Professionals stress the need to
keep your body aligned when you hit the hay.
We've all woken up with a crick in the neck or an aching back
after a poor night of sleep. This kind of pain, which may be debilitating, can
lead to serious health issues and more restless nights. You might assume you
tweaked something in your sleep, but in reality, your aches and pains could be
stemming from the spot where you lay your head—your pillow. Thankfully, experts
have shared their professional opinion on exactly how many pillows you should
be sleeping with and what could be causing your morning strife. Read on to find
out how many pillows should be on your bed.
It's all about alignment.
Lying down in bed at night is a luxury, whether you prefer to
read, catch up on your latest Netflix binge, or close your eyes right on the
spot. Regardless of your sleep routine, when you fall asleep, experts stress
the importance of keeping your body aligned. According to Kevin Lees, DC,
manager of auditing and quality at The Joint Chiropractic, pillows play a vital
role in supporting the body's natural posture.
Apart from taste and preference, there are several aspects to
consider when choosing pillows, and you'll want to replace them when they start
to wear out, according to Lees. Although you might be tempted to add an extra
pillow for more support, this may not be the best plan for maintaining your
neck and back in good condition.
Sleep experts recommend sleeping with a certain number of pillows.
While there is no official rule about how many pillows you should
sleep with, most experts believe that having more than one under your head can
cause neck and back pain. In truth, all you need is one supportive pillow to
keep your body aligned and your neck supported.
"While sleeping with your neck flexed forward or to the side
may feel comfortable at first, sleeping for eight hours with your neck flexed
forward or to the side can put much stress on the muscles, ligaments, and discs
in your cervical spine," says Grant Radermacher, DC, a spinal biomechanics
expert at Ascent Chiropractic. "This is a major cause of neck pain,
shoulder pain, and tension headaches."
Sleeping with unnecessary memory foam or feather pillows on your
bed can aggravate your sleep hygiene problems. "Too many pillows may shift
throughout the night, causing sleep problems," Lees adds.
Depending on how you sleep, experts recommend different kinds of
pillows.
Some sleepers immediately roll over to one side when hitting the
hay, while others flip to their stomach or lie flat on their back. This also
comes into play when considering what kind of pillows you should be using.
If you sleep on your stomach, you might want to reconsider.
Radermacher claims that sleeping this way encourages you to arch your back and
turn your head to the side to breathe. If you find that you cant shift from
this position, the chiropractor recommends a thin pillow—which decreases the
angle of your neck—or no pillow at all. A pillow placed under the abdomen and
pelvis may also help these sleepers. "It'll help keep your back in a more
neutral position and take pressure off your spine," Radermacher explains.
Most experts agree that sleeping on your side or your back is
preferable, and that will require different pillows. Back sleepers choose a
thinner pillow, while side sleepers will need something thicker "to help
support the gap between the head and the neck," according to Martin Reed,
MEd, Certified Clinical Sleep Health Educator and founder of Insomnia Coach.
Here's how to rearrange your pillows.
Instead of being overly concerned about the number of pillows you
are using, Radermacher recommends a different approach.
"There's no set rule on the number of pillows. What matters
most is understanding what your body needs to keep your neck in a neutral
position while you sleep, "he claims. "While most people can get by
with just one pillow, the number (and thickness) of pillows best for you
depends on your body type and sleeping position."
You can also get creative with pillow placement. Experts recommend
putting a pillow between your knees if you sleep on your side and putting a
pillow underneath your knees if you sleep on your back—both strategies will
help your lower back. Thank you.
"Memory foam pillows with a hand hole underneath might be good for stomach or side sleepers who like to place their hand under the pillow as the pillow height remains unchanged," says Stephen Light, Certified Sleep Science Coach and CEO of Nolah Mattress.
