Pillows are only for your head? Maybe you have been doing it wrong for so many years

In our daily understanding, a pillow, as the name suggests, is a piece of bedding that is placed under the head to make it slightly higher when lying down. However, is a pillow really just a pillow for the head as the name implies? Let's take a look.

01

Pillows are not just for your head.

Pillows are not just for pillows. If you only use pillows to support your head when you sleep, then you are doing it wrong. Many people have poor sleep quality because they use the pillow incorrectly when they sleep. Simply using a pillow to support your head will cause the cervical vertebrae between the shoulders and the pillow to be suspended in the air, making it impossible for the neck muscles to fully relax and rest, resulting in neck soreness and muscle strain when you sleep, and even difficulty falling asleep in severe cases.

One of the keys to maintaining a good sleep quality is to use the right pillow to play its due role. When sleeping, you should put your head and neck on the pillow, let the pillow support your head and neck , and put your neck in a normal cervical curvature position , so that the pillow can work. If you just put your head on the pillow in the wrong posture, no matter how expensive or good the pillow is, it will not help.

02

You need to choose the right height to get a good sleep

In addition to the correct "pillow posture", choosing a pillow of the right height is also the top priority to ensure sleep quality. Pillows that are too high or too low can cause harm to the body. Studies have shown that pillows that are too high can hinder normal blood circulation in the head, easily lead to brain hypoxia, and cause snoring, stiff neck and other problems. Patients with hypertension, cervical spondylosis and spinal misalignment should not use high pillows; while pillows that are too low can easily cause eyelid and facial edema . People with asthma, lung disease and heart disease should not use low pillows.

The scientific and comfortable height of the pillow is determined according to the physiological curve of the human neck and cervical spine. Only by maintaining its normal physiological curvature can the joints, muscles, ligaments, etc. of the shoulder and neck be relaxed and get a good rest. In general, the height of the pillow should be slightly lower than the distance from the shoulder to the neck on the same side, about 8 to 15 cm, or calculated by the formula: (shoulder width - head width) ÷ 2.

The height of the pillow is also important | Tuchong Creative

03

When choosing a pillow, you also need to consider your sleeping position

Different sleeping positions require different pillow heights. When choosing a pillow, the difference in sleeping position should also be taken into consideration. For people who are used to sleeping on their backs, the pillow height should be 8 to 13 cm (about the height of a fist). At the same time, you can also put a pillow under your knees to relieve spinal pressure. For people who are used to sleeping on their sides, the height of the pillow should be based on the width of their shoulders, about 13 to 15 cm, so that the cervical and lumbar vertebrae are almost on the same horizontal line. For those who like to sleep on their stomachs, you can choose very thin pillows or no pillows. At the same time, in order to avoid back pain, it is best to put a thin pillow under the abdomen, but it is usually not recommended to sleep on your stomach.

04

Softness, hardness, elasticity, etc. can also affect sleep quality

The material, shape, and hardness of the pillow will also affect our sleep. The pillow core should be soft and soft, with moderate hardness and a little elasticity . If the pillow is too hard, the pressure on the contact area between the head and neck will increase, causing discomfort to the head; if the pillow is too soft, it will be difficult to maintain a normal height, and the head and neck will not get enough support and become tired. In addition, the pillow should have appropriate elasticity. If the pillow is too elastic, the head will be constantly subjected to the external elastic force, causing muscle fatigue and damage. Pillows such as "spring pillows" and "air pillows" are not considered to be good for health.

Having said so much, the importance of pillows for sleep is self-evident. Choosing a suitable pillow can not only improve discomfort symptoms such as shoulder and neck pain, but also improve sleep quality. There are all kinds of pillows on the market, with a wide variety of varieties and prices. When choosing, you should combine your own situation, have a clear mind, and choose the one that suits you best.

Author | Cheng Fangjie

Review Expert | Peng Zhiping, Associate Chief Physician of Chinese Sleep Society

Editor-in-charge | Li Huahui

This article was originally created by "Science Popularization China - Scientific Principles at a Glance" and compiled and adapted by the "Science Rumor Refutation" platform. Please indicate the source when reprinting.