How to sleep on an orthopedic pillow correctly: tips and tricks. How to sleep correctly: on a pillow or without a pillow? Pillow orthopedic roller how to sleep

To gain strength, a person needs healthy sleep. Properly selected orthopedic pillow will help to relax muscles and restore the body.

During rest, there should be no load on the spine and on the head, so as not to compress the blood vessels. But not all people know how to sleep on such models.

How to choose?

When choosing bedding, you need to be careful and attentive. It is recommended to study a number of the following questions:

what is the usual posture during sleep;
shoulder size plays an important role;
the perception of foreign odors, as well as the presence of allergies;
it is important to know about the presence of osteochondrosis, spasms of the neck muscles and neuralgia.

The low version is suitable for those who prefer to sleep more on their backs. In order not to compress the vertebral artery, the height of the wide part placed under the neck should be no more than 6 centimeters.

For the roller, it is necessary to provide for medium hardness, only the surface for the head should be soft.

How to sleep properly?

Muscle pain occurs with an uncomfortable posture during sleep. This results in poor health. If you sleep incorrectly for a long time, your well-being will worsen and health problems will appear.

Finding the right position for sleeping on an orthopedic pillow is very simple. To do this, you need to follow simple rules.

Listen to your body, lie comfortably on the product so that your head does not protrude, and relax.
The location of the spine should be straight along its entire length. Above the line of the back, the head should not rise, but also fall strongly.
The size and shape of the product must correspond to the size of the human body and its build. Different people can purchase special orthopedic models that are suitable in their form for the treatment of certain diseases.

Important! A crescent-shaped pillow is suitable for those who are used to sleeping in one place without changing their position.

Such models are not amenable to deformation. Therefore, at the time of purchase, you should keep this nuance in mind.

How to sleep with cervical osteochondrosis?

The opinions of some experts boil down to the fact that sleeping without a pillow is much better for health. But people are used to fitting a soft product under their heads to achieve greater comfort.

For the sick cervical osteochondrosis it is recommended to use a special model. The product must contain a roller with a certain level of density. The design is characterized by a rectangular shape, while the dimensions of the shoulders and the roller must match.

With the right position and well-chosen bedding, the neck will take a comfortable position, the spinal muscles will relax, and the blood vessels will not be compressed. This normalizes the functioning of the circulatory system.

Sleep is one of the basic, absolutely natural states of the human body. He does not need to learn or get used to: a newborn baby sleeps 18 hours a day, and does this without a prompt and / or reminder. But what is really worth learning is how to sleep properly. Because in the process of technical development human civilization invented many devices, including for sleeping. Pillows, mattresses and blankets are supposed to improve the quality of sleep, but in reality this is far from always the case. And instead of relaxing and resting, you also have to think about how to sleep on a pillow correctly.

We offer you to solve that problem once and for all, so that you no longer doubt the safety and usefulness of a night's rest. Let's find out how to sleep on a pillow correctly, how to choose a pillow for sleeping, and whether one is needed at all. The importance of these questions is by no means exaggerated, and you will also see this. And if it is true that sleep is health, then sound sleep on the right pillow is good health, good rest and vivacity throughout the day.

How to sleep properly, with or without a pillow? Cushion height
Humans have been falling asleep every day for billions of years. No wonder what is long time formed and strengthened many opinions and stereotypes, true and erroneous, about how to sleep properly. And the need for a pillow is one of the stumbling blocks around which somnologists, orthopedists and bedding manufacturers are enthusiastically arguing. To find out which of them is right, let's first look at some indisputable facts:

In order for the body to relax and rest, during sleep it must be in a physiologically correct position. In such a way that the spine is even in all areas, from the coccyx to the cervical zone.
Arteries supplying the brain pass through the neck. If they are pinched, the brain experiences a lack of oxygen, the transmission of nerve impulses is disrupted.
An excessively high pillow causes the neck to curve upward. A pillow that is too low does not provide sufficient support, and the head is lower than necessary for the correct position of the spine.
If the neck during sleep is not parallel to the mattress and violates the straightness of the spine, the vertebral discs in the interarticular holes are stretched or compressed. As a result, not only the neck hurts in the morning, but in general the person does not feel rested.

