Thursday, October 1, 2009

Choose A Memory Foam Pillow

Contour pillows are designed for people who sleep on their backs.


Memory foam is a dense material that responds to the heat of your body and reshapes itself to accommodate your form. Pillows made of memory foam often are good options for people with neck or spine trouble, because the foam is firm enough to support them properly yet malleable enough to give where necessary. Even if you don't have spine problems, memory foam pillows may provide extra comfort if you prefer firm pillows or generally sleep on your back or side.


Instructions


1. Set a budget for your purchase. Although memory foam isn't as expensive as it was when it was first invented, it can be more pricey than standard pillows, particularly if you plan to buy large ones. The cheapest memory foam pillows may be low quality or include low-quality fillers, so slightly more expensive products may last longer or be more comfortable.


2. Determine your normal sleep position. If you usually sleep on your stomach, you need a soft pillow; if you sleep on your side, you need a medium pillow; if you sleep on your back, you need a firm pillow.








3. Select the memory foam density that suits your sleep position. Memory foam density ranges from 3 to 6 pounds, with 3 pounds being the softest and 6 the firmest. Foam with a 4- to 5-pound density is ideal for most sleepers.


4. Decide whether you want your pillow to hold its shape firmly or to revert back to its original shape between uses. For a pillow that holds its shape, choose a visco-elastic product; for one that relaxes back to normal, choose a latex product. Latex pillows tend to be softer and have more give than visco-elastic pillows.


5. Choose a contour pillow if you sleep on your back. These pillows have a built-in depression in the middle for your head, and they provide extra neck support for back sleepers. If you sleep on your side, a contour pillow may be comfortable for you, but if you sleep on your stomach, choose a standard pillow shape.


6. Consider the size of pillow you have now. Ask yourself if the size is comfortable for you or if you would like a bigger or smaller pillow. Choose the size of your memory foam pillow accordingly.


7. Invest in a body pillow if you are pregnant or have significant spine issues. Body pillows provide support for the entire length of the spine. You also may benefit from a body pillow if you usually sleep on your side.

Tags: sleep your, memory foam, pillow sleep, pillow sleep your, sleep your back