Sleeping on memory foam pillows provides many health benefits. Apart from being safe and non-toxic, they further improve sleep quality, promising a good night’s sleep.
If you are not aware of the many advantages of using memory foam pillows, do not worry. This article will teach you everything you need to know about these pillows.
We will discuss the various benefits a memory foam pillow offers over a traditional one. Also, we will learn why you should consider switching from traditional pillows to memory foam pillows.
There are mainly three types of memory foam pillows found in the market.
Traditional memory foam: This dense, closed-cell structure pillow keeps sleepers hot. This water-resistant design keeps heat in by maintaining the insulation. Due to the heat generation, it is not the most favored one.
Open-cell memory foam: This softer variant of memory foam has air pockets throughout. Thus it is less dense, and it enhances airflow. It has a spongy, soft-to-touch feel.
Gel-infused memory foam: This open-cell memory foam is packed with gel to offer enhanced breathability, cooling.
Let us get started with our discussion.
Table of Contents
What Are The Benefits of Memory Foam Pillows?
Memory foam pillows provide a hand full of benefits to the sleeper. These include a number of health benefits as well. Let us take a look at the advantages of using a memory foam pillow.
1. Spinal Alignment
Getting proper support to your spine when sleeping is very crucial. It is highly essential, especially when you have back pain or frequently wake up with headaches, sore neck, or stiff neck. Are you having difficulties when sleeping or waking up with aches? These are clear indications of poor spinal alignment.
The most significant way of getting benefitted from the memory foam mattresses from the health point of view is proper spinal alignment. When you lay your head and neck on the pillow, it automatically moulds to your head. It does not stop there. The pillow retains excellent contour to your head, neck, and even shoulders, further keeping your spine inclined.
Why is spinal alignment necessary? We will answer this question to help you learn of its significance during sleep. When there is proper alignment to your spine while sleeping, it reduces the tossing and turning on the bed and also the discomfort. Additionally, it allows proper relaxation to your muscles, thereby offering natural spinal support to your body. This further promotes deep rest and a good night’s sleep.
2. Hypoallergenic
We all know that memory foam pillows consist of hypoallergenic material. This material is completely natural and restricts the bacterial growth that may lead to moulds and dust mites. If you compare to other pillows containing feather, wool, and cotton materials, these pillows will not release any micro-fluff into the air. For those who are susceptible to allergies, memory foam pillows are the best bet.
3. Pressure Point Relief
Memory foam material has the unique feature of contouring to your head. The moulding ability of foam pillows aids in rendering proper support to your neck and head. As a result, it helps in relieving pressure points of your neck, back, and shoulders.
This is a perfect pillow because it allows uniform pressure on all areas of the head and neck. It not only eliminates pressure points but also saves your neck from taking awkward and uncomfortable turns.
4. Eliminates Motion Transfer
Another advantage of sleeping on a memory foam pillow is the zero-motion transfer. This pillow absorbs the motion and abstains from transferring it to the surroundings. Memory foam eliminates motion transfer guaranteeing uninterrupted sleep to both you and your partner.
5. Material Breathability
The memory foam material is familiar for allowing ventilation and proper air circulation. These pillows, especially the newer models having air chambers, promise great breathability. This promotes airflow and keeps the pillow cool while sleeping.
6. Reduces Sleep Apnea Episodes
There is no direct relationship between sleep apnea and memory foam pillow. However, the latter will indirectly help in reducing the sleep apnea episodes. Having a proper spinal alignment while sleeping may help in keeping your airway open. This allows easier breathing without obstructing sleep. Since memory foam relieves pressure points, it further benefits them to reach deep and restful phases of sleep.
7. Retains Its Shape
The significant feature of memory foam pillows is the ability to retain their shape. Unlike traditional pillows, foam pillows do not go flat the moment you lay your head on them. Instead, it conforms to your head when sleeping and gets back to its original shape once you get up, allowing great support to the head and neck. Let us talk about the other benefit. Even if it is a shredded pillow, it will not get lumpy or lose its shape. All you need to do is just fluff it up, and it gets back to its original shape.
8. Cooler Temperatures
Many materials have the tendency to retain heat when sleeping. This makes the sleeper uncomfortable and causes a night of disturbed sleep. But the infused memory foam pillows keep you cool and comfortable during summers by offering better temperature control. The memory foam pillows absorb the heat and do not retain it. Instead, they transfer it away from your body, allowing an uninterrupted and cool sleep at night.
9. Reduced Tossing and Turning
Do you often keep tossing and turning during sleep? Then you should definitely try sleeping on a memory foam pillow. The foam material contours to your head and does not lose its shape after you get up. The conforming feature facilitates undisturbed sleep to the user. Moreover, when you sleep on a polyfill pillow it may shrink or fold when you sleep on it.