It's obvious that complete absence pillows is tantamount to a very low pillow, which means it cannot be correct and useful. You have probably heard more than once that a pillow provokes the formation of wrinkles, swelling and creates an additional burden on the internal organs. But this is nothing more than a delusion. Uncomplicated breathing and metabolism are much more important for the body, and they can only be ensured if you sleep properly on a pillow. You can check and see for yourself. Most likely one restless night and not so much good morning after it will be enough to understand that sleeping on a pillow is correct and necessary.

How to sleep on a pillow? Your pillow and sleeping position
To improve the quality of sleep and finally get rid of the accumulated lack of sleep, you need to learn how to sleep properly on a pillow and give your body a suitable sleeping position. We have already found out that the back should be even along the entire length. As an example, you can notice the position of your spine when you are standing looking straight ahead. And you can keep your back straight, even lying in bed, if you follow these rules:

First of all, learn to sleep on your stomach. This is the most unfortunate position for an adult, in which the neck arches unnaturally, and the spine is literally twisted. If necessary, lie on your stomach, it is better to remove the pillow or replace it with a folded blanket - in this case, the neck is bent, but at least not raised.
The height of the pillow for sleeping on your side depends on the width of your shoulders. Accordingly, broad-shouldered men should choose thicker pillows, and their more fragile wives should choose thinner ones. This is contrary to the desire to buy the same pillows in a double family bed. But decide what is more important for you: healthy sleep or the unity of interior details.
Ideally, lying on your side, you should not lay your shoulder on the pillow, only your head rests on it. Square pillows of the "old style" are not very suitable for this, it is better to take a rectangular pillow. But, whatever shape and size it may be in your case, place the pillow so that it ends above your stoves. Move it to the head of the bed, fold it in half, etc.
Those who are used to sleeping on their backs need lower pillows than those who sleep mostly on their sides. To avoid the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, choose a pillow on which your head will not be thrown back.
You can't turn your head either. If you read or watch TV in bed before bed with a pillow under your back and head, be sure to lower the pillow to a horizontal position before you fall asleep.

Determining the correct pillow height for yourself is not difficult. First, pay attention to the sensations in the morning. If your neck is “stiff” and you want to stretch it with a few twists and turns, then your pillow is most likely not high enough. The second sign of too low a pillow is an instinctive desire to put a hand under the pillow and / or under the head. So the body itself tells you that it would be nice to choose a thicker pillow.

What is the right pillow to sleep on? Regular and orthopedic pillows
down duvets and feather pillows, in which not only the head is buried, but the whole body almost to the waist, are a thing of the past. They were replaced by new bedding with modern fillings, high-tech coatings and complex “memory” mechanisms. Is it worth putting such a “smart” pillow in your bedroom? How to choose an orthopedic pillow? And in general, do you need an orthopedic pillow or can you do without it? It's up to you to decide, we can only give a few hints to think about:

The design of orthopedic pillows is developed taking into account the position of the body of a sleeping person. In this sense, they are certainly useful, as they help to take the correct posture for rest without strain on the spine.
Since the task of the pillow is primarily to support the neck, and not the head, the recess in the pillow is good idea. Most orthopedic pillows have such a recess, and some of them take into account the dimensions of the body and adapt to it.
An ordinary pillow, if it is light and flexible enough, may well replace an orthopedic one. But it should be an oblong pillow, no more than 35-40 cm on the smaller side. Lying on your back, place only your head on the pillow so that the sides are above your shoulders. Lying on your side, position small plot pillows under the neck (but not under the shoulder!), And most of them - under the head and above it.
An intermediate option between orthopedic and traditional pillows is pillows filled with natural substances. Pillows with buckwheat husks, supposedly healing the body, are very popular. In fact, the objective advantage of such a pillow is only that you can adjust its height and density due to the amount of filler. Choose the thickness that suits you by pouring or adding the husk from the pillow.

