How To Adjust Your Pillow For A Great Night’s Sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is all about comfort, peace of mind and most importantly, a cozy bed to snuggle down in. But when it comes to pillows, it’s easy to make mistakes.

It’s natural to want to choose the biggest, softest and most squishy pillow you can find. At the end of the day, you want something you can really sink in to - and no one can blame you for that. But is that really the best option for your health and wellbeing?

If you often wake up with a bit of a stiff neck or sore shoulders, it’s likely that your pillow is the culprit! And if you’re scrunching it, folding it or fluffing it up every day just to throw some life back into it, that’s a big red flag. So, how can you adjust your pillow to suit you and ultimately, make your sleeping experience much more comfortable?
 

How to make your pillow more comfortable

Most of us are familiar with some of the typical tips and tricks when it comes to making our pillows more comfortable. For instance, we’re all particularly fond of flipping our pillows over on a clammy night and feeling the refreshing, cool side of the pillowcase. Or applying some soothing lavender pillow spray to help us drift off. But realistically, things like this don’t really help in the long run. Odds are, if you think your pillow feels uncomfortable, you’re either using the wrong pillow or it needs a bit of fine-tuning to reach maximum coziness.

It also depends on you as a person. Some people prefer a firm padding behind their head as they sleep, while others might opt for a bouncy, spongy cushioning to help them drop off easily. Either way, there are a few adjustments you can make to your pillow that will help you find the perfect balance.
 

• Invest in a memory foam pillow that molds itself to the shape of your head, neck and shoulders each night you sleep.
• Apply cooling gel, especially if you suffer from hot flushes or tend to sleep in warmer temperatures.
• Don’t overdo it on the pillow front. While it’s tempting to stack cushions up against your pillows for that ‘sleeping on a cloud’ feeling, it’s advised to only sleep with one high-quality pillow. This stops your head from being positioned at high angles and protects your neck from aching.
• If you suffer from muscle tension or pain in day-to-day life, try using a heating pad in your pillow. This works like a hot water bottle, promoting blood flow while also helping the muscles to relax.
• Use pillow protectors or toppers. This adds an extra layer of luxury to any pillow.
• Try an adjustable pillow. Using a pillow that you’re in control of will allow you to completely customize how you sleep.

 

How to adjust pillows for neck pain

An adjustable bed pillow gives your head and neck the support they need and reacts to any changing positions while you sleep. It also helps to keep your spine in alignment, regardless of how often you’re tossing and turning in the night. This means that any pressure on the nerves is kept to a minimum and helps to reduce any soreness or stiff muscles.

But how does this benefit you? Well, simply put, you’ll have fewer sleep interruptions which means a stronger immune system, lower stress levels, raised alertness and maybe even weight loss – to name a few!

An adjustable pillow does what it says on the tin. It lets you adjust your pillow to how you like it. Remember, it’s about adjusting your pillow…not adjusting yourself!

When thinking about how to adjust your pillow, it all depends on your usual sleeping position. If you tend to doze off on your stomach, you’ll need a flatter, thinner pillow. A typical pillow is about 3 inches thick, so it’s recommended that you remove a third of your pillow filling for maximum comfort.

If you’re more of a back sleeper, you should always go for a firm pillow. This means adding extra filling to a standard pillow so that your body is properly aligned and in a neutral position.

The most popular sleeping position though of course, is the side sleeper. Again, a firm pillow is generally the right way to go. If you’re nodding off on your side every night, you need to support your back and neck with a 5/6-inch pillow thickness.

The important thing is to listen to your body. And the perfect thing about an adjustable bed pillow is, you can act on what it’s trying to tell you!
 

Finding the right adjustable pillow for you…

When it comes to sleeping, why scrimp on quality? We’re typically sleeping for a third of our lifetime, so we shouldn’t have to compromise on comfort.

That means that generally you should be avoiding synthetic fabrics and chemicals if you can. Instead, you should be using natural, breathable fabrics that extend the life of your pillows. Not only are you easing up any allergies or chemical sensitivities, but you’re also protecting your pillows from stains and sweat.

It’s true - a good pillow is your investment into getting a great night’s sleep. With wool pillows for instance, you can create your own adjustable pillow by altering the wool filling to how you like it. Is your pillow starting to get a bit flat? No need to replace it, just get yourself an extra bag of wool to fluff it up more.

It’s 100% natural, hypoallergenic and will even help to regulate your body temperature without having to flip it over every other hour.

Firm or soft?

Already decided on the thickness and style of your pillow, but still wondering which is the best one to buy?

When thinking about the best firm pillow or the best soft pillow, it’s down to you. Whether you’re swaying towards a memory foam pillow, water pillow or a wool pillow, you need to ensure that you’re adjusting it to the right level of comfort. A medium to high thickness is generally advised, but you can always take out some filling to achieve your desired fluffiness. The main thing to remember is: a good pillow means a great sleep.