Category Archives: Pillows

Side Sleeper Pro Neck and Back Pillow: Caring For You While You Sleep

According to the American Chiropractic Association, sleeping on your side and sleeping on your back are the two recommended sleeping positions. These two positions reduce the pressure on the ligaments and muscles of the spine and do not cause muscle pain. On the other hand, other sleeping positions may cause damage to the spine and the nervous system or may lead to neck and back pain.

The Side Sleeper Pro Neck and Back Pillow is a product designed by a doctor to promote proper sleeping posture so you can sleep well and wake up revitalized the next day. In this article, you will know more about the features and the pros and cons of Slide Sleeper Pro. At the end, expect to see the verdict based on the product’s price range.

Features

The doctor-designed pillow is great for people who are constantly experiencing muscular pain due to bad posture while sleeping. The product helps you to correctly align your head, neck, and spine so the muscles and the ligaments involved can relax along with the rest of the body. Using the pillow will ensure that your airways will remain unblocked so you can forget about snoring issues.

The earwell was designed for added comfort and for consumers who like to play relaxing music before drifting off to sleep. The cover material is made of 100 percent cotton and the filling is made of 100 percent polyester fiber. Lastly, the pillow is firm and does not flatten after months of use.

Pros

Aside from its features, the pillow also has noticeable positive qualities:

  • First, the pillow’s size is just right to support the neck and head of the average consumer.
  • The product’s structure helps the shoulder stay in a relaxed position and allows users to position and cradle their head comfortably while sleeping on the side.
  • Also, the earwell is good for keeping the ear from getting crunched by the pillow.
  • Other pillows flatten after weeks of use but the physician-designed pillow stays firm.
  • The product is also professionally made with easy to remove pillowcase and well integrated zipper.

Cons

While the pillow promotes proper sleeping posture, it has a few issues:

  • First, the arms are uneven: one side is longer than the other. As a result, users may need to flip the pillow if they want the same level of comfort.
  • Next, every user is stuck with the default pillowcase. The company does not sell additional pillowcases for interested consumers.
  • The earwell is not large enough which may cause problems for people with big ears.

Conclusion

For many people, getting a good night sleep is imperative because it will affect their performance the next day. The ticket price of this pillow is a good price to pay for a product that ensures proper sleeping posture, especially if the user is experiencing neck and back problems or regularly sleeps on their side. The Side Sleeper Pro Neck and Back Pillow is definitely worth a try!

The ultimate guide to the Best Pillows For Side Sleepers

Here are our top recommendations for 2015. Keep reading below the table for full reviews and  our in depth guide on choosing the right pillow.

ComfySleep Buckwheat Pillow
Our favorite for 2016
Core 200 Tri-Core Pillow
A great value option
Shredded Memory Foam Pillow with Stay Cool Bamboo Cover
A fantastic shredded memory foam pillow, ideal for side sleepers!

Are you looking for a specific type of side sleeper pillow?

Reviews

Shredded Memory Foam PillowThe Shredded Memory Foam Pillow by Good Life Essentials may just be the pillow you have been looking for. On the plus side, this pillow, unlike others similarly filled with memory foam material, will not build up heat because it provides excellent air ventilation.

This simply means that the pillow remains cool for the user even in warm or hot temperatures, meaning no sleep disruption in any climate or weather. Neck, shoulders, and head are firmly supported by this pillow to prevent and alleviate pain in these areas upon waking up in the morning.

The pillow’s bamboo cover is eco-friendly, a deal maker for those who prefer only natural materials. This pillow is 100% made in the U.S. Because we all spend a third of our lives sleeping, rest assured that this is manufacturer-guaranteed never to go flat or out of shape.

Core 200 PillowSide sleepers will find themselves more comfortable if they use pillows especially designed for their particular needs. One such pillow recommended by medical professionals and chiropractors is the Core 200 Tri-Core pillow that has a trapezoidal center to gently cradle the head yet firm support the neck of the side sleeper.

This tri-core pillow’s support for the mentioned areas helps maintain a naturally-straight and horizontal line for the spine and distributes the user’s weight evenly to prevent unnatural pressure or bending that can lead to a crooked spine and chronic pain the neck, head, and shoulder areas. Made of wrinkle-free and crease-proof Fortrel material, the Core 200 is the leading pillow in its class with orthopedic benefits.

Made of 50% polyester and 50% cotton, the pillow measures 24 inches by 16 inches that fits any standard-sized pillowcase. If you would like to eliminate pain in your neck, shoulders, and head upon waking up in the morning, try the reasonably-priced 200 model on for size.

