Pillows are intended to support the head and neck in a neutral position to minimize biomechanical stresses on cervical structures whilst sleeping. Biomechanical stresses are associated with waking cervical symptoms.
Your pillow contributes to one-third of your sleep quality, in addition to your mattress and frame. Investing in the right pillow can improve your sleep quality by at least 30%. Disturbed sleep unrelated to the pillow was common. Waking symptoms occurring at least once in the baseline week were reported by approximately 20% of the subjects on their ‘own’ pillow.
Sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint an exact cause of headaches. But in many cases, headaches can be associated with neck pain and tension. The base of the neck contains a group of muscles called suboccipital muscles, which directly refer nerves to the skull, including the front of the head and the eyes. An awkward neck position throughout the night will strain neck muscles, which in turn creates tension at the base of your head. If you sleep on your stomach with your neck turned to the side all night or lay on your back with your chin pointed downward – this habit is likely contributing to why you feel head pain in the morning.
Pillows that are too high can cause the head and neck to round forward adding tension to the suboccipital neck muscles. Too much tension in these muscles may result in you waking up with a headache or developing a headache in the morning once you’ve gotten out of bed.
You don’t want a pillow that is too thin or too thick. You need a pillow that’s “just right” to eliminate getting a headache from pillow pressure and a stiff neck. Get a pillow that keeps your neck aligned with the rest of your spine. You may also benefit from training yourself to sleep on your side which allows for an ideal neck alignment. It is recommended to change a standard pillow every few months, or whenever they begin to lose the firmness they had when originally purchased.
