Most of us know that getting a good night’s sleep is important to our overall health and wellbeing but we also know that achieving it, isn’t always easy. There may be a variety of issues that play into poor sleep from stress and aches and pains to hormonal changes and even dietary issues.
Whilst it isn’t a miracle cure, having the right pillow is one of the easier things you can do to help. Better still, a good pillow can have a variety of other benefits from helping with night allergies to helping to create that sense of luxury and relaxation when you slip into bed. The secret to getting the most out of your pillow is making sure you have chosen one that is right for you, but with so many different pillow to choose from, that isn’t always straightforward. That’s why, in this post we’ve set out some essential guidance on how to choose the right pillow.
How many pillows should I have?
Although this is ultimately up to you, but most experts recommend that you only sleep with one pillow. If it’s a good make that should provide you with enough support whether you want a really soft pillow, a medium one or a firm pillow with a bit more support.
How much support should I have?
Again, this is slightly subjective but one of the most important factors is to ensure your spine, neck and head are properly aligned. Failing to do so can lead to aches and pains or more serious problems. This in turn is usually determined by your sleeping position.
What’s the best pillow for my sleeping position?
How you sleep, whether that’s on your back, your front or your side, will determine the best pillow type for you. For example, if you sleep on your side, a deeper pillow is often best as it fills the large gap created between your neck and the mattress, thereby keeping your spine aligned. Two of our pillows that work well for the side sleeper include the Relyon Superior Comfort Deep pillow and the Hypnos High Profile Latex pillow.
For front and back sleepers, a slimmer pillow is usually the best option like our Jones and Tomlin European Goose Down pillow or Relyon Superior Comfort Slim pillow because they hold the head in a natural and comfortable position.
What type of pillow filling should I choose?
You have a choice of natural or synthetic fillings. A natural pillow filling will usually be temperature-regulating and naturally hypoallergenic. Therefore they are a good option if you tend to get too hot at night or suffer with allergies or even skin complaints. There are a variety of different types of natural materials available these days which include:
- Alpaca. This has a firmer feel than down and offers more resistance making it a fantastic option for side sleepers.
- Feather and down. This provides a wonderful mid firmness pillow that is naturally temperature regulating, helping you to stay cool.
- Goose down. Goose down is ideal for allergy sufferers too as the high-density fabric forms a natural barrier against mites.
- Latex can be ideal for stomach and back sleepers thanks to its lower profile, also helping to regulate temperature, drawing moisture away from your body and deterring allergens.
- Wool is excellent for both comfort and temperature control and can easily be hand-teased to provide a softer feel, or reshaped to create a flatter, firmer feel.
Don’t rule out pillows with a synthetic filling. These broadly fall into one of two categories namely memory foam or micro fibre / hollow fibre (made with man-made polyester fibres).
Memory foam is hypo-allergenic and efficiently supports your head and neck. Micro fibre / hollow fibre pillows tend to be very lightweight and airy. Hollow gaps between fibres mean it’s breathable and allow air to circulate freely. These pillows are fantastic if you’re on a budget but do tend to have a shorter lifespan. They can also be a good choice for allergy sufferers.
Other factors to take into account
Other factors to take into account include whether and to what extent a pillow or its case is machine washable, the size of the pillow and what other features it has. For example, our Enchanted House Beds Dartmoor Wool Pillow, includes a side zip which enables you to adjust the quantity of wool thus altering the height and firmness of the pillow to your specific requirements. Pillow sizes will usually come in Standard (75 x 50cm), King (90 x 50cm) and Square (65 x 65cm).
Finally, there is the outer casing and thread count of the pillow to consider. Some of our pillows come wrapped in a satin jacquard, down proof case with a 384 thread count and white piping, so they look and feel fabulous with or without a cover. Others in our range are cased in a high quality 233 thread count case which is both hardwearing and also naturally temperature regulating.
Getting it right
One of the best ways of ensuring you choose the right pillow is to come into store and try some of our pillows. Lie on the bed, ask our advice and have a good look at our range. We have stores in Worthing, Horsham, Chichester and Guildford where you’ll find lots of information about choosing a pillow, a duvet, a bed and more.
Jones and Tomlin pride themselves on helping you find that perfect fit. Their customer service is second to none and their showrooms have plenty of choice. If you’re looking for a bed, mattress or bedding, why not visit a Jones and Tomlin store, and try the extensive range.
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