Iso-Cool Memory Foam PillowIf you have sleep problems because of extremely-soft pillows that “trap” your head and neck with their sides, you should consider buying the Iso-Cool Memory Foam Pillow. Admittedly, this pillow can be a tad firm for those who have been used to soft pillows. Those who want to improve their spinal alignment, however, should get an Iso-Cool precisely for its firmness.

Additionally, this pillow is very affordable for its class as well as for its numerous features, especially the PCM beads that make the Iso-Cool versatile. The major buying point for the Iso-Cool pillow is the fact that gives twice the benefit of having two separate pillows: one that keeps you cool when the temperature is soaring and another that keeps you warm when the temperature is freezing.

Those who sleep on their back sides will benefit much from the pillow’s gusseted design and the visco-elastic material of the memory foam as the fill provides the sleeper with neck and head support with its higher loft. And the hypo-allergenic material of the Iso-Cool ensures that you don’t sneeze while you snooze, a feature that will be appreciated by those who are allergy-prone.

What To Look For In A Pillow If You Sleep On Your Side

Did you know that between the three most common sleeping positions, sleeping on your side is the most common? That should mean that a majority pillows are designed with side sleepers in mind, and that side sleepers would have the most universal choice when shipping for new bedding right? Well, to answer your question: yes and no. People who sleep on their side do benefit from a plethora of options that are a good compromise between the thin, almost non-existent, stomach sleeper pillows, and their firmer cousins designed for back sleepers.

Take a step back and look at the shape of the body, which sections of the body do you usually lay on when you are asleep in bed? When you are on your side, regardless of which direction you are facing, the hip and the shoulders are going to take most of the impact from the mattress, and the side of your skull next to your ear is going to support the weight of your head against the pillow.

When you sleep on a pillow that is too thin, your head and neck are going to lay parallel, leaving a minute space against your neck and forcing those muscles to keep your neck upright and in line with your head. If the reverse is true and you sleep on a pillow that is too firm or too thickly padded, your entire head and neck is going to be forced upward which will un-align your spine from its natural positioning. That means that the best choice for your well-being and health is going to be a medium to medium-soft pillow that gives enough resistance to your head to support the weight of your head with enough inflation to support your neck.

Try and analyze how much you move during the night when purchasing a pillow because this can help you to decide on the right type of material for the pillow. If you are someone that likes to toss and turn throughout the night, you might prefer a buckwheat organic pillow or a feather pillow whose content moves around as you do. The only problem with some of the buckwheat pillows is they do have a tendency to make more noise when you move, so do not invest in this type of pillow if you are a light sleeper.

Optimally, if you are a sedentary sleeper that tends to stay in the same place, you want to shop around for an ergonomic design that differs from the traditional rectangular and flat shape of most pillows. Some pillows have extra padding or filling along the lower half of the pillow where you place your neck so that the concentration and the location of the filling inside your pillow is not as dependent on whether or not you get a good nights sleep. These pillows already have a pre-set shape in most cases so again, if you move around, this pillow may not be the best choice for you.

What Should Side Sleepers Look For?

After taking into consideration all of the ideal factors that should go into your purchasing decision, what is the best type of pillow? The best type of pillow depends on you and what you prefer to sleep on, but some of the recommended options that would suit side sleepers are memory foam, latex, and buckwheat pillows.

Memory foam and latex foam pillows have become one of the more popular options in the last few years because of their incredible ability to retain the shape of your body and provide equal support to both your neck and head. These options, unlike down filled pillows, do not let your head slump down into the pillow; rather they meet individual resistance requirements to provide optimal support. The cost of these options are decreasing and can now be found for as little as $20 at some stores, but they still remain one of the more expensive types on the market; however, memory foam pillows often come with some type of warranty and are expected to last for several years, whereas their latex cousins have been known to last up to 20-years in some extreme cases.

Buckwheat pillows

Buckwheat pillows are an eco-friendly design made out of 100% natural buckwheat hulls. Sometimes companies will also use hops, grass, or other natural materials instead of buckwheat for the same purpose. Buckwheat doesn’t collapse like foam or feathers so you get an extra level of support .These pillows also don’t retain as much heat as other types on the market so they are great if you hate sleeping on a hot pillow or always find yourself flipping over the pillow in the middle of the night to find some relief. The only downside to buckwheat is that it is rather heavy,  with some  brands weighing as much as 4-5 pounds, and they will need to be replaced about every other year.

