How to choose the perfect pillow for you
Posted by Michelle on Feb 18, 2020
How to choose the perfect pillow for you
A pillow arguably has one of the biggest impacts on the quality of your sleep. Sleeping on a pillow that is not suited to you and the way you sleep is a recipe for disaster. Choosing the right pillow for you is essential to ensuring that you have a great nights sleep. Here is our guide on how to choose the best pillow for you.
A lot of people don't understand the many different types of pillows available and settle for something that isn't the best for them. Luckily, it's pretty simple to choose the best pillow as long as you know a few things about the way you like to sleep. But first, it is very helpful to know the different variations of pillows available.
Did you know?
On average, you spend 56 hours sleeping in a week.
That's a lot of time.
You wouldn't sit on an uncomfortable chair or lay on a couch for that long, yet so many people sleep without the right pillow with the support and comfort that they need for their sleeping behaviour and as a result, don't get a good sleep.
What types of pillows are there available?
There are a fair few different types of pillows available but there are three main differences that determine the character of the pillow:
Profile
Profile determines the height of the pillow.
Feel
Feel is the firmness of the pillow.
Material
Material refers to what the pillow is actually made out of.
What are the different materials pillows are made out of?
You can have a soft, medium or firm feel to your pillows, each tailored to a different kind of sleeper. Likewise, each different material type is designed to suit the needs of specific people. Here are the different material types:
Microfibre / Polyester
Microfibre / Polyester is primarily designed to be a durable, low-allergenic, anti-microbial, odourless and dust mite resistant material. Microfibre / Polyester material is perfect for people who have sensitive skin and require low-allergenic bedding, but it is always recommended that you check the details of the specific pillow to make sure you are getting the appropriate pillow for your needs.
Feather & Down
Feather & Down is a classic material type that features a mixture of feathers and down. Filled with either duck or goose feathers, this material type is traditionally the pillow material choice of many European countries.
Latex
Latex is a versatile and durable material that also has low-allergenic properties. Latex pillows are one of the most popular pillows in Australia.
Memory Foam
Memory Foam is a material originally designed by NASA to replace normal foam in aircraft cushions, but after many years people realised that a springy and supportive material would be perfect for use in mattresses and pillows.
So which pillow is the best for you?
Now that you have a greater understanding of the different material types available in pillows, you can figure out which pillow will be best for you. Choosing the best pillow to sleep on is quite simple if you follow these few steps.
Step 1. Figure out the position you like to sleep in.
Figuring out the position you like to sleep in is easy enough if you don't fall asleep quickly! When you go to bed tonight, try changing positions and remember which position feels most comfortable to you. By determining what position you feel most comfortable in sleeping in, we can decide on which pillow will be the best for you!
A Side Sleeper is someone who mainly sleeps on either of their sides for the duration of the night.
A Stomach Sleeper is someone who spends a majority of their sleep flat on their stomach.
A Back Sleeper is someone who spends the night lying on their back.
An All-Round Sleeper doesn't spend a majority of time in any one position. They sleep in a combination of the above styles.
Step 2. Based on the position you sleep in, decide on which firmness and profile suits you.
Now that you have decided on your favourite position to sleep in, the next step is to decide, based on what position you like to sleep in, on what firmness & profile you need in a pillow.
A Side Sleeper typically benefits the most from a medium to high profile & firm feel pillow as it will support your head and spine as you sleep.
A Stomach Sleeper needs a soft feel pillow that has a low profile. Having a high profile and firm feel pillow will put a strain on your neck and spine.
A Back Sleeper is going to get the best nights sleep with a medium to high profile & firm feel pillow as it will support your neck as you sleep through the night.
An All-Round Sleeper requires a soft feel & medium profile pillow, as it can support a wide range of sleeping styles without causing neck pain.
Step 3. Based on the position you sleep in, decide which material type is best for you.
Now that we have decided on a position, firmness and profile, we can easily determine which material type will be best for you. Choosing the right material type is key to getting a good nights sleep.
A Side Sleeper will benefit from a latex or memory foam pillow. Latex & Memory foam pillows will provide a good amount of support for your head and neck and align your spine to an appropriate position.
A Stomach Sleeper requires a feather & down pillow or a low profile microfibre pillow as they are very soft and low preventing any undesirable neck pain caused by a pillow that is too high or firm.
A Back Sleeper will receive a good nights sleep from a memory foam pillow, especially a contoured memory foam pillow. Memory foam pillows will provide the best support for the neck of a back sleeper as the springy and supportive qualities shape around your head and support it.
An All-Round Sleeper doesn't require a specific material type. As long as it has a soft to medium feel, it will be a good choice. If you love the feel of memory foam, get a memory foam pillow! If you love the feel of a latex pillow, get that! The choice is yours if you change sleeping positions quite often.
Our Recommendations!
We have a collection of recommendations for each type of sleeper!
For Side Sleepers, we recommend the Luxurious Latex Medium Profile & Firm Feel Pillow by Dunlopillo
You can check that out here.
For Stomach Sleepers, our recommendation is the Relax Right Microfibre Low Profile Pillow by Bianca
You can have a look at that pillow here.
For Back Sleepers, we have two recommendations! The first one is the Therapillo Memory Foam Medium Profile & Firm Feel Pillow by Dunlopillo.
You can get that here.
Or, if you are looking for a contoured pillow, the Dual Contour Medium / High Profile & Firm Feel Pillow by
John Cotton is for you!
You can see that here.
For All-Round Sleepers, our recommendation is the Blended Microfibre Pillow by Logan & Mason.
You can check that pillow out here.
It's that easy!
Choosing the best pillow for you is quite simple and we hope you have found this guide quite helpful! If you need any further help in choosing a pillow or want more information, we have a team of experts ready to help! Simply contact us here via email or phone. Or, if you wanted to check out our full range of pillows from memory foam to latex and much much more, click pillows to see our extensive range!