Have you ever woken up with a stiff neck, sore shoulders, or a headache and wondered if your pillow might be part of the problem?
We spend roughly one-third of our lives sleeping. Yet many of us put very little thought into the pillow supporting our head and neck. If your pillow doesn’t properly support your body, your neck may be in a less-than-ideal position for hours each night.
I often talk with patients about posture, spinal alignment. The things we do throughout the day that can affect our neck and back. But what about our posture while we sleep?
The right pillow may make a bigger difference than you think.
That’s one of the reasons I’m excited to introduce Pillowise custom-fit pillows at Anchored In Health in Orland Park.
Why Your Pillow Matters
The purpose of a pillow isn’t simply to make your bed more comfortable. Your pillow helps support your head and neck while you sleep.
If your pillow is too high, too low, too firm, or doesn’t provide enough support, your neck may spend hours in a position that isn’t ideal.
Think about sleeping on your side. The pillow needs to fill the space between your head and the mattress created by the width of your shoulders. Someone with broader shoulders may need very different support than someone with a smaller frame.
The same is true for back sleepers. The goal is to comfortably support the natural position of the neck without pushing the head too far forward or allowing it to fall too far backward.
And then there’s your mattress. A softer mattress allows your body to sink differently than a firm mattress. This can also change the amount of pillow support you need.
This is why finding the “perfect pillow” can be so frustrating.
One Pillow Doesn’t Fit Everyone
We’ve all seen pillows advertised for neck pain, side sleepers, back sleepers, or “perfect spinal alignment.”
But how can the same pillow be perfect for everyone?
We aren’t all built the same.
We have different shoulder widths, different neck dimensions, different sleeping positions, and different mattresses.
This is what I like about Pillowise. Instead of choosing a pillow simply because it feels comfortable for a few minutes in a store, Pillowise takes a more individualized approach.
And individualized care is something we strongly believe in at Anchored In Health.
What Is a Pillowise Custom-Fit Pillow?
Pillowise is a pillow fitting system designed to match your individual body dimensions and sleeping habits with the appropriate pillow size.
The concept was developed in 2003 by Dutch physiotherapist who used body measurements to help determine the right amount of cervical support for each person. Today, Pillowise is recommended by thousands of healthcare professionals around the world.
Instead of simply asking whether you want a soft, medium, or firm pillow, the Pillowise fitting process considers several factors.
We take three measurements:
- Shoulder width
- Neck circumference
- Neck height
We also consider your primary sleeping position and the firmness of your mattress.
Those measurements and sleep characteristics are entered into the Pillowise system. Based on your measurements, you get a recommended pillow size designed to best fit your body.
See How Pillowise Works
Want to see what makes Pillowise different from a traditional pillow? This short video explains how Pillowise is designed to provide individualized support for your head, neck, and spine while you sleep.
Why Is Proper Neck Support So Important?
Your cervical spine is the portion of your spine that makes up your neck.
During the day, we place a tremendous amount of stress on this area. Computers, phones, driving, poor posture, repetitive movements, stress, and previous injuries can all contribute to neck and shoulder tension.
Then we go to bed.
Sleep should give our muscles and joints an opportunity to rest and recover — not place them under additional stress for another eight hours.
A properly fitted pillow is intended to help keep your head and neck in a more neutral position while providing comfortable support to the cervical spine.
This may be especially helpful if you frequently experience:
- Morning neck pain or stiffness
- Shoulder tension
- Headaches upon waking
- Difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position
- Frequent pillow adjustments throughout the night
- The need to stack or fold pillows to get comfortable
- Feeling like your pillow is always too high or too low
Sometimes the problem isn’t that you haven’t found a “good” pillow.
You may simply not have found the right pillow for your body.
How Pillowise Fits Into Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care doesn’t end when you walk out of the office.
I can work with the spine, muscles, joints, posture, and nervous system during your appointment, but what you do between visits matters too.
Your workstation and daily posture can affect your spine. Exercise habits also play an important role. Even the position you sleep in each night can make a difference.
If we’re working to improve mobility, reduce muscle tension, and support better spinal function, it makes sense to look at how your head and neck are being supported while you sleep.
That’s why I see Pillowise as another tool we can use to support the individualized chiropractic care we already provide at Anchored In Health.
What Makes Pillowise Different?
One feature that really stood out to me about Pillowise is its personalized approach. It isn’t simply another pillow that claims to work for everyone.
Pillowise offers seven different pillow sizes. Your size is determined using your individual body measurements, sleep position, and mattress firmness. This helps us find the right amount of support for your head and neck.
I also really like the attention Pillowise gives to the materials used in its pillows. We spend six to eight hours every night with our face and airway directly next to our pillow. What that pillow is made from matters too.
Pillowise pillows are hypoallergenic and made without added fire-retardant chemicals. According to Pillowise, the materials are tested for more than 100 potentially harmful chemicals. They are also designed to meet high European standards for material safety. The pillows are made to avoid the harmful off-gassing associated with some foam products.
For patients trying to reduce unnecessary chemical exposures at home, I think this is an important added benefit. We often think about the foods we eat and the products we put on our skin. We may also pay attention to the cleaning products we use. But our sleeping environment matters too.
The pillows are made with premium memory foam and have a breathable, moisture-regulating Tencel cover for additional comfort.
But for me, what makes Pillowise especially different is the combination of individualized support and attention to cleaner materials. Instead of choosing a pillow through trial and error, Pillowise gives us a way to find a pillow that is better matched to your body, your sleeping position, and your needs.
Pillowise Custom Pillow Fittings Are Now Available at Anchored In Health
I’m excited to now offer Pillowise custom-fit pillows in our Orland Park office.
If you’ve been buying pillow after pillow and still can’t get comfortable, Pillowise may be worth considering. Maybe you regularly wake up with neck stiffness. Or perhaps you simply want to know if your pillow is providing the right support. We can take your measurements and determine your recommended Pillowise size.
The fitting process is simple and only takes a few measurements.
Chiropractic care isn’t one-size-fits-all. Neither are nutritional plans or exercise programs. A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t make sense when it comes to proper sleep support.
Your body is unique. Your pillow should be too.
Want to learn more about Pillowise or have your measurements taken? Ask us about it at your next visit. You can also contact Anchored In Health to schedule a Pillowise fitting at our Orland Park office.