How to Choose the Right Pillow for Shoulder Pain if you Sleep on Your Side

the ideal pillow  if you have shoulder  pain whilst you sleep on your sideThere are as many sleeping problems as there are sleeping positions. The way you position your body as you sleep determines what kind of problems you encounter when you wake up.
Side sleepers usually deal with shoulder pains in the morning. This is because their necks are bent at an awkward angle and kept for hours in that certain position, causing the muscles to cramp and get damaged over time.

This is why side sleepers need pillows that are designed to provide good support for the neck, all the way to the shoulders. This is a bit tricky because you need a specialized pillow to make side sleeping both comfortable and natural.

In line with that, you’ve got memory foam pillows and waterfill pillows in the market as well. To find the right pick for you, go with something that you’re personally comfortable with. Pillows are like clothes. You’ve got to try them on before you can say they’re good on you.
And if you’re budgeting, go for a smaller pillow size with a good brand so you can still save and sleep well at the same time.

Finally, you want to ask if a certain pillow is chiropractor-designed. Nothing puts your mind at ease better than a pillow that’s designed for therapeutic purposes.

Knee Pillows if you are a Side Sleeper

the ideal pillow if you sleep on your sideChiropractors recommend sleeping on the side, also known as the fetal position, which we all assumed as babies in our fetal development in the wombs of our mothers for nine months. While we are comfortable sleeping on our sides, we shouldn’t forget to safeguard our posture, even if it means buying another new pillow to give our necks, shoulders, and heads the proper support and our spine the correct alignment.

Assuming that you have the correct knee pillows, place one or two of these under your head and your neck, and an additional pillow between your knees to keep your hips open, and your knees and legs separated. Most knee pillows are priced affordably, albeit some brands – such as Tempurpedic – are relatively more expensive. The knee pillows in the previously discussed reviews, however, are all good quality brands.

Shoulder Pillow if you are a Side Sleeper

choosing a dynasty mattressShoulder pillows for side sleepers like you will be ideal if you lay in a perpendicular position with your mattress, meaning they will work best for people who maintain relatively few sleeping positions during their sleep. But that is not always the case because even side sleepers shift positions while asleep. Pillows that are too malleable will not provide the firmness needed by the side sleeper.

For people who sleep on their side, keeping the spine straight during sleep is non-negotiable. The space between your outer shoulder and your ear is empty when you are a side sleeper and that is where a pillow should be, a firm one to be precise, to keep your weight distributed evenly and not suspended or bent unnaturally. Without the correct pillow, a side sleeper’s body and neck will not be well positioned during sleep.

Sleep is an integral part of all our lives and you deserve to get a sufficient amount of it regardless of whether or not you sleep on your side. Side sleepers, however, need to choose their pillows more carefully because they have special needs, so to speak, that may not be met with a one-size-fits-all kind of pillow.

Choosing the Right Thin Pillow for a Side Sleeper

how to choose the right thin pillow if you sleep on your sideSleeping on the side has been proven good for reducing acid reflux, and preventing or treating snoring. Sleeping on the side can also prevent neck and back pain. This sleeping position is recommended for pregnant women as well.

With these benefits it is easy to understand why you’ll continue to sleep on your back. Having the right pillow, however, can mean the difference between feeling refreshed and young in the morning, or feeling stressed after tossing and turning all night long.

As mentioned earlier, the pillow you must have in your bed should not be too thick or too thin. Having a pillow that is too thin would allow your head to tilt towards the bed. On the other hand, a pillow that is too thick would have your head tilting away from the bed, and potentially causing stiff neck in the morning. Or you can end up having stiff and achy muscles, or numbing sensation in the arms and hands.

While shopping online for a pillow is convenient, there is also the disadvantage of not being able to test the pillow. Hence you really have no clue on how the pillow would feel, or how well it would support your neck and head.

Fortunately, most of the makers of thin pillows do offer a refund to their customers who are not satisfied with the products they bought online.  You can also minimize the risks of ordering the wrong pillow by looking for customer testimonials on the thin pillow that you are interested in getting.

Keep these pointers in mind the next time you shop for a pillow online, and chances are, you’ll get a pillow that suits you.



The Best Pillow For Back Sleepers

The Best Pillow For Back Sleepers

The position that you sleep plays a large part in the type of pillow that you should purchase. Certain sheets and pillow sets are designed for different sleep positions to enhance the quality of your sleep based on what type of support your body needs. For instance, side sleepers (the most common sleep style) require a soft pillow and mattress style that will conform to their body, but stomach sleepers require a hard mattress and pillow that won’t cause strain on their lower back.