The desire to buy an orthopedic pillow inexpensively, as well as tempting promotions and discounts in online stores, should not deprive you of common sense. And even more so, do not try to sleep on the wrong pillow just so that the money is not wasted. Remember that both physical health and psychological well-being depend on the right pillow. Do not be lazy and do not be stingy when choosing a pillow, try several options and listen to your feelings.

How to sleep on a pregnancy pillow
As you can see, the bedding market is trying to take into account all the possible wishes of buyers. For example, special pillows for pregnant women have been created. At first glance, this is not even quite a pillow, but a voluminous and soft device that allows a pregnant woman to sit comfortably in bed. But sleeping on a pillow for pregnant women is correct, in order to properly relax and not harm the baby in the womb, you still need to be able to:

The pillow for pregnant women has the form of a crescent or an elongated "banana". When choosing such a pillow and adjusting to it, make sure that its length is enough from the head at least to the knees.
Lying on your side, put part of the pillow under your stomach, and squeeze the bottom edge between your legs. In this position, support for the abdomen is provided, and the leg from above does not press on the lower one. The upper end of the pillow can be put under the neck or hugged with your arms.
In a sitting or half-sitting position, put a pillow under your lower back - this will relieve the load from your back. If you wrap a pillow around your waist, you can nap in this position without fear of numbing your arms or shoulders.
Theoretically, a pillow for pregnant women can be replaced with an ordinary, sufficiently large pillow or a rolled-up blanket, putting them between the legs in the same way. It is important to ensure that the pillow does not allow you to roll over and back in your sleep.
A pregnancy pillow can be filled with silicone balls or holofiber. In fact, the difference between the fillers is only in price and it does not affect the ability to sleep properly on a pillow.

In some families, even husbands try to sleep on a pregnancy pillow and confirm its convenience. After the baby is born, you can not only continue to sleep on the pillow, but also use it while feeding the baby. That, however, does not negate the need to sleep properly on a pillow of any type. Take care of your health and watch it even while you sleep.

Everyone needs proper sleep! The quality of sleep directly depends on the quality of the bed or, as well as bedding (mattress,). If in the morning a person is worried about stiff shoulders, headache and pain in the cervical spine, and the day before he did not have physical or mental overload, then this is a clear bell from bed. It's time to change something!

Why do you need a pillow?

Such a simple explanation is connected with the anatomical structure of a person. If we exclude the pathology of the spine, then all healthy people the spine has a pronounced bend in the thoracic region. If you lie on your back without a pillow, then the head will be thrown back strongly, which will cause the arteries in the neck to be strongly pinched and blood flow will be disturbed.

When a person sleeps without a pillow on his side, his shoulders and head form an almost right angle. In this case, not only the cervical artery suffers, but also the joints of the spine. So the answer is very simple: A pillow is needed to support the neck while sleeping.

How to sleep correctly: on a pillow or without a pillow?

This question causes numerous disputes of such specialists: dentists, orthopedists and psychologists. And also manufacturers of sleeping accessories join them. But still, most tend to believe that sleeping without a pillow is recommended only for babies. At this age, it is not necessary to support the neck during sleep.

As for adults, sleeping without a pillow is undesirable for the following reasons:

Often people who sleep without a pillow put their hand under their head to get comfortable, and this leads to numbness in the hands. What does it mean if - read here.
If you sleep without a pillow, swelling of the eyelids will be provided in the morning.
Sleeping without a pillow leads to snoring.
Sleepers without a pillow can reward themselves with osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine.
During sleep without a pillow, cerebral circulation is disturbed, which can lead to ischemic stroke.
Sleeping this way can cause sleep apnea, heartburn, and stomach pain.

