For healthy sleepers, laying with your head flat and aligned with your spine is perfectly fine. However, if you suffer from respiratory issues, acid reflux, or lumbar spine pain such as obstructive sleep apnea and snoring, lying flat worsens symptoms as your airways collapse. Use a wedge pillow or an adjustable bed base to elevate your upper body and relieve symptoms. Why does my ear hurt when I sleep on my side? Regardless of firmness, all Boll & Branch Down Chamber Pillows have the lightweight, lofty feel that people typically associate with down. The insert is encased in a shell made of 100% cotton, which has breathable properties to help keep the pillow cool at night. The pillow is fully machine-washable, provided your machine is large enough to accommodate it, as down pillows can damage machines with agitators. Wash in cold water and tumble dry on low heat.

Noise: Memory foam absorbs movement and produces little to no noise, minimizing sleep disruptions to you and your partner. Cooling Properties: Heat build-up in your pillow can make you uncomfortably warm and disrupt your sleep. Memory foam is notorious for heat retention, although today’s manufacturers use many techniques to get around this. Of course, shredded memory foam naturally allows more room for airflow, so all other things being equal, a shredded pillow will sleep cooler than a one-piece pillow. The cover is composed of breathable, scuba-knit polyester with a luxuriously soft hand-feel. You can remove and machine wash the cover to keep your pillow hygienic. Wash the cover with whites, then air dry or tumble dry. Weighing a little over 2 pounds, the pillow is very lightweight and easy to reposition during the night. One size is available. Firmness Level: The ideal firmness level for your pillow depends on your sleep position, body type, and personal preference. Most memory foam pillows are medium soft to medium. One-piece memory foam pillows offer just one firmness level, but many shredded memory foam pillows allow users to customize the firmness level somewhat by adding or removing the filling. The market is flooded with manufacturers who tinker with their memory foam to give it different qualities, such as using gel infusions to achieve better temperature neutrality. Some proprietary foams do succeed in their aims, but it can be very difficult to tell before trying the pillow out for yourself.

Need a Little Extra Support?

Customizability: The viscous nature of memory foam means manufacturers can mold it into virtually any shape, which is why it’s commonly used in orthopedic pillows. Memory foam pillows typically come in the following sizes, although the exact dimensions may vary by manufacturer:

The correct way of using a contour pillow depends on the pillow itself since not all contour pillows have the same shape. Consider a new mattress: A mattress with the right level of support for your body weight and new sleeping position can make the change easier.Temperature control was a testing highlight. The latex is ventilated with small holes to promote air circulation and the cover is highly breathable, so the pillow should sleep noticeably cooler than competing models with memory foam cores. Our tests also show the pillow excels at shape retention, even after prolonged use. Sleeping with an arm under your pillow doesn’t cause any major, chronic issues, but try sleeping with your arms at your side or hugging a pillow for minimal pain and healthier spine alignment. Is it better to sleep with your head flat or elevated? Wool is a highly breathable, fluffy, and soft fill. It’s available in 100-percent wool or blended with other fills, though 100-percent wool is the fluffiest. Vegan individuals might not be interested in buying wool products since wool comes from sheep. Wool pillows aren’t as popular as other types, mostly because they’re more expensive and can only be dry-cleaned. 10. Microbeads Jeon MY, et al. (2014). Improving the quality of sleep with an optimal pillow: A randomized, comparative study.

If you’re thinking of taking the plunge, here’s a few things to look out for to know you’re buying quality; A standard pillow measures 20 inches wide and 26 inches long and fits with both standard and queen-sized pillowcases. One standard pillow fits on a twin bed, two pillows fit on full and queen beds and three pillows fit on king beds. Super Standard Availability: Memory foam pillows are a popular product that you’re sure to find virtually anywhere pillows are sold. Kapok is the seedpod fluff from the Ceiba tree, native to the rainforest. Kapok pillows feel similar to down and are lofty, soft, and lightweight. Since Kapok is made from trees, the fill is eco-friendly and naturally biodegradable. It’s also hypoallergenic, so allergy sufferers can rest peacefully. However, kapok pillows are unpopular because they’re expensive to produce and flammable. 13. Water Hot Sleepers: Memory foam is known for trapping heat, so it’s not the best choice for those who naturally run warm or who live in hot climates. If you sleep hot but you like the feel of memory foam, there is the option of using a shredded memory foam pillow or a one-piece pillow with ventilation or cut-out air channels. These techniques help improve airflow and reduce heat retention. Some pillows have cooling elements and draw heat away from the sleeper using gel, graphite, or copper infusions, or keep a cool-to-the-touch surface with phase-change material.

How To Use a Contour Memory Foam Pillow

Standard (20” x 26”): Standard pillows are the smallest and most commonly used size, and can be used on any size bed. Use a stain remover. Using a stain remover can help you gently spot clean any pillow that can’t be washed. This change of mind return policy is in addition to, and does not affect your rights under the Australian Consumer Law including any rights you may have in respect of faulty items. To return faulty items see our Returning Faulty Items policy. The pillow contains shredded memory foam, and you’ll receive an extra bag of fill to use as needed. The foam is infused with a cooling gel engineered to minimize heat retention. The outer cover is made with a breathable fabric blend of polyester and bamboo-derived viscose. You may machine wash the outer cover in cold water, then machine dry on a low-heat setting. The foam is encased in an inner cover that is also machine-washable, but you’ll need to remove all fill before washing. Down pillows are known for their luxurious plushness, and the Boll & Branch Down Pillow is a standout example. The fluffy feel of this well-constructed pillow is synonymous with high-end bedding, and the multiple firmness options appealed to many of our testers, regardless of their preferred sleeping position.

Side Sleepers: Side sleepers need a higher, firmer pillow that supports the head and eases pressure on the shoulders. Memory foam pillows fit the bill, especially firmer one-piece memory foam pillows, and can often be further customized according to individual preferences. If you want to deep clean your memory foam pillow, carefully submerge the pillow in a tub of lukewarm water and a little gentle washing detergent. Squeeze gently before rinsing and squeeze again to remove the water. The Loft Pillow is filled with shredded memory foam that’s been infused with cooling gel to minimize heat retention, which is a common problem associated with this type of fill. The shredded design allows air to circulate between the foam pieces, so this pillow runs cooler than solid foam pillows.King size pillows offer the most length among common pillow sizes. This ensures ample room for anyone who tosses and turns, or otherwise moves around in bed. However, king size pillows tend to be the most expensive models. A single piece of memory foam makes up the pillow’s core. Copper fibers infused into the foam are intended to offset heat retention and help the pillow sleep cool. A cover made of GlacioTex phase change material encases the pillow. You may remove and machine-wash the cover, making the pillow easy to care for, but the foam should only be spot cleaned if stains occur. Standard and king sizes are available.