How was your sleep last night? Not so great? Maybe you were cold. Or your book was at the exciting part? Did you eat supper too late? Maybe the food was too spicy? Exercise later than usual? Work late? Have stuff on your mind? These are a handful of reasons why we may not get as much restful sleep as we’d like. Or it might be as simple as replacing your pillow. Yes, you heard me. It might be time to replace your flattened out ten year old pillow.
Over the last few months I have been hearing that MyPillow advertisement on the radio over and over again. So maybe it’s a bit of brainwashing. But I’ve also seen and heard many mattress ads too. Like most of us, I decided on the cheaper and simpler of the two. Keep reading.
For some time, I had been feeling a lot of pressure on my face when I woke up. My cheek was getting absolutely squished. Was I sleeping on a brick? I also noticed extra tightness in my low back. Just to back track, sleep has been absolutely crucial for me as long as I can remember. Not only have I had a few sports related injuries that required me to rest and get off my feet, but I’d been in a couple car accidents 26 and 22 years ago, respectively. These were good ol’ fender benders where I experienced whiplash. For both I dealt with sciatica issues and some peripheral neuropathy for many years. That is why I consider myself a bit of an expert on shoes, chairs and pillows. So back to present day. After listening to me complain, my thoughtful wife, Heather, suggested that I grab one of the new pillows she bought for our guest room. Ahh, she’s always looking after me. Drum roll please. Problem solved. The moment I laid my head down, I was like “this is how it’s suppose to feel.”
Laying my head on the new pillow was like trying on a new pair of athletic shoes. Can you relate? You slip your old shoes back on after trying new ones and you realize your old shoes offer zero support and are so compressed they feel more like bedroom slippers. You’ve heard me rant in previous posts about wearing comfortable shoes and replacing them sooner rather than later. Some running shoes, for example, say you should replace them after 300, 400 or 500 miles or between 3 to 6 months. I’m on my feet for long stretches, so that is more difficult to calculate. There is little noticeable wear on the outside of the shoes but lots of compression inside. The same is true with your pillow. I’ve read that you should replace your pillow every 2 to 3 years, if not sooner. Personally, I think it’s entirely up to you. If you are uncomfortable laying your head on your pillow, that’s a quick clue.
Remember to take holistic approach. If you are not getting restful sleep you should also look at your workout routine, diet, etc. to see if you’ve made any recent changes. I can tell you that sitting in front of my desktop computer for too long makes my neck and upper back hurt. That’s why I’m going to end this article soon.
Hindsight is 20/20 right? With my old pillow I noticed that I was less settled when I slept. I’d roll from side to side. Getting restful and uninterrupted sleep is a key ingredient to your health and well-being. So before you spend serious bucks on a new mattress or make an appointment with your chiropractor try a new pillow.