Pillow Guide – The Mattress Warehouse

Sleep quality affects all areas of our lives, from emotional wellbeing to our ability to concentrate. Many different factors play a role in how well you sleep. One item that can have a significant effect on your sleep quality is the pillow you sleep on. Thankfully, there are many different types of pillows with various attributes to choose from. Let’s discover the list of some options out there.

Types of Pillows

Feather

Feather pillows are known for their comfort and softness. However, they are not only about the fluffiness. High-quality feather pillows contain small, highly curled feathers. These feathers are grouped together to provide a plush surface to rest your head on.

If support paired with moldability is what you are after, choose a feather pillow. These pillows provide more comfort than their soft counterpart, down pillows. Furthermore, these headrests contour your head and neck to provide the most comfort. Additionally, scrunching your pillow will provide support wherever your neck needs it.

Advantages of Feather Pillows:

• Feather pillows are quite light when compared to other counterparts.
• Feather pillows boast with amazing longevity. If you buy one today, the replacement will only come ten years down the line.
• These headrests are moldable and shape to your neck and head.
• Feather pillows rarely stay flattened. Just fluff them out and you’re good to go in the plush department!

Down

For those that want to buy the gentlest, softest pillow available, consider a down headrest. Manufacturers choose the down from a bird’s fluffy undercoat. This one is similar to its family member, the feather pillow.

However, a down pillow consists of feathers with their quills removed. With next level softness, these headrests are light, fluffy and supple. While many consider them the height of luxury, do not use down headrests for support.

Advantages of this cushion include malleability and extended loft hold. Down sustains its loft a lot longer than synthetic options, holding onto it up to three times longer. Pillows filled with down also hold their shape well, moulding to your head.

Memory Foam

Memory foam pillows like the Sealy My Memory Pillow provides fantastic support. To provide this incredible support, these cushions adjust to your unique head and neck shape. These headrests help you avoid waking up with a crick in your neck.

These pillows use dense material to stop your neck from bending in an uncomfortable way. Through the night, your pillow moulds to the shape of your head, as you move from side to side. As a result, your head, neck and spine stay aligned in a natural position all night.

Advantages of Memory Foam

Memory foam is advantageous in its ability to reduce snoring. Many normal pillows constrict your air passages by tilting your head backwards. However, memory foam pillows’ ability to conform to your neck allows your air passages to remain open.

Furthermore, there are many different shapes and sizes of memory foam headrests. This allows you to choose one that fits you, and your sleeping style, perfectly.

Buckwheat

Buckwheat pillows are the perfect choice if you are looking for an all-natural, eco-friendly option. The eco-friendly filler in these headrests comprises of buckwheat seed husks. The husks allow gaps for air to form and remain.

Through this, the Buckwheat filler provides exceptional support by resisting to pressure naturally. These headrests also offer fantastic ventilation. Air flows through and dissipates any heat from your body. With these pillows, the days of waking up to turn your cushion to the colder side are a thing of the past. With buckwheat, you can rest assured that both sides stay cool.

Used for centuries in many Asian countries, buckwheat headrests offer breathability paired with reliable support.

Microfiber

Microfibre headrests like the Lifson Microfiber – Standard Pillow have been around for a long time. However, these products only started to grow in popularity a few years ago. This rise in popularity is due to their affordability and ease of care.

Manufacturers usually create these microfibre cushions from nylon and polyester. Amazingly, each microfibre thread is more delicate than a single strand of human hair or silk. As a result, despite being synthetic, these pillows are extremely comfortable.

Latex

Latex pillows such as the Orthopedic Squeeze Me – Latex Pillow are manufactured from a polymer that rubber trees produce. Comfortable and supportive, these headrests keep you fresh while you sleep. These headrests ensure that you are always supported. Cushioning your head as you sleep, latex support contours to your neck to aid proper spinal alignment.

Latex is also an antimicrobial and antibacterial material. On top of that, it is also dust mite and mildew resistant. This makes it a perfect match for those with allergies or sensitive skin.

They cost a little bit more than their standard counterparts, But their wonderful attributes make them such a wise investment. These headrests will serve you for many years with comfort, support and restful sleep.

Gel

The Sealy Coolsmart Gel Pillow and its brethren provide support and a comfortably cool surface to sleep on. In every season except winter, our heads give off more heat than any other body part. A headrest that absorbs this heat can make sleeping an uncomfortable experience. We start trying to find a cooler spot subconsciously, tossing and turning through the night. This is not optimal for restful sleep.

