![]() ![]() 'Without a pillow, your head and neck can be misaligned and cause pain over time,' Tom notes. However, it all depends on your own body shape and preferences, and sleeping without a pillow is a firm no for side sleepers. This is especially true for those who work at a desk and tend to crane forward during the day since lying flat on your back without a pillow brings your head and neck to a neutral position. Those who sleep on their backs or stomachs might find it more comfortable to sleep without a pillow, helping to alleviate neck pain during the day. The answer is one that divides experts, but generally, ditching the pillow completely is only really an option for certain types of sleepers. If deciding how many pillows to sleep with is keeping you up at night, you might be questioning if it's better to sleep without a pillow at all. Is it a good idea to sleep with no pillow at all? If this is the case, it's best to choose a single mid loft, medium desity pillow as a happy medium. Of course, some of us alternate between front, back, and side throughout the night. By propping up your whole upper body, you are almost in a reclined, sitting position which will be more comfortable and will help with the airflow through your nostrils.' 'You don’t want to prop pillows just behind your neck because you will cause excess flexion of the neck, which will put a lot of strain on it. 'Prop multiple pillows not only underneath your head but behind your upper back, as well,' says Matt. To prevent it, you should try sleeping in a more upright position. 'Look for very thin pillows to keep your head as neutral as possible while being on your stomach, and you'll want a pillow that's smaller in size because usually you'll only use a corner of it.'Īs Matt explains, snoring typically occurs when lying flat on your back. 'If you sleep on your stomach, you want either one thin pillow or no pillows at all so that your head isn't stuck back in extension all night,' explains Matt. 'There are also specific pillows that are made for those who sleep on their back that have extra cushion only on the lower half of the pillow which is used to support your neck.'įor some of us, sleeping face downwards is the most comfortable way to snooze. 'The thinner the pillow, the better if you are a back sleeper,' he says. If you sleep on your back, Matt suggests one thin pillow to prevent your head flexing too far forward. The second most common sleeping position is on your back, also known as the supine position. 'Usually, you will need a thicker pillow with more supportive material so that your head doesn’t sink in causing excess lateral flexion of your neck.' For this, he suggests a firm material like latex. 'If you don’t have enough pillows underneath your head or you have too many, your neck will be cranked to the side one way or the other,' he explains. Generally, you'll want two pillows if you sleep on your side, according to Matt (depending on how thick they are, of course). The vast majority of us are side sleepers. Matt Tanneberg, a Chiropractor and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) at Body Check, has some insights. ![]() With the firmness out of the way, what about the quantity? Dr. Stomach sleepers should ideally avoid pillows entirely as they can cause further misalignment of the spine.' 'Side sleepers typically need a firmer pillow to keep their head and neck aligned, while back sleepers require a softer pillow to cushion their head and neck contours. ![]() 'Generally, the amount of pillows you need is based on your preferred sleeping position,' explains Tom. When it comes to how to choose the perfect pillow, and how many you use, there a quite a few factors to consider. Since all our bodies are different shapes and sizes, and we all sleep in different positions, the amount of pillows we ought to sleep with will differ from person to person, and will also depend on the height (or loft) of the pillows in question. 'If you use a pillow that is too soft or firm for your preferred sleeping position, it can also disrupt your breathing and lead to further discomfort.' 'Sleeping with too few or too many pillows can cause neck and back pain and shoulder stiffness due to misalignment of the spine,' Tom adds. Get this wrong and your pillow can have serious consequences on your body, both long term and short term. The ideal amount of loft should align with the natural curvature of your spine.' 'When lying on your back, a pillow should fill in the gap between your neck and the mattress, while when sleeping on your side, it should be thick enough to support your head and neck without pushing them too far forward or backward. 'The height of your pillow is essential,' explains Tom Greenspan, a Sleep Science Coach, and CEO of VS Mattress. ![]()
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