Sleep experts encourage the use of pillows to help align your spinal cord during sleep. Unknown to many, not using the right pillow also has consequences on your spine and overall health. Firstly, you have to know your common sleep position before going for a pillow. This helps in deciding what type of pillow to buy. I also don’t want to go silent about the use of a mattress. It is the first thing you look for before choosing to have a pillow. A good mattress is one that is firm enough to avoid your weighty body areas from sinking into the mattress.
Your pressure body areas include the head and the waist area. A mattress that is too firm or too soft shouldn’t be used for sleeping. Because of this concern, I suggest you look for the Tempurpedic mattress. The tempurpedic mattress offers you support and comfort that can sustain your body for a third of the time you need for sleep. I don’t want to delve further into this subject today as I want to mention something to you about pillows. Before you start thinking I’m getting it all wrong about not sleeping with pillows, let’s weigh in on the facts at hand. These are not mere statements but facts backed up by scientific research.
1. Improves sleep quality
Yes! You got me right. I know you have read many articles on the need to use a pillow. You may be wondering why a pillow is now out of the equation in providing you with quality sleep. Understand that sleep is not all about the use of a soft pillow. Research has proven this as not many will attest to the use of pillows yet sleep very comfortably.
2. Averts acne and wrinkles
Acne is a skin condition that can give you some difficulty to eliminate. It doesn’t only affect the young but adults as well. Wrinkles are becoming a thing of the past as the old don’t want to be called old. They would rather use beauty products in the market to cover for their defects or have none at all. Unfortunately, bad skin hygiene could cause you premature wrinkles.
Sleeping on a pillow could aggravate these unwanted conditions on your skin. If you are a side sleeper, sleeping on a pillow that is dirty and laced with bacteria could infect your skin with acne. Elements such as dirt and dust are likely to stick on your skin dotting your beautiful skin with acne. A face that is attached to a pillow can get loose and form wrinkles at an early age.
3. Prevents your baby from having a flat head syndrome
I know you care about your baby and that means being the best nurse and mother ever. However, you may want to avoid using soft pillows on your baby. A baby’s quality of sleep isn’t dependent upon a pillow. That means withdrawing a pillow from his/her use won’t be much of a big deal. A flat head syndrome occurs when your baby sleeps on a soft pillow for long periods of time. His /her head is still soft and developing. Resting them often on a pillow makes their head flat from the sleeping side position.
4. Reduces stress levels
Your sleep habits could be a causal factor for stress. If not sleeping properly, you may have many reasons to make you brood over your condition instead of sleeping. Deciding to use a pillow could increase your scope of stress as it may not make things any better.
5. Eases back pain
A back pain could hinder your sleep because of the discomfort it brings to your body. If suffering from one at the moment, consider doing away with your pillow. Because without a pillow, your body can still rest comfortably on a mattress that is firm enough to support your body weight. It still gives you the benefit of aligning your spinal cord. For effective treatment, consider using medications that have been recommended to relieve back pains.
6. High levels of information retention
Information retention and sleep go hand in hand. The more you sleep the better memory you can retain. It’s not just the quantity of sleep that affects your memory but also the quality of sleep. Research gives evidence to this; which suggests that a sleep-deprived mind finds paying attention difficult.
Also, the quantity of sleep affects the consolidation of memory. When you sleep for a long period of time, your brain is able to process and retain information.
Quality of sleep is also important for retaining memory. Sleeping in an uncomfortable position for long hours of sleep denies you the comfort of a quality sleep which affects your memory consolidation as well. Improve your memory power by not only sleeping longer but also comfortably.
7. Saves your baby from neck sprains
Pillows are designed to align your spinal cord by adjusting your lower back, upper back and neck. You need to be careful about the pillow you buy as not all pillows can achieve this purpose. A good pillow is one that fits the distance between your neck and shoulder. Before buying a pillow make sure to drive test it on a mattress to be sure of what you are buying.
Parents using pillows on their babies need to be careful about the types of pillows they are buying. The pillow to buy should be the one fit for a baby as the wrong pillow puts a sprain on your baby’s neck. Choose wisely.
Conclusion
I don’t want to appear skeptical about the use of pillows for sleeping. Pillow users have both positive and negative reviews on the use of pillows. Same way, non-pillow users have a positive side of not using pillows. I think it all comes down to your personal needs and preferences. I won’t deny that pillow manufacturing companies are still making pillows in droves to meet the market demand. Your sleep hygiene and lifestyle also dictate the decision you would want to make regarding the use of pillows. You be the judge on what suits you best.
