Choosing a pillow with the right height is very important for the health and posture of your cervical spine. We discussed in Part 1 of this post yesterday. It really depends on the person sleeping on the pillow to determine the right pillow height.
Try to buy pillows that come in a few sizes and not a one size fits all. For example, the arc4life traction pillow: It comes in 3 sizes: small (20"x15"), medium (24'x7") and large (28"x17"). Sure, the majority of people do order the medium size, but there are a fair number of people in the population who the small and large are better suited for.
If you were for example, 5′0 and had a very petite frame, the small would be great for you. The ht of this pillow is about 1″. If you were 5′2- 5′10, I would recommend the medium size for you. The ht of this pillow is about 3–4″.
If you were over 6 ft and built like football player, or needed a bigger pillow, I would recommend a large size to you. The Arc4life pillow also comes in a large size as well. Ht of this pillow is approximately 4–5 “.
If you are a smaller person but order a pillow that is too large, your ht will be pushed forward. That is not a good scenario. You could wake up with neck pain, stiff neck and an ache. Your muscles would be very tight and generally you would not be happy.
Your height, weight and frame are first thing to look at when choosing the right pillow height. The 2nd thing is to evaluate what happens when you lay down on the pillow. What is happening to your spine when you are 1. sleeping on your side 2. sleeping on your back.
If your neck is raised up or too low, you do not have the correct pillow height. ? If yes, the pillow is too large for you.
You will know that you don't have the right pillow height by how you feel when you lay on the pillow. One important tip, have someone look at your neck position while laying on your back and on your side.
An incorrect pillow height puts un necessary stress on your neck and back muscles, joints and bones. You may feel immediate pain, or you may wake up with neck pain, neck stiffness or an ache. You may also wake up with a headache.
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