About that, read here.

Cushion height

The very fact of having a pillow does not guarantee a healthy and high-quality sleep, because the pillow is different. A very important criterion is the height of the pillow.

In order not to miscalculate with height, you need to consider the following points:

The height of the pillow should match the firmness of the mattress. For hard mattresses, you need to choose pillows higher, for soft mattresses - lower.
The height should be oriented to the preferred posture. For those who like to sleep on their side, high pillows are more suitable, and for those who sleep on their back, lower pillows are more suitable.
Buy for the future. It is important to remember the property of many materials to "caking". After a while, the pillow may no longer be quite so high.

On sale you can find pillows height from 6 to 16 cm. Most popular height 10-14 cm. But ideally prop up the pillow individually. The height of the pillow should correspond to the size of the shoulder joint of the person who will use it.

Pillow and sleeping position

It is considered that The best sleeping position is on your back. It is also not critical if a person prefers to sleep on his side. But sleeping on your stomach is a completely unfortunate position, it is better to refuse it. In addition, sleep may not always be in a supine position, and for this there are special pillows.

The following recommendations will help to improve significantly in this matter:

Side sleepers should make sure their pillow height is correct. It should be equal to the length of the shoulder joint.
For those who sleep on their side, pregnant women have come up with special pillows.
Although sleeping on your stomach is not recommended, but if the choice fell on this pose, then you definitely need to choose the softest options.
A pillow for sleeping on your back should be comfortable and ergonomic.
If you have to sleep sitting(during a break at work), it is good to use special office pillows made of latex and polyurethane. Their size should correspond to the height of the chair and table.
And if the dream catches in transport, then for such cases there are travel pillows. Appearance they look like a horseshoe. While sleeping while sitting, the head relaxes and the spine experiences a load from this weight, so it’s better not to torture yourself and stock up on special pillows.

Which is better: regular or orthopedic pillow?

If there are no obvious problems with the spine, then it seems that this issue is left to personal discretion. Nowadays, many manufacturers take a responsible approach to the production of both conventional and orthopedic pillows. There is a wide variety of them in form and filler. Whatever the pillow, it is important that it is in service, and not critically in need of replacement due to wear and tear and old age.

What is an orthopedic pillow for?

When a person sleeps on an ordinary pillow, the spine can take an unnatural position. In turn, the orthopedic pillow performs therapeutic and prophylactic functions. Experts strongly recommend such pillows for the treatment of various diseases of the spine.

Correctly selected orthopedic pillow:

Helps reduce stress on muscles and joints
Relieves pain in the shoulder girdle and other departments;
Makes sleep sweet, strong and healthy.

Varieties of orthopedic pillows

By appointment, orthopedic pillows can be divided into:

Cervical. It is designed to relax the muscles of the neck, thereby relieving headaches and snoring.
Neck (resembles a horseshoe). Such pillows are office and travel. wedge-shaped. Most often, such pillows are used by pregnant women to support the abdomen and back.
Lumbar. It is necessary to maintain posture for those who spend a lot of time driving a car or in front of a computer monitor.
Foot. Its task is to support the spine, pelvis, knees at the right angle. This pillow is great for relieving muscle tension.

By form:

Rectangular;
Two-roll wave;
With notch for shoulder;
Roller crescent.

According to the pillow filler there are:

Latex. They are natural and synthetic. Natural latex quickly returns to its original shape. They don't start dust mites. They are easy to wash. But on such pillows the body sweats.
Polyester. This filler consists of many small balls. During sleep, they diverge in different directions, adjusting to the shape of the body. And if you shake the pillow in the morning, it will take on its original shape. These pillows are also easy to wash. And you can also adjust the height of the pillow, if you pour a few balls. The difficulty can only be to find a pillow suitable form and still need to get used to sleeping on it.
From buckwheat husks. This is a natural material. For the first time after purchase, the pillow will emit the aroma of buckwheat. The husk has excellent orthopedic properties. But the downside is that it cannot be washed.
Made from viscoelastic foam. This is the most expensive filler of orthopedic pillows. They don't have pests. This foam provides the perfect “memory effect”. The material has a comfortable temperature regardless of the temperature in the room.
Gel. This is a fairly new filler. Very comfortable. Pillows made of this material are even suitable for sleeping on your stomach.

