09 413 5312
Elevate Chiropractic
  • Home
  • Services
    • Acute Pain & Injury Care
    • Good Posture
  • About Us
  • Blog
    • FAQs
  • Contact Us

5 tips for choosing a good pillow

29/6/2015

8 Comments

 
If you have read my previous blog post, ‘7 tips for getting a great nights sleep’, hopefully you have tried a few of them and had good results.  Tip 5 in that post was “Have a good bed and a good pillow”. I didn’t go into too much detail on the various types of pillows to use in that post so here it is.  There are many different types of pillows out there and it can be quite daunting choosing the right one.  In this post I want to discuss how your sleeping position can help you choose the best pillow size and then I will discuss how to go about choosing the best pillow for you. 
What pillow is best for you will depend on what position you predominantly sleep in. The obvious question to ask here is, how do you normally sleep?  I say normally, because we all move at night and don’t always have control on what you do whilst asleep, but most people have a preferred position.  The three main sleeping positions are:
  1. Stomach sleeping
  2. Side sleeping
  3. Back sleeping
Of course, there are always some weird mixture of the 3 main types, like half stomach and half side etc.  I don’t think there is one best position to sleep in, everybody will have a position that is better for them.  What I can say is that stomach sleeping is not ideal, especially from a chiropractic point of view.  There are a few reasons I say this.  Firstly, you have to have your neck twisted to one side in order to breathe.  It is not good to do this for hours on end.  Secondly, lying on your stomach can limit rib cage expansion and hence breathing.  You rib cage predominantly expands in an up and out movement.  Lying on your stomach can limit this motion, hence your breathing.

This leaves back and side sleeping as preferred options.  My personal favourite is side sleeping. I have never been able to easily fall asleep on my back.  The aim with choosing a pillow is to try to make sure you have good spinal alignment.  This means that our neck should ideally be in alignment with the rest of your spine. When you think about this, it makes sense that back and side sleepers will need different pillow heights based on our anatomy. The main component of this is the shoulders.  When you are on your side you need to take into account the width of your shoulders to ensure good neck alignment, hence side sleepers may need thicker pillows compared to back sleepers.  Let’s look at each of the main sleeping positions and things to look for when choosing a pillow. 

Back sleepers
As I said earlier, the pillow should support the natural curve of your neck.  It should not be too thick and force your head and neck forwards (or into flexion).  If you have some lower back pain, a useful tip for back sleepers is putting a small pillow under the knees.  This can take the pressure off the lower back.
Side sleepers
When on your side, the pillow should be high enough to support the head and neck so that the neck stays in good alignment with the rest of the spine. If the pillow is to low, your neck will be bent all night and more likely to be sore in the morning. A useful tip for lower back pain sufferers is to place a small pillow between the knees when side sleeping.  Often people will swing the top leg over when side sleeping which can create a twisting or torqueing movement through the spine.  This can aggravate a susceptible back, so the pillow between the knees may help this.
Stomach sleeping
If you do sleep on your stomach, I do recommend trying to change to one of the other positions, but if you have to sleep on your stomach the pillow should be reasonably flat or have no pillow. You don’t want the neck to be twisted and bent backwards (This is not a good position for the neck to be in).  If you are prone to lower back pain, stomach sleeping can put more pressure through the joints in the lower back.

5 Tips for choosing a good pillow
When you look for pillows it can be quite daunting as there are hundreds around.  Do you get one with contours or a flat one?  What height should it be?  What material should it be made of? Do you like a firmer pillow or a softer one? Do you like memory foam or feather pillows? Here are my 5 tips for choosing the best pillow for you:
  1. Decide on your main sleeping position. This position will help determine the best pillow height.  The pillow that I sell at my practice (they are called a ‘chiro-pil-o’, you can see them here) and have sold for years, is height adjustable so it can be good for all sleeping positions. There are other height adjustable pillows available. Another pillow that I have sold is a water pillow, called the chiro-flow pillow (you can see it here). It is a little more expensive but comes with a water reservoir in the back that you fill up, the more water you add, the higher the pillow.
  2. Decide on what material you like.  I personally like memory foam, but there is heaps of other options.  Again it is a personal preference.  Remember that some cheaper foams and feather pillows do compact over time so may need to be replaced sooner.  What material you like is often linked with the next decision.
  3. Decide how firm you like your pillows.  Good quality foam is often firmer than other materials like feathers.  I have personally found that firmer pillows give me better support, but it may be different for you. Just remember that your comfort level is important, but the pillow also needs to be able to give the proper support.
  4. Decide on your level of investment. The price of pillows varies from a few dollars to several hundred.  As with most things, you get what you pay for.  In my mind sleep is one of the most important things we do so having a good pillow is essential and worth the investment.  There are not many things you can buy these days for around $80-$150 that you use for 7-8 hours a day and last years.  However, just because a pillow is expensive doesn’t mean it the best one for you.  You still need to look at the above 3 points first.
  5. Try the pillows out in the store. Try the pillow for a few minutes and see how they feel.  A 5 minute trial is definitely not like a full 8 hour night, but you can get the idea of what it may be like.  If you can’t lie down you can lean against a wall in your favored sleep position and see if your neck is in alignment with the rest of your spine.

Bear in mind it can take a good few days to get used to a new pillow so persevere with it.  Once you are used to it, it will hopefully give you the best chance of getting a good restful night’s sleep. If you are having a few issues with neck pain or back pain that is limiting your sleep it would be worthwhile to get it assessed, your body will thank you for it.

