Having a good night’s sleep is very important for our health. It gives us the energy to perform during the day and restores our body and mind at night. Not getting enough sleep has quite a lot of negative effects. It can make us tired, cranky, unable to focus and even impair our immune system. But a good night’s sleep is not as easy as it looks for some. A lot of people struggle with falling asleep or sleeping through the night, even kids. Luckily, there is a lot you can do to improve the quality of sleep. One of the most important factors for good rest is a comfortable bed. A good quality mattress for kids, a comfortable blanket, and a good pillow are essential. But how do you pick the best pillow for your child?
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The importance of a pillow
There are quite a lot of people convinced that sleeping without a pillow is actually better for the body, especially for kids. This is simply not true, though. A pillow plays an important role in supporting the head and neck during sleep and aligning the body while sleeping. It offers more support than only a mattress for kids could offer. A good pillow can distribute the pressure equally and relieve any pressure points in the body. Through this, the pillow can alleviate neck pain, back pain, joint pain, headaches, and other common physical ailments. But a pillow is more than just beneficial for alignment. A pillow offers comfort too. People enjoy sleeping on a pillow because it is soft, cool and it relaxed the body.
Types of pillows
People differ a lot when it comes to sleep styles, sleep patterns, and personal preferences. It is very important to find a pillow that fits your sleep style and your preferences for optimal sleep quality. There are quite a lot of pillows to choose from. The pillows range from very soft to very firm, but there are differences in material, shape, and size as well.
Feather pillow
This is the type of pillow that people envision when thinking about a pillow fight. It’s a fluffy, soft pillow that is filled with feathers for comfort. It is lightweight and moldable, but it is difficult to clean and it isn’t very everyone. If you have allergies, this pillow is unlikely to be suitable.
Cotton pillow
A cotton pillow is a very popular option and a good alternative for the feather pillow. It is hypoallergenic and it is sold in different sizes. You can get a soft cotton pillow, but also a firm one. You can easily clean a cotton pillow, but it can get lumpy over time. It is therefore recommended that you regularly change the pillow for proper support.
Polyester pillow
Polyester pillows have become popular because they are affordable and available in different sizes and types. They are made up of polyester fibers and therefore they are hypoallergenic. The pillows do tend to become lumpy over time and they need to be changed regularly.
Memory foam pillow
Memory foam pillows have become increasingly popular over the years and with good reason. They offer great support and alignment during sleep and they are hypoallergenic. This type of pillow is known to relieve muscle tension, headaches, and joint pains because it molds to the shape of the body. It is made from memory foam and this material is very moldable and doesn’t clump. Memory foam pillows are available in different sizes and there is even a memory foam kids pillow available.
Shredded memory foam pillow
A shredded memory foam pillow is made up of shredded memory foam. This way, the pillow can be adjusted to the personal preferences of weight, height, and denseness. It doesn’t clump and it offers the same support as a traditional memory foam pillow. It can wear out over time, though.
Buckwheat pillow
Buckwheat pillows have been a trend in the past because of the firmness and the support the pillows offer. They are moldable and durable, but they still remain cool during sleep. Because of the material, the pillows are quite noisy when moving. And some people find the buckwheat pillow too heavy and too firm for comfort.
What type of pillow is best for a child?
Although a pillow is beneficial to sleep quality and health, not just any pillow will do. What type of pillow is best for your child greatly depends on the child’s sleep style and personal preferences. Side sleepers usually prefer a soft to a medium pillow. Back sleepers are often better off with a medium-soft to a medium-firm pillow, depending on personal preferences. And stomach sleepers tend to prefer a medium to a firm pillow. If your child is a restless sleeper that tends to wake up a lot at night, a memory foam kids pillow can offer relief. Because the pillow forms to the child’s body, it reduces motion transfer and increases comfort during sleep. The chances of waking up during sleep are reduced. A memory foam kids pillow is a good match for back and side sleepers and it is completely safe to use for kids of three years and up.