How to sleep on a pregnancy pillow?

The unusual shape of pregnancy pillows can cause genuine bewilderment in women.

In order not to learn from your own mistakes, you can consider useful recommendations:

It is necessary to make sure that the selected pillow is resilient and elastic. To do this, before going to bed, you need to twist and twist it well.
You can use it not only at night, but also during the day - you need to put it under your back. This will relax tense muscles and joints.
You need to talk about your pillow with the gynecologist leading the pregnancy. The doctor can tell you which sleeping position is better to choose for a certain period.
Experiments are indispensable. The pregnancy pillow needs to be rotated and moved until the woman's body is as comfortable as possible.
This pillow will come in handy even after the baby is born. During feedings, you need to wrap the pillow around the mother's body. One edge should be under the back, and the second on top of the knees. So the spine will receive the necessary support, unload, and the cervical and shoulder sections will rest.

How to sleep with pain in the spine?

If a person experiences back pain, then in such cases experts recommend sleeping on the affected side. In this case, one leg should be straight, and the second bent at the knee. One hand can be placed under the pillow, and the other extended along the body or on the bed.

In most cases, an orthopedic mattress and pillow, as well as the correct posture, can reduce the frequency and intensity of back pain, however, no one has canceled visits to doctors!

In the wake of the struggle for quality sleep, you can get confused when choosing a pillow.

These tips will help:

You need to buy this element in specialized salons, stores or pharmacies.
You need to carefully study the packaging. It should be clearly marked with information about the filler.
Before buying it would be nice to lie on it a little to see if it really fits.
Height and size should correspond to the age and proportions of the body. Do not buy the same pillows for all family members.
It is important to inspect the pillow cover. The fabric should be such that the filler does not wake up through it, but at the same time it must allow air to pass through.
You need to make sure the quality of the seams. They must be strong and small. To make sure their elasticity, you need to slightly pull the seam.
The pillow should match your favorite position.
Do not buy too cheap pillows because they are not durable and do not meet the declared characteristics.

Choosing a pillow is a very important task, as a person spends a third of his life in sleep. A person uses pillows not for fun, but this is a necessity, which is dictated by the special structure of the human body. Fortunately, among a large assortment, everyone can choose a pillow according to their taste and financial capabilities!

The orthopedic pillow supports the neck and head in the correct position, which contributes to the complete relaxation of the muscles and good rest.

Without proper support, the muscles in the cervical spine cannot relax, blood circulation is disturbed and pain appears. This threatens not only lack of sleep, but also various diseases.

Let's try to figure out how to choose the right orthopedic pillow for sleeping and not get lost in the variety of assortment.

The main criteria by which orthopedic pillows are chosen are their purpose, shape, size and filler. By purpose, they are divided into products for daily sleep (adults, teens and), as well as travel pillows.

Form

Developing the forms of orthopedic pillows, manufacturers do not limit their imagination, making them rectangular, square, oval, crescent-shaped, horseshoe-shaped, or similar to a butterfly with its wings open.

The most popular forms of orthopedic pillows for adults are as follows:

rectangular;
by the type of "wave" with two rollers;
with notch for shoulder;
pillow-roller in the form of a crescent;

Rectangular anatomic pillows with bolsters are best suited as a permanent sleep accessory.

The classic rectangular pillow features a simple shape and versatility. It will suit absolutely everyone, but it can be called orthopedic only conditionally, only thanks to the elastic high-tech filler, but not the shape.

