Ideal sleep is when you go to bed in the evening, sleep deeply and peacefully, and wake up only in the morning. This way, the body has time to recover, its immunity and resistance to stress are strengthened. But how can you create conditions for a good rest?
Why Good Sleep Is Important
With the onset of autumn, many people experience a deterioration in their physical condition. Cold and humidity contribute to colds and provoke an exacerbation of chronic diseases. The reduction in daylight hours causes a feeling of fatigue and apathy, affects our biorhythms. Proper sleep organization helps to adapt to natural changes and maintain vigor and efficiency during the day.
Sleep plays an important role in strengthening the immune system, especially in the fall, during the cold and flu season. When a person sleeps, his brain rests, and the body recovers and fights infections. Therefore, in the morning we normally feel cheerful and full of energy. If sleep is not long enough or shallow, the risk of illness increases. When a person sleeps little or regularly wakes up during sleep, his mood, memory and ability to work worsen, irritability appears.
How to Prepare for Sleep
To ensure deep and long sleep, it is worth following several rules. First of all, it would be good to stick to a daily routine. Before going to bed, it is important not to watch TV or videos on the computer, not to engage in active physical or intellectual activity (games, dancing, solving problems). You should not have dinner immediately before going to bed: it is better to eat a couple of hours earlier and not to overload the body with heavy food. It is useful to walk in the fresh air.You may be surprised, but your well-being and quality of sleep can be affected by the properties of your pillow – its shape, material and height.
Which pillow shape is better?
The shape of the pillow is of great importance for maintaining the correct position of the neck and head during sleep. Most people choose a regular pillow of a classic shape in the form of a rectangle or square. They are universal – comfortable for adults and children, for healthy people or those with illnesses.
Round pillows are also sold in stores. They look unusual, so many people buy them to decorate their interiors. Round pillows are not very suitable for sleeping: even with a slight shift in the body, the head quickly slips off the pillow and the neck becomes numb.
Anatomical, orthopedic and ergonomic pillow: what is the difference
All types of Blue Sleep pillows are developed by British technologists. Photo: press service
In the last two decades, anatomical pillows have become widespread. These include models with a recess for the head, with a bolster for the neck, and so on. Such pillows are useful during wakefulness, for example, when you have to sit for a long time in a chair in front of a computer or in a car behind the wheel. There are also options for sleeping.
A pillow with foam bolsters. It is anatomical, not orthopedic. However, it is stated that it has an “orthopedic shape”. This is not the same thing. Photo: press service
A similar, but still different type of pillows are orthopedic pillows. They help with back or neck problems. Most often, orthopedic pillows are used for such diseases as osteochondrosis, vertebrobasilar insufficiency syndrome (impaired blood supply to the brain), spinal injuries (cervical spine), a number of diseases in which a person is accompanied by headaches or dizziness.
Many people confuse orthopedic and anatomical pillows. In addition, the word “ergonomic” can often be found in advertising. What is the difference?
An orthopedic pillow is a medical device. This means that it is intended for the treatment or prevention of diseases. In order to sell an orthopedic pillow, the copyright holder must obtain a registration certificate from Roszdravnadzor. Such types of pillows must be used as prescribed by a doctor.
The anatomical pillow is not a medical device. It is designed to create conditions for the correct (anatomical) placement of muscles and skeleton during sleep. It can be purchased and used without a doctor’s prescription.
An ergonomic pillow is usually the name given to an improved version of a regular pillow that is more comfortable.
Material
The material the pillow is made of is also important for a comfortable sleep. There are many options: cotton, linen, synthetic fibers, memory foam…
The latter is worth mentioning separately. Memory foam is polyurethane that has been given special properties by special processing in industrial conditions. It is somewhat similar to a sponge. If you put your head on it, the material will take its shape. After a person gets up, the pillow straightens out and looks as if you had not lain on it.
Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages, so the choice depends on your preferences and the presence or absence of allergies. The main thing is that the pillow is comfortable and pleasant to the touch.
Pillow height
The height of pillows is usually 6-16 cm. Many people find a height of 10-14 cm comfortable. If your mattress is soft, it is better to buy a low pillow, and if it is hard, on the contrary, a high one.
When choosing the height of the pillow, you should also consider your body weight. If you are overweight, it is better to buy a high pillow. If your weight is closer to the lower limit of the norm, you should take a low pillow.
When a person tries to fall asleep, he sometimes puts his hand on the pillow under his head, otherwise he feels uncomfortable. The opposite also happens: you have to get up and press the pillow. Such situations indicate that the height of the pillow is not suitable: in the first case, it is too small, in the second, it is too big. It is better to buy a new pillow.
Some people prefer to sleep without a pillow at all, but this is not the best option for health. If the head lies at the level of the body for a long time, blood circulation in the vessels of the brain and spinal cord is disrupted. In addition, nerve endings can be pinched. It is not for nothing that doctors recommend a small pillow even for newborns.
Anti-allergenic properties
If you have allergies, you should choose a hypoallergenic pillow. Many of them come with special covers and contain fillers that prevent the accumulation of dust, mites and other allergens. Can you trust the manufacturer’s claims that the product is hypoallergenic? The answer is “yes”, if the words are confirmed by a certificate of conformity.
Before selling a product labeled “hypoallergenic”, a company orders a test of its product from a certified laboratory. The manufacturer submits the test results to regulatory authorities, who issue a permit for sale. The fact that the pillow is hypoallergenic is indicated in the certificate. It may happen that some companies sell regular pillows, but use the word “hypoallergenic” for marketing purposes. To be sure of the properties of the product, the buyer should ask the seller to show the pillow certificate or check it themselves on the manufacturer’s website.
How to care for your pillow
The rules are quite simple: use a pillowcase, remove it and wash it weekly. If the manufacturer has specified a service life for the pillow, it must be followed.
How much do the pillows cost?
Like any other goods, pillows are divided into those whose cost is comfortable for most people, and expensive ones. The price range is unusually wide: from 200 rubles to 50,000 dollars. Most models cost from 500 to 10,000 rubles.
The cost of a pillow is largely determined by the filler and the material of the cover. Premium products contain natural materials: swan, sheep, camel down, flax, eucalyptus. Covers for them are made of natural silk, wool, suede. If a person has an allergy, especially to many factors, then expensive pillows will not be the best choice – precisely because of the naturalness of the materials (many natural plants are allergens).
Products that are comfortable in price for most people are filled with synthetic fiber: holofiber, sintepon, microfiber. Covers for them are made of polyester. Other fabrics are often used – satin or cotton. Hypoallergenic pillows belong to this price segment.
Some companies now understand that by changing the filler or the fabric of the pillow case, you can reduce the price without losing quality. For example, we developed a production technology and applied it in the Simple by Blue Sleep pillow line. Due to special processing of the filler and the cover material, the price of the finished product decreased, and the quality at least did not fall.
Despite the fact that September, October and November are a period of rain and cloudy skies, you can have a great time in the fall, walk, collect bouquets of colorful leaves, take photos, start a new hobby, communicate with loved ones… In order to have strength and energy for an active lifestyle, you need to get enough sleep. The right choice of pillow is important for your well-being and mood. And not only in the fall! It is better to take care of your health constantly, regardless of the season and weather.