If your tossing and turning all night or you wake up with a stiff neck, it might be time for a new pillow. Using the right neck pillow can help to relieve stiffness, pain and headaches. Using a good neck pillow will help support the natural curve that should exist in the neck and help maintain proper alignment. If you fold your pillow in half and it doesn’t start to unfold on its own, it is time for a new pillow. Also be aware of older pillows which retain dust mites, dead mites and mite excrement. Be careful of allergies to down, wool, silk, cotton or latex which often make up the material of pillows. A good alternative if you have allergies is a hypoallergenic pillow.

The average person spends approximately one third of their life sleeping. It is important to maintain good posture while sleeping to help prevent neck and back pain. Neck pain sufferers especially benefit from a good pillow to help manage their problem. There are many options out there for pillows. It is important to find one that provides good support as well as comfort. You may need to try more than one to find the one that is best for you.

Sleeping can be very uncomfortable and painful for those with neck pain. A good neck pillow will help to cradle the head and provide support for the neck and prevent distortion of normal alignment and posture. If your pillow is not providing good support, symptoms such as a stiff neck, shoulder pain, headaches and pain, numbness and tingling in the arm and hand may develop.

Using too thin or no neck pillow at all can place the unsupported neck under strain all night long. Using a pillow which is too thick or too firm can cause abnormal pressure on the joints and push the neck up to high. When sleeping on your side, it is important that the pillow fills in the space between the head and bed to keep the spine straight. If the pillow is too thick or thin, it will not do this. If you sleep on your back, a pillow with a contour will help to support the natural curve in the neck. It will help to prevent the head from being too high or too low in relation to the rest of the body which may cause strain in the neck muscles and cause uneven pressure on the joints.

Neck pillows come in different sizes and you should choose one that best fits your size. If you have a saggy bed, you may want to choose a bigger pillow. Adjustable pillows are available such as inflatable neck pillows or water pillows. Inflatable pillows use air cells in order to adjust the amount of air you put in the pillow to reach the correct height. In water pillows, you can adjust the amount of water you put in the pillow to get to an ideal height and support. These pillows are a good choice when different height levels are needed.

Memory foam pillows also provide good support. Memory foam pillows can help dampen vibrations and are a good option when on the road to avoid vibration and temperature changes. A combination pillow may be a good option for some who have a difficult time finding the right neck pillow. It combines memory foam with other fill material to provide more comfort. For those that suffer back and neck pain, a body pillow may be a good option to provide support and total body alignment.