I admit: for most of my adult life – and life as a parent to three boys – pillows have been an afterthought. Yes, you have a pillow, but it’s probably from Ross or Target and costs less than $20 or a hand-me-down from my parents or in-laws. But at some point….maybe it was when my husband started waking up every morning with neck pain or when my middle son had insomnia from being too hot every night or when I realized my leftside side sleeping was creating some serious leftside wrinkles …that I understood having the right pillow cannot only help you get a good night’s sleep but can also help alleviate some nighttime woes.
If you’ve reached that same point and are wondering if pillows may be contributing to your sleepless nights, here are a few problem-solving pillows to consider.
The Keep-Me-Cool Pillow
Maybe you live in a hot climate. Maybe you’re in perimenopause. Maybe you just run hot like my middle son. But if overheating at night is keeping you from a good night’s sleep, a cooling pillow like the Helix Cooling Memory Foam Pillow. Available in Standard or King sizes as well as high loft for side sleepers or low loft for back/stomach sleepers, the Helix Cooling Memory Foam Pillow contains proprietary GlacioTex cooling fabric which pulls heat away from your body while an innovative cooling gel grid built into the pillow pulls and absorbs heat from your body. This pillow actually *feels* cool to the touch making it ideal when your environment or your body feel too hot to sleep. The pillow is also HSA/FSA eligible and comes with a 30-night sleep trial. (Hot sleepers will also want to check out Rest bedding for a truly cooling sleep experience!)
The Make-It-Perfect Personalized Pillow
Gone are the days of needing to decide in the store, without having slept on the pillow, if the pillow is right for you. Many pillow brands, like the Nest East Breather pillows for back or side sleepers, come with adjustable, removable foam fill. Whether you want lower loft or higher loft or just the pillow’s internal material positioned just so, pillows by Nest allow YOU to adjust it. So my youngest was able to adjust the Nest Easy Breather Side Sleeper to just the right height while my husband could customize the Easy Breather Jr. (Jr. = Just Right) to just the right height for his under-knees pillow. You can even combine multiple Nest pillows into a body pillow with the Easy Breather Convertible Body Pillow Kit! Whatever the lift, whatever the location, pillows like the collection by Nest allow you to sleep on it and adjust until you get it right for you.
The Anti-Wrinkle Beauty Sleep Pillow
It’s rude, really. They call it “beauty sleep,” but sometimes your pillow can actually be contributing to nighttime wrinkle formation! Side sleeping with a traditional pillow can lead to an increase in the volume and severity of wrinkles on the forehead, eye and mouth. But some pillows, like the Sleep & Glow Omnia or the Flawless Face Pillow Cloud, help to support your neck and back while you sleep while also providing adequate space for your neck and face to avoid nighttime scrunching, stretching and compression that can lead to wrinkles. While these “beauty pillows” may look a little unusual, it’s hard to unsee the scrunching that happens to my neck and face when I sleep on a traditional pillow. If I can ward off wrinkles AND get a good night’s sleep? Count me IN.
From preteens to parenting to perimenopause, sleep is vital – and the right pillow may just be a key factor in helping you get the sleep you need. If you or someone you love is suffering from sleepless nights or morning discomfort, considering exploring if a problem-solving pillow could provide relief.