If you are a back sleeper, it can be a little bit trickier as the best pillow for back sleepers is something in-between the ideal side sleepers pillow and the ideal front sleepers pillow. To help you make the right purchasing decision, here is what you should look for and the types of pillows that are right for you.

What To Look For In A Pillow If You Sleep On Your Back

Back sleepers need pillows that are relatively thin with medium-low fluff. The purpose of a pillow is to provide support for your neck, and if you are a back sleeper, dosing off on a pillow that is stuffed thick with filling will arch your head too far forward and cause strain on the neck. This type of strain may cause neck and shoulder pain in the morning and might cause you to begin snoring.

If possible, you should look for a pillow whose extra-bulked stuffing is located in the lower 1/3rd of the pillow. This style of pillow will provide support for your arched neck but won’t tilt your head any farther than it needs to be. As a result, your spine will line up comfortably and you will wake up feeling refreshed and energized.

As for the makeup of the pillow such as thread count or whether it is hypoallergenic or not, that comes down to personal preferences. Pillows with lower thread counts are lighter options, but won’t last as long and aren’t as good at repelling dirt and sweat from the stuffing.

Pillow stuffing will determine the weight of the pillow you are sleeping on and how hot that it gets. If you hate sleeping on hot pillows and find yourself flipping your pillow every night to try and find the cold relief, buy something with synthetic fillers. Synthetic fillers are lightweight, air-penetrable and are usually filled with an organic material such as grass, buckwheat husks, or hops; the only problem with this style of pillow is that it will most likely need to be replaced every two years. On the flip side, goose down pillows or wool filled pillows are soft and comfortable, but they retain heat and can get very warm during the night.

What Types Of Pillows Suit Back Sleepers   

So you now have a general idea of what to look for when shopping for a back sleeper pillow, but what types of pillows are really best for you? Here are the three main pillow options available and how they are designed to get you the best nights sleep.

Memory Foam Pillows (Best)

Memory foam pillows are one of the top choices because they come in all different thicknesses to suit any different style of sleep. Even the thinnest memory foam pillows made for back or stomach sleepers will give you enough support to sleep comfortably without your head sinking to the mattress as it would with a cotton filled pillow. These pillows are a little bit more expensive than some alternative options, but they can last for several years, which can easily make up for the cost.

Latex Foam Pillows (Great)

Latex foam pillows are the most expensive option but they have been known to last up to 20-years and are eco-friendly options. Talalay latex comes from a rubber tree and is manufactured through a pressurization that can shape and design the pillow to the specifications of the manufacturer. One of the best qualities of latex foam pillows is that they don’t collect mold, fungus, or bacteria like other pillows; they also do not use chemicals in their production like memory foam so you won’t get the odor or perfume-type smell that other pillows can give off. Latex is also firmer that cotton pillows so that you can get the comfortable yet thin pillow option you are looking for.

Medium-Soft Down Pillows (Okay)

Medium-soft down pillows are still a viable choice if you are looking for something affordable or you want to stick with a brand that you are familiar with; however you will have to wash and replace these pillows more often so that they do not collect mold or dust mites. As stated in the previous section, look for something that is thin and won’t force your neck upward. Just because a pillow doesn’t look thick and cushiony doesn’t mean that it is not going to be comfortable; in fact, you may find that the well-cushioned pillows you have had in the past might have been causing your poor sleep habits in the first place.



The Best Memory Foam Pillows Reviews Guide

Memory Foam Pillows – Sleep Soundly and Comfortably

When most people picture a pillow in their mind, they probably picture a white, fluffy, down-filled object. But recent changes to the technology used to manufacture pillows may force many to change their perception of the ideal, or typical, pillow. Memory foam pillows have been growing in popularity in recent years, as sleepers have enjoyed the many benefits they offer.

Originally developed by NASA, this high-density foam conforms to the shape of anything that puts pressure on it, and temporarily holds the indentation for a brief time after the object’s removal. For example, if you were to press your hand into memory foam and remove it, you would see the shape of your hand in the foam for a moment before the foam bounced back, or recovered. Because of its density, memory foam is also relatively heavy.

Our favorite memory foam pillows of 2015

Here are our 7 favorite memory foam pillows, keep reading beyond the table for more tips on how to pick the pillows that will be right for you.

