Pillows

shandy4greenday

Can anyone recommend me some good pillow support.If I have my pillows propped up I get a bad neck and shoulders and if I have them flat I get this lower back trouble that also moves around to your stomach.I used to have this back problem when I worked in care then I got one of those magnetic bracelets which worked a treat,eventually I was able to not need it anymore as I stopped working in care.I have since come back from holiday where it restarted again I think due to the awful beds in the caravan.Sometimes it can be so bad that I am too worried to go to sleep.The last couple days I've slept better due to propping my pillows up quite a bit but then I worry it will make my neck and shoulders worse again as since I had started having my pillows flat that helped up until my holiday.I was thinking about trying one of those V pillows and wondered if anyone has any other suggestions that might help.

deedeeitsme

There's no harm in trying the v shaped ones Shandy. Not tried them myself but must admit I have 2 pillows and 1 of the little cushions off the bed to sleep on.
Worrying will also make things worse I find so you really need to try and relax when you go to bed. Maybe try a nice lavender bubble bath before bed. R*d*x do a lovely lavender and water lily one.

Take care
Dee xxx

chookgate

Apparently you need a firmer pillow if you sleep on your back than if you sleep on your side. I find it important to get the height right - otherwise I either get headaches or aching shoulders.

Some people swear by memory foam pillows (but I found the one I had too heavy and solid - I sleep on my side) so may be worth trying out.

Otherwise M&S do some pretty comfortable pillows in firm and medium - not sure how long they last though, but they're not expensive, and you should replace your pillow every year anyway (apparently they soak up sweat and deak skin cells etc).

Never tried a V pillow, but I would imagine they'd be good for people who do sleep on their back?

Boomer13

Hi; I have a small memory form contour pillow that is the only thing I can sleep on because of neck and upper back arthritis. I also have a regular pillow that is stuffed with chipped memory foam that is pretty good. I find I switch between the two and no pillow throughout the night to deal with the pain and headaches.

Good luck,
Anna

dreamdaisy

My experience of V pillows is that they start off in a nice V shape but then they spread and you end up slumped in a very uncomfortable position. I remember a pillow arrangement called the armchair - I will do my best to explain it - you need four thinner pillows.

Place the first pillow in the usual way. Place two more on it, but this time side by side pointing down the bed. Put the fourth one on top of those in the usual way (it will look as if the top pillow has two legs). A nurse did this for me in hospital after my ovary was removed (attached to a 3.8 kilo cyst ), I had to sleep on my back thanks to a massive scar from navel to pubis and it was so comfy, even with NHS standard issue pillows. DD

shandy4greenday

Thankyou for the tips all I will try this I do have a foam one which I normally place on the bottom as it's more sturdy I think it's time I need to get out and purchase some good pillows.

stickywicket

If you do use a memory foam one you shou have the wider half under your head if sleeping on your side and the smaller half under you head if sleeping on your back.

johnsouthwales

i had some cracking silent night pillows a while back, they weren't memory foam but there was something in the hollow fibres mixed with polyurethane foam that made it firm.. it took a week to break in but they were really good and some neck/head relief arrived and could feel the difference straight away... but i washed them and fell apart, and i could not find them again. i got in touch with the manufacturer who weren't very helpful, so had to find some others, but whatever i look for now is no match for the old ones.

silent night etc make thousands everyday and change the fillings so often. even i had some broken ones when opening the packet.

some memory foams are good but i find some give too much support. debenhams have some good pillows, but what i noticed is that the demonstration model on the shelf is probably older and softer, and the ones inside the sealed packet are different feel. But that's going to happen in any shop

applerose

There are a few things here I didn't know like which one to use if you sleep on your back or side and which way round to use the memory foam pillows. And DD, I think I'll give the armchair a go. Sounds as if that might work. I find 1 pillow is not enough and 2 is too much.

shandy4greenday

Thankyou John for that I will go and have a good look around before I buy. Some I don't like to buy from places like Argos as I prefer to try and feel them through the packets, if you buy through stores like Argos you don't know what you are buying as you can't always rely on the description.

johnsouthwales

that's the best way. if you do buy from argos, if anything is up, they will exchange if it's faulty. the manufacturers make so many, it's possible some damaged ones slip through and end up in the wrapped pack. and someones head sinks in where there's split filling.

most shops now don't really have the floor space to have demonstartion pillows which is a bit unfair because even trying to figure out the firmess by squishing the outer wrapping is a bit false perception cos they are very tightly packed so you can't really tell.

try to go for ones that have extra filling, bounceback (but check them first) or memory foam. i'm due for a wander soon and i'll keep an eye out

johnsouthwales

if you find two is too much, soften one of them up first, put it at the back. when the other starts to soften. rotate and plump them every week and it should be ok

applerose

Forgot to try the armchair pillows last night. I actually have 3 pillows. I use 2 normal ones most of the time and, as you say John, keep switching them and plumping them. Now and again, I use my memory foam one but that starts too high and ends up too low.