How many pillows should i use

Statement cushions have become a must-have item for any bedroom. I tend to toss them on the floor when I get in bed and pop them back on when I make the bed in the morning. I already sleep with two pillows, but this leaves me questioning how many pillows should I sleep with?

And is it bad if I sleep with more? It turns out that it depends on which position you prefer to sleep in! Most people tend to sleep with two pillows beneath their head, but experts say this might not be the best for your body. Andrew Weil M. D, an alternative medicine practitioner, states that the concept of a pillow dates back as far as ancient Egypt.

The Egyptians used stones to rest their heads on whilst they slept, to prevent bugs from crawling up their noses! When we walk around, our neck and head sit directly atop our spine. Why do we consider it comfortable to completely change this alignment whilst we sleep? In fact, some research shows that sleeping without a pillow could actually be much better for us! So, how many pillows should you sleep with?

One major factor in deciphering how many pillows you should sleep with is your prefered position. The most common way that people sleep is on their side. This is because the leg you place on top when you sleep on your side can pull your spine out of alignment, leading to issues with your lower back and hip in the future. Sleeping on your back is proven to be the best way to sleep for supporting your spine. It is still recommended that you use one thin pillow beneath your head to maintain neck and spine health whilst sleeping in this position.

But, just how important is it to support the head in this way? Weil, MD, an acclaimed alternative medicine practitioner and spokesperson states that humans have used pillows throughout the centuries. From the times of the early Egyptians, people rested their heads on stones to keep bugs from crawling up their noses and into the other orifices of the face.

Many ancient cultures incorporated stone pillows, while the Greeks and Romans employed some of the first uses of cloth and feathers.

Fast-forward to current day, and they are now a vital part of everyday life and deemed an essential sleep accessory. If the ultimate goal is to support your neck during sleep and to align the bones of the neck and the spine anatomically, then it makes sense that less is more in terms of elevation. How then, should you go about choosing the right pillow?

The first step is to identify your specific needs. Ask yourself what problems you are regularly experiencing that are preventing you from experiencing an ideal evening rest. It is important to choose a pillow that is at the perfect height for your unique neck and spine. With so many options on the market, this can sometimes be an arduous task. For a little help with determining which pillow would be best for help with neck pain, you can consult our recommendations.

If you are a side sleeper, then you might be an exception to the one pillow rule. The rule still applies for beneath your head.

However, it is best to put that second pillow between your knees. According to the University of Rochester , putting a cushion between your knees at night helps to prevent the leg on top from pulling your spine out of alignment. It is technically the ideal way to sleep for your spines health. So long as you use the right pillows, that is. To really take the stress off at the end of the day, try sleeping with a soft pillow under your knees as well as your head.

Having the two pillows positioned this way keeps your spine in its natural curvature. Raising your knees slightly when sleeping on your back is also proven to help people fall asleep quicker! Sleeping on your stomach is dubbed the worst position for sleeping.

This is because laying flat on your stomach puts high stress on the back of the spine, pulling it out of position. If you can, try to avoid sleeping this way where possible. If it's the only way you can get those zzz's, place a medium pillow under your pelvis area.

This keeps your spine in the best alignment it can be in this position. Ideally, try not to have a pillow under your head but if you need one, make sure it's a soft pillow.

Keeping your head as low as possible will help to align your spine correctly. Brought to you by Mattress Next Day. You can view our entire range of pillows, here. Lucy is a copywriter, trend spotter, and our resident sleep expert!

Lucie has been with the team since and her articles cover a sweeping array of subjects from general product care, the latest bedroom design trends, ways to promote healthier sleep and jargon-busting explanations to help you understand what goes into our products. Call one of our sleep experts today!

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