Memory Foam Pillows Size Machine Washable Hypo-allergenic Cost Rating
Sleep Master 2-Pack Traditional Memory Foam Pillows, Standard

Sleep Master 2-Pack Traditional Memory Foam Pillows, Standard

21″ x 15″ Cover Only Yes *** 4
Sleep Innovations Contour Memory Foam Pillow, Standard Size

Sleep Innovations Contour Memory Foam Pillow, Standard Size

20.8″ x 14.2″ x 4.8″ Yes No *** 4
Sleep Better Iso-Cool Memory Foam Pillow, Gusseted Side Sleeper ,Standard

Sleep Better Iso-Cool Memory Foam Pillow, Gusseted Side Sleeper ,Standard

22 x 16 x 7 inches Cover only Yes *** 4.2
Classic Brands Conforma Memory Foam Pillow, Ventilated Memory Foam, 100-Percent CertipurUS Certified

Classic Brands Conforma Memory Foam Pillow, Ventilated Memory Foam, 100-Percent CertipurUS Certified

27 x 16 x 4.5 inches Cover only Yes *** 4.5
Sleep Innovations Cool Contour Memory Foam Pillow

Sleep Innovations Cool Contour Memory Foam Pillow

20 x 15 x 5 inches Cover only Allergen proof *** 4.2
Sleep Innovations Memory Foam Classic Pillow

Sleep Innovations Memory Foam Classic Pillow

16 x 22 x 5 inches Cover only Yes ** 4
Sleep Master 2-Pack Contour Memory Foam Pillows

Sleep Master 2-Pack Contour Memory Foam Pillows

20 x 15 x 4 inches Cover only Yes ** 4

In pillow form, then, memory foam has a unique ability to provide even support to all parts of the sleeper’s head and neck. This prevents uneven pressure in any area of the neck, preventing soreness that can sometimes happen when uneven support forces the neck into a misaligned position. Because it conforms to the shape of the head and neck, memory foam helps to hold the spine and neck in proper alignment. For this reason, memory foam pillows are often recommended for those who experience neck pain or headaches. The way one’s head sinks into the pillow can also help reduce excess movement during sleep, resulting in more restful sleep. Some memory foam pillows also claim to reduce snoring, since their body-contouring style won’t force the neck and throat into unnatural angles, but still provide appropriate support.

If you’ve decided that you’re interested in memory foam, there are still a number of other decisions to make. Memory foam pillows come in various thicknesses, densities, and shapes. Besides the standard pillow shapes, some memory foam pillows are contoured, with one or more larger bumps intended to provide even more support by following the lines of the head and neck more closely. When considering thickness, think about whether you currently prefer to sleep with one or two pillows, and whether you are often trying to flatten or fluff your current pillow. If you like your head higher, you may want to choose a thicker pillow or one with more resistance to keep your head where you like it to be. You may also want to consider your sleeping position when selecting a memory foam pillow. Side sleepers usually need thicker, denser pillows because their position leaves more space between their heads and the mattress, while stomach sleepers commonly prefer thinner pillows.

Memory Foam Pillow Reviews   

Memory foam pillow reviews tend to be generally positive. Many reviewers declare their memory pillow to be the best one they’ve ever had, claiming they’ve gotten the best sleep of their life while using it.

That said, some common themes in consumer complaints can also be found, though manufacturers have worked hard to address them. Odor is one complaint—some consumers note that an initial odor faded away, while others noted that following the instructions of airing the pillow out before using it helped. Some pillow makers have tried adding pleasant scents to solve the problem. Another issue often cited with memory foam pillows is heat retention. The density of the material could trap heat, leading to the pillow becoming uncomfortably warm. Manufacturers have responded by creating more breathable fabrics, and some offer pillows with “cooling gels.” Finally, the relative firmness of memory foam is just too much for some users. While many sleepers love the extra support that memory foam offers, a minority of those who try them find that they feel too rigid or hard. Of course, each individual needs to find out for themselves whether a memory foam pillow is right for them.

Some memory foam pillow reviews rank the top options for this type of pillow, so let’s take a look at some of the products that came out on top. Good Housekeeping’s reviewers awarded a grade of A+ to the Megaflex Memofoam Comfort Pillow, the Leggett & Platt Brisa Memory Foam Pillow, two different Cannon memory foam pillows, and the Carpenter Thera Gel pillow by Isotonic. Sleep Mentor’s unbiased reviews give top scores to the Sleep Better Iso-Cool, Sleep Innovations Contour, and Dream Supreme Plus. Sleep Like the Dead reports the highest buyer satisfaction rates for Bodipedic Standard Contour, the Italian 6-inch from Overstock.com, and the Classic Memory Foam Pillow from WalMart.

These are just a few of the options available to those looking for a sleeping solution. Whether your search is based on sleeping discomfort, back or neck pain, or just the desire for a better night’s sleep, memory foam pillows offer some unique abilities that may be just what you’re looking for.