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Is Your Pillow Waking You Up?
There are many factors required to achieve a good night’s sleep. One of these factors is a good quality pillow, which must help you maintain a natural curve of the spine. This article contains a checklist to use as a guide when purchasing a good quality pillow.
 To achieve a good night’s sleep necessitates a good sleep
environment. The list of requirements is long but not un-achievable. The room must be as dark as possible and an absence of external noise is a must. In an ideal world, your partner can’t snore and the room temperature should also be a consistent,
temperate 20 degrees Celsius. Your sleep platform (mattress, base, quilt, and pillow) should meet with strict scientific standards.
Many bedding manufacturers preach that a “good pillow” is enough to achieve the right position for the head and neck. Following the principles of ergonomics i.e. the science dedicated to designing products to optimize human well-being and overall system
performance, the right sleep position can only be achieved if
mattress, base and pillow work together to provide the appropriate support.
What is the right sleeping position? It is the position that ensures one will maintain the natural curve of the spine without bending or creating any pressure on bones, or muscles.
Following the advice of Prof. Allan Hedge , Professor, Ergonomics Cornell University, this is the checklist for a good quality pillow1. It should be designed:
- To keep the spine in natural alignment.
- For maximum adjustability.
- With the ability to be fluffed to fit the unique contour,
shape, and sleeping posture of the user.
- To support different sleep positions: Side Sleeper
- Back Sleeper - Stomach Sleeper.
- To support the head.
- To provide tactile softness.
- To eliminate pressure points.
- To increase facial air circulation.
- To be hypoallergenic.
Personally, I would add a couple of points. The Pillow must be:
- Free of toxic substances.
- Washable in a standard washing machine.
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, achieving the
appropriate sleep environment is not impossible. By attending a Wenatex seminar, you will not only learn more about the right
pillow but also how to improve the overall quality of your sleep.
Wenatex’s Healthy Sleep for a Better Life seminar is the ONLY event where you will learn strategies to improve both the quality and quantity of your sleep. Register now for this informative FREE event by filling in the form below. A Wenatex representative will contact you soon to book you into a seminar convenient to you.
Alternatively, you can reserve your seat by telephoning our events line on Freecall
1 888 659 9699.
* Important Note: You cannot attend more than one seminar in a 12 month period.
Sources
1 http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article1484.html, accessed 11 June 2008.
This article is for information only. For health advice specific to you, please consult your Health Professional.
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