WHAT IS AN ORTHOPAEDIC PILLOW AND WHY SHOULD YOU USE ONE?
In the 2016 Tour de France Team Sky’s obsession was to identify every single opportunity to give their riders marginal gains over their competitors. They therefore decided to provide each rider in the team with their own memory foam pillow and mattress which Team Sky brought with them to every hotel they stayed in during the Tour de France. No matter what hotel the Team Sky riders were staying in throughout the 21 different stages of the race they were able to get a consistent and comfortable rest on the same pillow and mattress.
Team Sky recognised that sleep is one of the most important things you can do to remain healthy. Sleep enables the body to repair, improves recovery, boosts the immune system, and helps you to make fitness gains.
We have all heard of the magic eight hours of sleep per night as being the recommended goal we should be looking to achieve. However it is important to remember that everybody is different and therefore we all have different sleep needs. It is not just about the number of hours spent in your bed the quality of the sleep you get is just as important as the quantity. Making sure your bed and your bedroom are set up for a good night’s sleep is key. Being comfortable in bed is top of this list and this is where having an orthopaedic pillow comes in.
WHAT IS AN ORTHOPAEDIC PILLOW?
Also often referred to as a cervical pillow, they are designed to correct body positioning in bed. An orthopaedic pillow provides enhanced support for the head and neck to aid better quality sleep and help to prevent neck pain. They come in many shapes and sizes the most popular orthopaedic pillows are rectangular and contain memory foam.
WHY USE AN ORTHOPAEDIC PILLOW?
The job of a pillow is simple it is there to provide consistent support for your head and neck and keep you in a neutral position while you sleep. However traditional pillows can often fail to deliver in this regard;
- They can be too thick or too thin. If they are too thick you will end up sleeping in a unnatural position with your head overly elevated which could result in neck pain. Similarly a wafer thin pillow will result in your head and neck bending downward in an awkward position again potentially resulting in neck pain.
- They can be too soft and therefore they will not provide consistent support to your head and neck while you sleep. You may go to sleep with a nicely up plumped up pillow however while you are sleeping and moving your head from side to side the pillow can slowly begin to collapse under the pressure and therefore no longer provide the consistent support required.
An orthopaedic memory foam pillow allows your head to rest in its natural ergonomic cervical contour thereby relieving pressure and keeping your neck and shoulders perfectly supported. By supporting your head in a neutral position, the muscles in your neck and back are able to relax. This reduces pressure on your discs and muscles enabling you to have a better quality of rest.
The average human spend 33 years of their life in bed which is a very good reason to invest in yourself and your quality of sleep with an orthopaedic memory foam pillow!