Many of my patients ask me, what pillow should I use? How should I sleep? Is sleeping on my back bad for me?
I often answer, the way you sleep should often be the least of your worries. When you fall asleep, your mind should be switched off. Who knows, you may end up on your tummy when you wake up.
However, when you do sleep, if you have back pain, it is often recommended that you sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees. If you have to sleep on your back, then sleep with your legs elevated.
For me, a person with wide shoulders and chest wall, it is important that my neck is well supported when I do fall asleep so that I can give my neck muscles a rest from holding the watermelon sized head all day.
After doing some research, I decided to go ahead with trying the 66fit physio memory foam pillow, under popular demand from patients.
After shopping online to find the best deal (as most people do), I finally received my memory foam pillow via post two days later.
On the overall, I rate this pillow a 6/10 in terms of neck support, foam quality and size. I feel that perhaps, I would benefit from having a slightly larger pillow.
In addition to my verdict, I would also like to add the following tips:
1. When shopping for pillows, perhaps it would be a better idea to try the pillow out first (be it an ergonomics shop or John Lewis).
2. Never use the pillow as a back rest or lean your entire body weight on the pillow. (My house mate did as this caused the foam to flatten and it needed a few days for it to return to its original shape).
3. The most expensive pillow may not always mean the best pillow. Purchase what feels comfortable and theoretically, your ear, shoulder and hip should be aligned when sleeping on your back.
I’m still on the search for a good pillow, but this will do good for me now.
– Sam Ling –