With Sealy’s cooling ventilation gel headrests, you can rest assured that you’ll stay cool in hot weather. They also keep you warm in winter. Anyone who finds themselves waking up to flip their pillow should look into buying a gel variant.

Pillows for Specific Concerns

1. Neck

Neck pillows are specially designed to correct any spinal misalignment. A special baffle supports your spine. This makes sure your neck is in the correct position to make comfortable sleep possible. Significantly reducing tossing, turning or any other discomfort, these headrests relax your muscles and promote peaceful sleep.

2. Sleep Apnea

Those that require a CPAP machine to sleep should consider a specially designed sleep apnea pillow. Foam or polyester fibre are usually what make up these headrests. The unique design of this sleep apnea product is to specifically accommodate the many tubes and cords of a CPAP machine. Standard pillows may not meet all your needs if you suffer from sleep apnea. Using a pillow made for your unique requirements in mind can make all the difference to your quality of sleep.

3. Microbead

Thousands of tiny beads make up each microbead pillow. Sleepers with allergies will benefit greatly from such a headrest. This is due to their natural inability to absorb moisture. As a result, the growth of bacteria, fungus and dust mites is hindered. Anyone who suffers from mild to severe allergies will find this cushion to be the best choice.
Besides having hypoallergenic properties, microbead headrests also help dissipate heat. This helps assist with heat retention problems. Additionally, proper airflow allows heat to escape quicker. Consequently, avoiding discomfort from the build-up of heat.

Microbead pillows provide firm support for your neck and head. These filled with microbeads have the ability to conform to your unique head shape. Microbead headrests adjust according to each sleeping position. They constantly morph to provide comfort at every turn. Sleeping on a microbead pillow will result in a cooler, more pleasant night of sleep.

Choosing a Cover

Pillow covers and protectors are vital to maintaining a hygienic sleep environment. Protecting your precious headrest from daily wear and tear is essential in ensuring a longer lifespan for it. A proper cover can also prevent dust mites and can halt bed bugs. If you want to increase your pillow’s lifespan, choosing the right cover fabric is crucial. Also, take into consideration the aesthetic of the bedroom.

First, consider any possible stains and spills. Then, factor in daily wear and tear of your pillow. Lastly, keep the room’s aesthetic in mind. Take all of these factors into consideration when choosing your cover.

Spills, Stains & Incontinence

Waterproof covers protect against any accidental spills, sweat or stains. The waterproof layer will prevent your pillow from absorbing any moisture that it comes into contact with during the night. The absorption of liquids can make pillows give off unappealing smells, especially when it comes to feather or down variants. Protecting headrests that are used every day is essential to maintaining their cleanliness.

Wear And Tear

If left unprotected, daily wear and tear can make your pillow fade. It can collect holes and get dirty over time. Providing an extra layer of protection, standard pillowcases such as Protect·A·Bed Premium Deluxe Pillow Protector – Standard can prevent some of this damage.

Aesthetic

Choosing a cover matching your bedroom aesthetic is important to create a coherent atmosphere.

Perhaps you could choose a brightly coloured cover for a dull and dreary bedroom. There are many colours and prints to choose from to create a lively bedroom!

Alternatively, if you’re more into the simple look, purchase a plain coloured cover for your bed.

Pillow Covers

Cotton Covers

One of the most commonly chosen materials for pillow covers is cotton. Cotton is a breathable natural material that makes for a comfortable night’s sleep. Cotton covers are breathable and soft. There is also the option of using cotton fabric that has not been treated with any chemicals or pesticides.

Polyester Covers

Polyester is another commonly used fabric for pillow covers. Easy to wash and maintain, polyester is also less expensive than other fabrics. The variety of textures available is another advantage.

Polyester covers can stretch, adjusting themselves to conform to different pillow shapes. Despite not being as cool as other fabrics, polyester covers maximize comfort and protection.

Bamboo Covers

The natural and eco-friendly qualities of bamboo fabric have made bamboo pillow covers popular. Bamboo covers are moisture-wicking, thus preventing the growth of bacteria. Being hypoallergenic, bamboo fabric promotes restful sleep for those with allergies.

Waterproof Covers

Waterproof pillow covers like a Bamboo Waterproof Pillow Protector protects your headrest from any moisture or accidental spills. Providing a barrier against dust mites and bed bugs, waterproof covers are easy to clean. The durability of waterproof fabrics like vinyl, plastic and polyurethane is another plus.

After all is said and done, there is no single perfect pillow that meets every person’s needs. Everyone is unique and has different needs. Thankfully, there are many different pillow and –cover combinations to choose from. Do some mixing and matching and you are sure to find the one for you!