’t have time to waste, place your memory foam pillow in a warm area to heat it before getting into bed.
Positioning Your Pillow
As a contour memory foam pillow will feature two curves, it is important to use it correctly to ensure you are providing yourself with the correct support. Regardless of what type of sleeper you are, you should place the larger of the two curves in the hollow of your neck when you sleep.
This will support the natural curve of your neck and keep your spine aligned. Of course, if this is not comfortable for you, you can always try it the other way around to see if this works better.
Everyone’s bodies are different; therefore, we can only tell you what is recommended, not what is best for your particular body.
Sleeping With a Shredded Pillow
Similar to a contour memory foam pillow, you want to be able to support the curve of your neck. Therefore, you should position more of the filling into this area until it is comfortable for you and supports you in all of the right places.
As we mentioned previously, if you sleep on your front, we recommend removing some of the fillings negatively affect your spinal alignment.
The Best Pillow Is the Right Pillow
As you can see, there is a memory material pillow for everyone. However, all you need to do is find the right one for you using these simple tips. What’s more, if you know how to use a memory foam pillow, then you are more likely to have a restful sleep, ready for a great day of work!
