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Pillow Talk That Could Lead to a Better Night’s Sleep

(ARA) - When was the last time you replaced your pillow? For many, a pillow becomes an old friend, reliable and comforting. But over time, a pillow can wear down and cease providing the proper support and comfort, leading to disrupted sleep and even muscle soreness. Experts suggest replacing your pillow every two years to avoid these problems and to experience a better night’s sleep.

If any of these statements apply to you, you may need a new pillow:

* I wake up with upper back pain and neck stiffness

* I toss and turn often during the night

* I often use more than one pillow at a time for head and neck support

* I repeatedly change pillows, trying to get more comfortable

* I recently purchased a new bed, but kept my old pillows

* When folded in half, my pillow does not spring back

Any one of these factors could be causing you discomfort, but if you answered “yes” to more than one, you could be using a pillow that is incompatible with your preferred sleep position, body type and mattress firmness. And, you are not alone -- more than one in 10 people say their sleep quality is affected by pillows and bedding (15 percent) or the mattress (13 percent), according to a recent 2005 Travel Sleep Habits Survey conducted by Select Comfort and Radisson Hotels & Resorts.

“Orthopedic specialists and chiropractors recognize that nearly all neck and back troubles are aggravated, if not caused by poor sleeping practices and bad, worn-out, or improperly fitted pillows,” according to Pete Bils, senior director of Sleep Innovation and chair of the Sleep Advisory Board at Select Comfort.

Your pillow should naturally place your head, neck and shoulders in a proper posture -- closely matching a proper standing/sitting posture -- for a straight spine and head position. And, one of the most important characteristics of a pillow is its ability to fit your unique contours. Consider the following factors when choosing a pillow: 

Sleep position: This is the best place to start, because the amount of support your head and neck need to be properly aligned varies on whether you sleep on your side, back or stomach. For example, if you are a stomach sleeper, you may need a pillow that offers a gentler slope to help prevent your head from being raised too high and that minimizes the unnatural arching of your lower back. If you prefer to sleep on your side, you might need a firm pillow that is thick enough to fill the space between the mattress and side of your head and shoulder area. If you sleep on your back, you may need to try a thinner pillow of medium firmness to support your neck area. 

Body type: No two people are built alike, which makes it important to physically try several pillows before deciding on one. Are your shoulders narrow, average or broad? Your height, weight and physical condition all play an important a role in selecting the right pillow. For example, smaller-framed bodies get good support from softer pillows, while larger-framed bodies are better supported by firmer, generously filled pillows.

Mattress firmness: The same pillow will feel and perform quite differently on mattresses of different firmness. Do you prefer a softer mattress that cradles your body, a medium-firm mattress that permits your body to settle into the sleep surface, or do you prefer a very firm mattress? Any of these surface preferences will influence your choice of pillow. It’s always a good idea to try out a pillow while lying on a bed as firm as your mattress at home. 

Pillow fill preference: The fill materials within a pillow can substantially affect the “feel” of a pillow and how the pillow supports the subtle curves of your neck and shoulders. For example, down is known for its supreme loft, support and softness; synthetics offer hypoallergenic microfibers that feel like down; and high-density memory foam actually responds to your body weight and temperature. 

Where to begin? One quick and easy way to pinpoint the perfect pillow is to have a custom pillow fitting. Select Comfort stores offer complimentary PillowFit Profiles to determine the best pillow option for your body type. 

To obtain your profile, sleep consultants will simply take a couple of quick measurements to determine the distance between your shoulder and ear using a unique PillowFit tool. The consultants will then compare the measurements to your preferences and needs for a pillow, and let you try out various pillow options that fall within your profile. 

“A good pillow gives you comfort and automatically puts you in a healthy sleep posture,” says Bils. “People get fitted for clothes, shoes -- even chairs and golf clubs. Consider getting fitted for a pillow, too, for a better night’s sleep.” 

To obtain more pillow information or to find a retailer near you, please visit www.selectcomfort.com. For answers to your questions about choosing the proper pillow, visit www.selectcomfort.com/SleepExpert  and submit a question to Select Comfort’s Sleep Advisory Board, an interdisciplinary group of clinicians and scientists with expertise in the relationship between sleep and health. Its mission is to provide guidance on issues related to the science and practice of better sleep. 

Courtesy of ARA Content

EDITOR’S NOTE: Select Comfort is a leader in sleep solutions technology, holding 32 U.S. issued or pending patents for its products. The company designs, manufactures and markets a line of adjustable-firmness mattresses, including the Sleep Number bed, as well as foundations and sleep accessories. Select Comfort products are sold through its more than 365 retail stores nationwide; through its national direct marketing operations at (800) 535-BEDS; and on the Internet at www.selectcomfort.com. 

2005 Travel Sleep Habits Survey conducted by Caravan Opinion Research Corporation for Select Comfort and Radisson Hotels & Resorts.

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