“Experience The Ultimate Bliss of Sound Sleep with the Right Type of Pillow”
Pillows have a great impact on overall sleep quality. However, people often overlook this value and go for generic pillows.
While standard pillows are supportive, innovative (specially crafted) pillows provide ultimate comfort and relieve several chronic issues like snoring, neck pain and other sleep conditions.
The perfect pillow type depends on individual preferences (based on sleeping position and material). Because, it has to provide comfort and support to the head, spine, neck and relieve the pressure.
In this ultimate guide for pillow types – we have provided detailed information on 14 different types of pillows. We have also provided suggestions on the best pillow type for different sleeping positions.
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Different Pillow Types (Based on Material)
When it comes to pillow filling, there are various materials used which impact the degree of firmness or softness level. Also, the filling material may alleviate cooling or warming needs or allergies. Scroll down to know what are those different materials used for pillow filling along with their pros and cons.
1. Memory Foam:
Memory foam pillow filling is comfortable, pain-relieving, and provides support to the head, neck, and back. It quickly responds to your movement and cradles curves. It is made of polyurethane or visco-elastic, which are created with chemicals and thus gives an off-gassing smell. Because of its density and regaining strength, they are suitable for dealing with sleeping issues like snoring, apnea and others. Apart from properly aligning the neck and spine, there are several other benefits of memory foam pillows.
The drawback is that it causes breathability issues and maybe firm for stomach sleepers. There are several brands that provide memory foam pillows. We recommend reading our buying guide to know which memory foam pillow is suitable for you.
2. Shredded Memory Foam:
It is an innovative version of a memory foam pillow. They are moldable, flexible, soft and let you adjust it to your sleeping position. With its similar bounce and responsiveness (same as memory foam), this pillow provides excellent support and firmness that makes it suit perfectly for back/side sleepers rather than stomach sleepers. May require regular fluffing and has off-gassing potential as its drawbacks. A block memory foam pillow is another version of memory foam, which is firm, solid, highly supportive, and won’t clump.
3. Cotton:
Cotton fill is quite common in bedding and pillows. It is soft, breathable, easy to maintain, affordable and naturally hypoallergenic. The main drawback is losing its firmness over time and getting flat and hard. Thereby won’t contour to the head and neck easily. All you need is to clean & fluff it regularly to extend its life. But cotton getting older makes it more prone to sweat absorption and mildew build-up.
4. Latex:
Latex filling material is soft, durable, supportive, and breathable. It is resistant to mold, dust mites, and mildew that let you have a sound and hygienic sleep. Make sure to check pillows to know they are labelled as 100% natural latex and free from polyurethane. A few manufacturers may blend it with polyurethane foam/synthetic latex.
They are eco-friendly and relieves your pressure points. They won’t sink in the middle and are ideal to use for anyone suffering from upper body aches and pains or discomfort in the neck or shoulder area. The only drawback is that it is not suitable for people with latex allergy. In that case, try memory foam pillows.
5. Down:
Down filling material is a soft grouping of fibres, which is termed as undercoating of a bird (duck, goose or swan). Although, it is hypoallergenic material but avoid using if you’re allergic to geese or ducks. They are durable and require regular fluffing. The pillow provides a cooling effect by allowing airflow through it.
With its insulating quality, this warm and cozy pillow is the perfect option for cold nights. Most down pillows are filled with feathers but make sure to check out its ratio. With proper care and maintenance, they can last for up to 20 years. These pillows are ideal for people who prefer to sleep on their stomachs and looking for a fluffy pillow to support their stomach.
The drawback of this material is that it is expensive, may have an allergic reaction and is a bit difficult to clean.
6. Down Alternative (Synthetic):
Many people are allergic to animal feathers. If you are one of those people, you can go with down alternative pillows. This type of pillow is made with a synthetic filling like polyester or polyfill as it is a hypoallergenic material. It is the best alternative to down. It is not as durable, plush or warm but inexpensive, easy to maintain and responsive when compared with down.
7. Feather:
These pillows are another alternative to down pillows in terms of costs. These pillows are affordable and are made from the topcoats of duck and geese. The animal feathers alone can be very rigid sometimes. In those cases, the pillows are mixed with down and animal feathers to make them softer.
The feather may get clumped together and needs frequent readjustment. Furthermore, there are chances of feathers poking through the fabric. In certain cases, they also emit a strange smell when dampened.
8. Buckwheat:
