[Pillow Height Calculation] Three sleeping positions and special precautions to choose the best pillow height
Have you ever woken up with pain in your shoulders and neck, feeling unable to get enough rest, or even more tired than before going to bed? Many people have shoulder and neck pain caused by bad habits in daily life, but they often ignore the pillow height, an important factor that affects the health of their cervical spine during sleep. Not sure how to choose the pillow height that’s best for you?
Serta will organize the most simple and complete pillow height calculation method for you, allowing you to simply understand why you should choose a specific pillow height, and choose the pillow height and type that best suits your needs in the physical store, so you can easily get a good night's sleep!
What is the role of paying attention to pillow height?
The main function of the pillow is not to support the head, but to give the neck enough support during sleep to prevent the neck from hanging in the air for a long time. Otherwise, the neck will need to be continuously supported during sleep, and the muscles will not be allowed to rest during sleep. , you will naturally feel tight and sore when you wake up. Paying attention to pillow height will help you find the ideal type of pillow to support your neck and truly achieve restful sleep.
What is the optimal pillow height?
The optimal pillow height should allow the neck to maintain a smooth horizontal straight line, so that the spine can show the natural relaxing S-shaped curvature of the human body during sleep as when standing. Measuring the optimal pillow height and choosing an appropriate pillow can fill the gap between the neck and the mattress and protect the health of the spine, shoulders and neck.
What are the problems if the pillow is at the wrong height?
Pillow height is too high
If the height of the pillow is too high, the neck will be bent forward for a long time, just like bowing your head for a long time, and health problems related to bowing your head will also arise. In addition, this will also put pressure on the throat, making it easier to snore during sleep.
Pillow height is too low
Contrary to the former, if the height of the pillow is too low, the head will be in a backward state. The position of the head is lower than the heart, which is not conducive to blood supply and poor blood circulation, making it easy to feel dizzy and swollen when you wake up. At the same time, in order to provide more blood supply to the brain, the hands or arms will be subconsciously raised or the head will be raised during sleep, which may cause numbness in the hands after waking up.
Pillow height calculation formula
The calculation method of pillow height is very simple. The general pillow height calculation formula is as follows:
Optimal pillow height = (shoulder width - head width) ÷ 2
How to choose pillow height for different sleeping positions?
Everyone’s sleeping position, body shape, and mattress selection are different. How do you choose the pillow height that best suits your unique situation? First of all, you can learn about different optimal pillow height calculation methods based on different sleeping positions!
sleep on back
Sleeping on your back can be said to be the best sleeping position for spinal health, and the required pillow height can be found based on the above formula. When you try out the pillow for yourself, you can pay attention to whether there is any gap between your shoulders and neck and the pillow. Make sure that your head, neck, and shoulders are all lying on the pillow. It is most suitable to have enough support. Pillow height.
Another way to verify whether the height of the pillow is appropriate is the angle between the forehead and chin. Generally, the ideal forehead is about 5 degrees higher than the chin.
sleep on side
Side sleeping is the most popular sleeping position. The optimal pillow height for side sleeping should be enough to support the body while keeping the center line of the face and body aligned. Calculating the most suitable pillow height is even simpler:
Optimal pillow height = shoulder width and length on one side
Sleep on your stomach
Sleeping on your stomach is the least ideal sleeping position for spinal health. This sleeping position puts excessive pressure on the chest and abdomen. At the same time, the head turns to one side, which overstretches the cervical spine and rotates it in an unnatural posture for a long time, causing damage to the cervical spine. We also recommend that people who are used to sleeping on their stomachs improve their sleeping posture. If you really can't change this habit right away, you should try to find a pillow with a lower height when choosing the pillow height, or even don't use a pillow.
When sleeping on your stomach, try to place the pillow on your chest instead of your head to avoid excessive backward bending of the spine and relax the spinal muscles.
What should you pay attention to when testing the pillow height yourself?
Pillow fit and support
When testing the pillow height, pay attention to whether the pillow can fill the gap between the shoulders and neck, and whether it can keep your cervical spine curve naturally relaxed when the pillow is expected to be pressed down by weight.
Breathing ease
During the test, take a deep breath to see if the breathing is smooth and whether there is a sense of pressure or a feeling of brain swelling when breathing. The pressure may be because the height of the pillow is too high, compressing the trachea and causing difficulty in breathing. Smooth; and the feeling of brain swelling may be because the pillow height is too low, and the height of the head is lower than the heart, resulting in insufficient blood supply.
Other special factors that affect pillow height calculations
special health factors
If you have spinal problems or your body curve is different from the normal situation (for example, hunchback), we recommend that you consult relevant medical professionals before choosing the pillow height that best suits you.
Personal body weight
Heavier people may make the pillow height sink deeper, and in this case they need a pillow with a higher height; or the thickness of the back will also affect the criteria for choosing a pillow height for back sleepers. People with thicker backs can choose a higher pillow height. The height of the pillow is the opposite for people with a thin back.
Mattress firmness
If the mattress is soft, the body will sink more, making the head position relatively higher. In this case, you need to choose a pillow with a lower height; if the mattress is hard, the opposite is true, and you need a pillow with a higher height. .
Everyone's criteria for choosing pillow height may not be the same. I hope the above pillow height guide can help you find the ideal pillow and have a good night's sleep.