Rectangular pillows of the "wave" type with rollers of different heights along the long sides and a recess in the middle are the most versatile option for permanent use. The filler in them is of medium hardness or hard. The side with the smaller bolster is suitable for sleeping on the back, the side with the larger bolster is for sleeping on the side.

With half-moon pillows, you can only sleep on your back. They are less elastic and softer than rectangular ones, but they fix the neck well, do not lose their shape and do not wrinkle. Their similar more compact options are used for travel.

Products with a notch for the shoulder are designed for sleeping on the side and are especially comfortable for overweight and large people.

Dimensions

The correct size of an orthopedic pillow is the main condition for choosing it. If it does not match your physical parameters, you will not be able to sleep, and you will wake up with a headache and heaviness in the whole body.

The length of pillows for adults varies in the range of 40-80 cm, and the width is 30-50 cm. The most popular size is the same as for ordinary products - 50x70 cm. As for children, products from 20x30 to 50x40 cm are produced for them.

The width and length of the pillow are selected depending on the build of the person. For a tall and large man, a size of 50x80 cm is suitable, for an average build - 40x60 cm. The main thing is that the pillow does not overlap the mattress with its width.

It is very important to choose the right pillow height. It should be equal to the width of the shoulder from the top of the large tubercle of the humerus to the base of the neck. The allowable error is 1-2 cm.

The height of the pillow should correspond to the distance from the base (mattress) on which the person lies to his neck and depends on the sleeping posture. Calculate it based on the width of the shoulder. To do this, measure the value from the edge of the shoulder (top of the large tubercle of the humerus) to the base of the neck. An error in the calculations of up to 1-2 cm is permissible. Standard products are available with a height range of 6-16 cm.

Those who are used to sleeping on their backs need a pillow of lower height and firmness than those who like to sleep on their side. To sleep on your stomach, you need to choose the softest and lowest products. At the same time, the harder the mattress, the less it sags under the weight of the body and the higher the pillow is required. Soft mattresses mean the presence of lower pillows.

In any case, you need to be guided by the fact that the right pillow helps to keep the head and neck in a horizontal position at the same level with the body. If the pillow height is not correct, you will notice it by the following signs:

Too low. During sleep, there is a desire to put a hand under the head. Pain occurs in the neck, the shoulders become numb, the back becomes numb.
Too high. There is discomfort in the neck, the chin almost touches the chest.

Fillers

The choice of an orthopedic pillow for sleep also depends on the filler, which should be distinguished by increased elasticity, moisture resistance, the ability to retain its shape and adapt to the contours of the head.

Fillers such as buckwheat husk, latex and memory foam provide the best support for the neck and head.

Best of all, materials such as buckwheat, latex, memory foam meet these requirements. Consider their pros and cons in more detail.

Buckwheat husk

The shell remaining after peeling buckwheat seeds. The most natural, environmentally friendly and inexpensive orthopedic filler. It is evenly distributed inside the cover and serves as a good support for the head and neck. In addition to support, buckwheat flakes provide a delicate acupressure throughout the night, which stimulates blood flow to the upper layers of the skin, relaxes and calms the nervous system.

Its main drawback is the rustling during use. Manufacturers indicate the service life of buckwheat pillows up to 3 years, but in fact they have to be changed every 1.5 - 2 years. In addition, these pillows are quite heavy.

Latex

Industrially processed milky sap of rubbery Brazilian Hevea. natural material medium hardness, containing up to 15% synthetic additives that increase its elasticity and durability and reduce its density. Pillows made of latex have increased elasticity and hold their shape very well. They are safe for health, hygienic, do not retain moisture, light, silent and durable. To give massage properties, such pillows are often cast with tubercles. Their service life is more than 5 years.

