5 things the best pillow for your head and neck should comprise of

5 things the best pillow for your head and neck should comprise of.

How many times have you had a problem with your pillow? it is either too soft or too firm, leaves you with a painful neck and a headache when you wake up?

A poor pillow can leave you restless for the night and set you up badly for the day –  so how often should you take into consideration the quality and comfort of your pillows? Whether you’re a side sleeper, back or front sleeper, the ideal pillow can make a real difference to the quality of your sleep and comfort – after all it is meant to support one of the most busiest parts of your body so you can function well the next day.

Interestingly, the human head weights between 4.5 - 5.5 kgs. Hence, it is important to have a pillow that fully supports the head. 

Here are 5 essentials when buying the perfect pillow:

1. Know the fill:

What is a pillow made of? It can be made from foam, down, cotton, kapok, fibre or even hull and buckwheat among others. 

Does that leave you confused? What should you opt for?

While each of us is a different kind of sleeper and prefers varying firmness degrees, one we could clearly recommend is a kapok pillow, also know as silk cotton.

Kapok is a multi-purpose fibre that doesn't clump like microfibre or hollowfibre, at the same time is totally natural and repels moisture. It is soft yet retains the shape of the head. 

 2. Are these washable?

Hygiene is an important factor to consider. Most of us don't realise that we sweat upto a litre in a single night. Like all bedding, pillows too need to be washed from time to time or replaced.

However not all pillows offer the leeway to be washed. So what do you do? Again choose a pillow that can be washed, without lumping. Just like all food has an expiry date, pillows have it too. Ideally you should change your pillow every 1-1.5 years.

3. Retains shape of head

A good pillow is one that supports the neck and head equally. The spine is an S-shaped structure and a pillow should be able to maintain that with the right kind of support. This also means that circulation upto the head is essential with your sleep position, failing which you may experience terrible headaches. 

4. Suitable for your sleeping position

This is very very necessary. While back and side sleepers like medium firm pillows, stomach sleepers like soft pillows. Hence, depending on your sleeping position, you should select a pillow that best suits your head and neck.

5. Pillow case material

Ensure that you sleep on a case that is formaldehyde-free and chemical-free in general. A lot of cases are coated with harsh toxins that you could breathe in as vapours. Hence, choose one that is made up of organic cotton.