8 Comments
Dale Bicknell
23/8/2015 07:36:35 am

Hi Craig

How are you? It's your wife's cousin here :)

Just looking for a new pillow and have just read your blog. Is there a memory foam one you could recommend that most places sell e.g. Briscoes or the Warehouse etc?

Cheers

Dale

Reply
Emma Medley link
27/6/2024 01:24:11 am

Hey thanks for this amazing blog. Really informative.

Reply
margaret link
7/7/2017 12:41:59 am

That was very informative, does it matter how long or thick of a pillow I use for between my legs if i am side-laying. Thanks

Reply
Bernice
28/9/2020 06:04:36 pm

Hi Craig
Isleep on my side. I have arthritis in my spine lower spine shoulders neck and wrist im hopping you can help with what sort of pillow I should use please. I also have had a hip replacement
Thankyou
Look forward to hearing from you

Reply
Craig
29/9/2020 03:18:28 pm

Hi Bernice,

When side sleeping, we really want to have a pillow that is close to the width of your shoulder (you do need to take into account the softness of your mattress too). This way your spine stays in a neutral position and there is reduced pressure on your shoulder.

In regards to pillows, there are lots around. I am keen on a height adjustable pillow which makes it more versatile. This means you can play around with the height until it feels 'right' for you.

I stock a pillow called a 'Chiro-pil-o' which I use personally and have sold for years. If you are local, you can pop into the clinic to look at it. Otherwise go to your local shop and see what pillows are adjustable. There are a few other brands that have adjustable pillows.

I hope this clarifies things a little for you.

If you want further information, please call me at the clinic on (09) 413 5312

Regards,

Craig

Reply
Emma Medley link
27/6/2024 01:18:44 am

Wonderful content thanks for sharing mate.

Reply
Cozyy Pillow link
18/7/2024 12:50:16 am

I love the design of this pillow. It not only looks good but also provides great functionality.

Reply
The Disc Chiropractic link
8/1/2025 06:04:17 am

Great tips for selecting the right pillow! Proper support can make a huge difference in spinal health and sleep quality. Thanks for the helpful advice to improve daily comfort!

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Dr Craig Buscomb

    Bringing you news, research and advice on health, wellness, exercise and chiropractic care to help take your health to the next level

    Picture
    book now

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014

    Categories

    All
    6 Week Challenge
    Air Purifier
    Archetypal Postures
    Athritis
    Back Brace
    Back Pain
    Balance
    Barefoot
    Blood Pressure
    Body Hacks
    Brain Development
    Brain Function
    Breathing
    Cervicogenic Headaches
    Children
    Chiropractic Care
    Chiropractic Research
    Clicking Joints
    Computer Setup
    Concussion
    Core Exercise
    Crawling
    Cryotherapy
    Diaphragmatic Breathing
    Disc Herniation
    Disc Injury
    Dizziness
    Dr Craig Buscomb
    Elderly
    Elevate Chiropractic Clinic
    Ergonomics
    Exercise
    Eyesight
    Eyestrain
    Fall Risk
    FAQs
    Fatigue
    Feet
    Fidgeting
    Flexibility
    Foam Roller
    Foot Function
    Foot Pain
    Free Spine Checks
    Functional Movement
    Gardening
    Gift Ideas
    Goals
    Grip Strength
    Grounding
    Habits
    Hanging
    Headaches
    Headbanging
    Health
    Heat Therapy
    Hip Arthritis
    Hip Hinge
    Hip-Hinge
    Hip Pain
    Hip Test
    Hugging
    Hypermobility
    Ice
    Joint Cracking
    Kneeling
    Knee Pain
    Leg Pain
    Lifting
    Lifting Technique
    Low Back Pain
    Lower Back
    Lower Back Pain
    Massage
    Massage Ball
    Meditation
    Mid Back
    Migraine
    Mirgrane
    Mobility
    Movement
    Music
    Myofascial Release
    NEAT
    Neck Pain
    Neck Stretches
    Neuroplasticity
    New Year's Resolutions
    Nocebo Affect
    Non-Exercise Movement
    Novelty
    Office Chairs
    Osteoporosis
    Overweight
    Pediatric Care
    Performance
    Physical Activity
    Pillows
    Piriformis Syndrome
    Placebo Effect
    Plants
    Posture
    Posture Brace
    Power Poses
    Rehabilitation
    Rest
    RICE
    Risk Of Dying
    Schoolbag
    Sciatica
    Sciatic Nerve
    Seniors
    Shoes
    Shoulder
    Shoulder Pain
    Sickness
    Sitting
    Sitting Positions
    Sleep
    Sleeping
    Soft Tissue Release
    Sport
    Sports Performance
    Stability
    Static Back Position
    Stress
    Stretches
    Stretching
    Studying
    Surgery
    Teenagers
    Tension Headaches
    Testimonials
    Text Neck
    Tongue Positions
    TV
    Upper Back Pain
    Upper Cross Syndrome
    Vertigo
    Walking
    Warning Signs
    Water
    Weightloss
    Wellness
    What To Expect
    Work Breaks
    Yoga

    RSS Feed

    Contact Us
    Services
    About Us
    It's what you do everyday that impacts your health, not what you do sometimes.

Let us keep you updated with our newsletter

Quick Links

Home
Services
About Us
Blog
Contact Us
Privacy and Confidentiality

Contact Us

Shop 1, 10 Greenhithe Road
Greenhithe, Auckland 0632
P: 09 413 5312
M: 027 975 4104
E: [email protected]
Submit once, a confirmation email will be sent to you.
© Elevate Chiropractic  2014 | Website developed by Outbox Ltd