The main disadvantage of this material is its price, which is an order of magnitude higher than the price of buckwheat husks, but it pays off with years of use. The new latex pillows have a peculiar smell. This smell disappears only after 2-3 weeks and can cause discomfort.

Memory Foam

A high-tech artificial material developed as part of the NASA space program. The peculiarity of the Memoryform pillow is that it remembers the contours of the head and neck, and after use it returns to its original shape. Memoryform foam is not as resilient as latex. She does not push out her head and neck, but slowly takes them into herself. Its service life is up to 5 years. The pillow can be used for longer, but over time it becomes denser and loses its ability to adapt to the curves of the body.

Like latex, memory foam has a specific smell that does not disappear immediately. Judging by some reviews, in the heat it quickly heats up and in warm weather it is not very comfortable to sleep on it. At first, such a pillow may seem harsh. It takes time to get used to it. Many buyers are scared off by its high price, comparable to the cost of latex products.

Pillows made of natural fluff, feathers, wool, various synthetic materials such as holofiber or synthetic winterizer cannot be called orthopedic, even if the manufacturer positions them that way. Such fillers have many advantages, but they are not able to stably maintain the cervical curve, because they are not elastic enough.

Sleep positions

The quality of sleep depends largely on the posture of the sleeper. Apart from various variations with the position of the arms and legs, there are three such poses:

1 On the back. Sleeping on your back effectively promotes relaxation of the muscular apparatus and relieves tension from the cervical region. It is better to choose a pillow of medium hardness.
2 on the side. When a person's body is turned to one side, the natural curve of the spine is not disturbed, and there are no problems with the blood supply. The legs can also be bent at the knees, assuming the fetal position. For greater comfort, a small pillow can be placed between the knees. Medium to firm pillows are suitable for this position.
3 On the stomach. When a person lies on his stomach, his chest is compressed and breathing is difficult, and the head has to be turned to the side. This causes a kink in the cervical vertebral artery and impedes the blood supply to the brain. In addition, the uncomfortable position of the head and neck provokes a spasm of the neck muscles. Sleeping in this position is not recommended. But if you can't refuse it, choose a soft and low pillow.

The best sleeping positions are on your back and on your side. It is better to refuse a pose on the stomach, as it can provoke pain in the back and neck.

No matter what position you prefer to sleep in, the pillow should be placed in such a way that its convex part fits under the curve of the neck and the shoulders rest on the mattress.

Results

Orthopedic pillows are useful for all people older than one year. In order for them to bring benefit, and not harm, their choice must be taken seriously, choosing a pillow strictly in size.

Most often, such products are selected empirically. If the seller allows you to test your product, be sure to take this opportunity.

A poor-quality mattress can negate all the advantages of a pillow. It should be smooth, elastic, without depressions and bulges.

For a full and sound sleep, it is not enough to purchase an orthopedic pillow and good mattress. It is equally important to choose the right posture that will provide the body with complete relaxation.

These pillows are not a panacea. They do not cure anything and serve only to prevent diseases associated with the spine.

Fillers for such pillows are quite hard and you have to get used to them. But addiction is fast. After 5-7 days of use, you will wonder how you could do without such a comfortable and useful bedding as an orthopedic pillow before.

A person cannot do without sleep, during this period he gains strength, recovery processes in the body turn on and even healing from diseases occurs. It depends on the position in which the sleeping person is located whether his muscles will relax, whether there will be a load on the spine. Therefore, it is worth reflecting on the question: “how to sleep?”

There are a lot of sleeping devices, the most necessary of which is a pillow. All bedding serves to improve the quality of sleep, but it turns out not always! Why?

Why do you need a pillow

For the entire period of human existence, sleep occupied a significant period of his life. Over such a long period of time, a number of stereotypes have been established, many of them are true, but there are also erroneous ones. For example, how to sleep and whether a pillow is needed at all. Disputes on this issue are led by dentists, orthopedists, psychologists, and manufacturers of bedding are not inferior to them. It is still impossible to evaluate the results of their disputes, but there are indisputable facts about how to sleep properly.