Unlike this, a memory foam material retains its shape and keeps your neck from getting into uncomfortable positions or sliding. As a result, you will not have to wake up every few hours from your sleep to flip your pillows. This usually happens when sleeping on other material pillows. Switch to a memory foam pillow, and you will know the difference yourself. This is what you can expect – Less tossing and turning and perfect positioning and support to your neck.
10. Prevent Snoring
Be it snoring of any type, the prime reason behind it is an obstruction in the upper airway. When you sleep on a regular or traditional pillow, you may have to tilt your head for an inclination. Consequently, your airway gets obstructed, resulting in snoring and sleeping disorders.
With a memory foam pillow, your spine and head stay inclined to the right position. This opens your airway passage and prevents snoring.
11. Neck Pain Relief
A memory foam pillow can be a therapeutic option to treat your neck pain. If you have been complaining about a sore or stiff neck after waking up from sleep, you need to switch to a memory foam pillow immediately. This eases your neck pain and grants uninterrupted sleep.
Sometimes, incidents like car crashes, genetics, or sports injuries may leave you with severe neck pain. Using the wrong neck support (pillows) will not exacerbate the pain, making it all the more worse. Additionally, it may even inflict unwanted stress and tension on your back and neck, making you a mere sufferer.
You need a remedy to alleviate this neck pain. You may have to elevate your head to a specific height to achieve this. Needless to say, a memory foam pillow can come to your rescue at this point. The polyurethane material used inside provides elevated support to your neck while sleeping. It also gives that melting feeling by not adding weight to your neck. In the end, all you have is a relaxed and comfortable sleep.
12. Availability
A memory foam pillow is available in different shapes to accommodate the sleeping style of all sleepers.
13. Sleeping Positions
A memory foam pillow is suitable for all sleeping positions, including back sleepers and side sleepers. Contour memory foam pillows are best suitable for side sleepers as they provide extra cushioning and support to the shoulders.
14. Durability
The next benefit of using a memory foam pillow is its durability. These pillows have a long life than a traditional one. If you consider their average lifespan, it comes to around 4 to 10 years. However, it primarily depends on your maintenance and how well you use it. Accordingly, the longevity can be more than the mentioned range.
Do you know the reason why memory foam pillows are highly durable than traditional pillows? It is because they have a higher density than the others. If you see pillows made of cheap materials, they hardly last for about six months. Whereas the memory foam pillows will last for a minimum of three years.
15. Maintenance
When compared to other pillows, the memory foam pillows are easy to maintain. You can spot clean the pillow for any stains, and it will be a brand new one.
16. Price
If we consider the price, a memory foam pillow costs the same as that of a medium-priced to high-priced regular pillows. When you compare the construction, material, and foam density of these pillows to others, the price is reasonable and worth it.
Who Should Not Use Memory Foam Pillows?
Although memory foam pillows add great comfort when sleeping, they are not for everyone. Some people should avoid sleeping on these pillows. Let us learn who should not use a memory foam pillow:
- Firstly, avoid using memory foam pillows for children less than two years. Give only child-size pillows to such kids, and even most pediatricians recommend the same. Using an adult-size foam pillow is not suitable for a small child. Apart from being too big for them, it also contours to their head and even causes suffocation to them. If you still want to use a memory pillow for your child, you can go for special toddler-sized memory pillows that are specially designed for this age group.
- Most memory foam pillows give chemical-off gassing, and people who are sensitive to smells may find it a disadvantage. The pungent smell dissipates in a day or two after you bring them home from the shop, though. However, people who are highly susceptible to factory smells may feel intolerable.
- People who are prone to allergic reactions to chemicals should avoid sleeping on memory foam pillows. Many manufacturers use chemicals containing high VOCs, i.e., Volatile Organic Compounds during the pillow manufacturing process. These pillows release VOC off-gassing odour and chemicals from them. Moreover, high VOCs are harmful to health. With recent developments, manufacturers are producing pillows with low VOC emissions. Some are even free from VOC. It is advisable to check the pillow labels to ensure the correct information.
- Hot sleepers should avoid sleeping on memory foam pillows. These people complain of getting warmer during sleep and even making them sweaty. If you are a hot sleeper, you should probably think before using it.
Conclusion:
I hope this article exposed the health benefits and other advantages you can expect from using a memory foam pillow. With a handful of health benefits, you must now be aware of why switching from traditional pillows to memory pillows is worth the deal. What are you waiting for! Invest in a good quality foam pillow with a proper style, construction, and foam density suitable for your sleeping comfort. In the end, you are investing in your sleep.
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May you find the right pillow that elevates your quality of sleep.
Stay healthy and stay safe!!!
