Choose a pillow that works for you
A study by physical therapists at Utica University in New York suggested considering the positive “pillow parameters” before making a purchase. These include a 7-11cm height of the unloaded central part of the pillow, cooling fabrics and memory foam. It recommends contoured pillows with higher sides for side sleepers and a lower, flattened middle for back sleepers.
Paying extra for a fancy pillow doesn’t guarantee improved sleep posture, however. “The pillow is to your head and neck what the mattress is to your body,” says the independent sleep consultant, Dr Neil Stanley. “It needs to work in conjunction with your mattress and the only reliable way of judging its comfort is to try it out on a bed.”
Use a pillow to relieve lower back pain
Do you wake up with stiffness or pain in your lower back? Some adjustments may help. “The older you get, the more important sleep position is,” says James Davies, an osteopath and the author of Body. “There are simple ways to adapt it.” Most of us sleep on our sides in the foetal position, which can be good for lower back pain “particularly if you place a pillow between the knees”, Davies says. “It helps to keep your legs and hips in good alignment.”
Sleeping on the back is considered good for the spine but can sometimes agitate lower back pain. “A pillow underneath your knees can take the pressure off the lower spine,” Davies says. It’s not good for everyone. The NHS advises that pregnant women try to avoid sleeping on their backs after 28 weeks as it may restrict oxygen and blood flow to the baby.
Change position frequently if you sleep on your front
Sleeping on your stomach tends to put more strain on the spine and neck. Last year a review in the journal Musculoskeletal Care revealed that front sleeping is associated with more lower back pain than other positions.
“It’s one of the most problematic positions for the neck as sleeping with the head turned one way means one side of the neck muscles lengthen while the others shorten,” Davies says. “If you can’t change position, try having one of your knees lifted to the side and have arms raised up to the pillow.” Placing a flat pillow under your stomach will “help to prevent overarching of the spine and can take some of the pressure off your lower back”, he says. Better still, change to your back or sides whenever you wriggle around in the night.