In order for the rest to be complete, the body must be in the correct position: the spine should not bend in any of the departments.
In the neck area there are vital arteries, one of which is called the carotid. If it is pinched, there will be a violation of the blood supply to the brain. As a result, the brain will be deprived of oxygen and the transmission of nerve impulses will be disrupted.
The neck should be parallel to the mattress during the entire period of sleep, otherwise the spine will not be straight, which means that the intervertebral discs and the holes between the joints will compress and stretch. This process requires energy and a person will not rest overnight. In addition, he can feel the next morning and heaviness in the cervical spine.

Compliance with these conditions is impossible without the use of a pillow. Many people have the opinion that by eliminating the pillow, you can avoid the formation of wrinkles on the face, swelling and stress on the internal organs. All these facts are not proven and follow them as a delusion. However, it is absolutely indisputable that when using the right pillow, it is ensured correct breathing and metabolism. And this is much more important than the above facts.

An experiment will help to verify this: a night without a pillow. What will it feel like in the morning? Quite right, you won’t feel a good rest.

In order to avoid a state of weakness in the morning, you should ensure the correct posture during sleep. First of all, it is necessary to ensure the correct position of the spine: without kinks. For this:

You should not sleep on your stomach: in this position, the neck necessarily arches unnaturally, and the spine suffers from tension. If a lover of sleeping on his stomach puts a blanket or blanket twisted into a tourniquet under his head instead of a pillow, it will significantly ease the tension in the spine and neck. The neck in this position will only be bent, but not raised.
For the correct posture on the side, the height of the pillow is of great importance - it should depend on the width of the shoulders of the person sleeping on it. That is, women are better off choosing thinner pillows than broad-shouldered men. Therefore, choosing pillows of the same thickness for a double bed, many make a big mistake.
The position on the side should be like this: head on the pillow, and shoulder on the mattress. Rectangular euro pattern pillows or round cushions are more suitable for this pose. As for the square pillows of the Soviet period, they occupy most of the bed and are not practical.
For sleeping on the back, a thinner pillow is more convenient - it ensures the correct position of the cervical spine, with which development can be avoided. An important condition for choosing a pillow for sleeping on your back is to ensure a posture in which the head will not be thrown back.
The reclining position is unacceptable, so if the pillow was raised before going to bed to read a book or watch TV, it must be lowered to a horizontal position before going to bed.

If natural down and feather pillows and mattresses were previously valued, today orthopedists do not recommend them. Both the head and most of the body are buried in these soft products, while the spine is in a completely disadvantageous position.

The modern industry offers a variety of pillows for proper and full sleep with high-quality fillers and the effect of remembering the imprint of the sleeper's head. Should such pillows be used and are they really capable of providing good vacation during sleep? How to choose from a variety of options?

Help to make right choice the following recommendations:

Orthopedic products are designed in such a way that they adapt to all the curves of the human body. They help to take a comfortable and correct sleeping position, providing the spine with a stable position. The fact is that pillows are needed to support the neck, not the head, so many orthopedic products have a special recess.
A light and plastic pillow can completely replace an orthopedic product if it has an oblong shape and a width of the smaller side of 40 cm. You should lie down on such a pillow correctly: only with your head. In the position on the side, you need to put part of the pillow under the neck, and the rest under the head, the shoulder should not be on the pillow.
There are also pillows filled with various natural ingredients, such as buckwheat husks. The fact that they benefit the body as a whole has not been proven, nor is it justified that they can harm. However, such a filler allows you to adjust the height up to a millimeter in different parts of the pillow, and this is not so bad.

In order to ensure proper and healthy sleep, you should seriously consider choosing a pillow. It will not only allow you to choose the right sleeping position to avoid problems with the spine, but will also serve to improve the psycho-emotional state of a person - after all, stable sleep is also necessary for mental health.