How to Find the Perfect Pillow

Choose your pillow based on what kind of sleeper you are.

Pillows are important for getting a good night's rest. If you're using the wrong kind of pillow for the way you sleep, you could be tossing and turning all night trying to get comfortable. Try to determine what the perfect pillow for you is. Not surprisingly, how you sleep is important in choosing a pillow. By testing different pillows, you'll be able to find the perfect pillow for you.

Instructions

1. Determine if you're a side sleeper. Side-sleeper pillows tend to be on the firm side. This is so the pillow gives you comfort while protecting your head and spine. There are also memory-foam pillows designed for the contours of the neck and head of side sleepers. Test an inexpensive pillow designed for a side sleeper.

2. Determine if you're a back sleeper. Pillows for back sleepers tend to be thinner than pillows for side sleepers because back sleepers shouldn't have their head or neck raised too high during sleep (this can cause discomfort and back aches). Back-sleeper pillows are usually of medium firmness. A good choice for back sleepers is a goose-down pillow. The goose-down pillow gives both support and comfort.

3. Figure out if you're a stomach sleeper. Stomach sleepers need a flat and soft pillow to get a good night's rest. When you sleep on your side or back, your neck and head need to be supported so they're level with the rest of your body. However, when you sleep on your stomach, you only need a little support for head and neck. A good choice for stomach sleepers is a memory-foam pillow designed for stomach sleepers.

4. If you love the feeling of down feathers but are kept up at night from sneezing, try a hypo-allergenic pillow. These pillows can be found almost anywhere and in any style.

5. Test different pillows to see what you like. You may want to purchase several inexpensive pillow styles to see for yourself which is the best fit for you. You may find that you hate memory-foam and instead prefer down; or perhaps you're a side sleeper but prefer a much softer pillow. The best way to find out is testing the different pillow types.

References

• Pillow Review: Different Kinds of Sleepers