The 6 wrong ways to place the pillow

We humans, you know, are creative people even when we go to sleep. In a previous article we told you about the different sleep positions, while here we wanted to collect 6 wrong ways to place the pillow: rather common errors but all harmful to our posture and well-being. Let’s see why

1) Pillow under the shoulders

One of the most frequent mistakes is to put the pillow under your shoulders. In this way the pillow is crushed by the (important) weight of the back and cannot adhere well to the neck and head that are instead the two parts of the body that it should support.

You put it under your back because you love reading in the bed? Of course there is nothing wrong. But then, when you lay down, it is good to recover the correct position.

2) Neck out of pillow

This is the opposite position to the previous one but incorrect in the same way. That is, a pillow that does not adhere to the shoulders but not even to the neck, because it is positioned too far back and accommodate only the head or a part of it.

Supporting the cervical spine with the pillow at night is instead a fundamental element to ensure a quality rest avoiding stiff neck and many other discomforts.

3) Pillow on the headboard

Another typical mistake is to place the pillow on the headboard of the bed by putting it almost vertically. The pillow should be placed directly on the mattress, and its ability to support you also depends on it.

In addition, a vertical pillow forces your head and neck to an oblique, completely unnatural position, causing muscle tension and consequent cervical pain.

4) Arm under the head or under the pillow

Putting an arm under the face is a great classic, not only when sleeping on your stomach. It generally comes from the need to have a stiffer support or from the desire to increase the height of the pillow, which is evidently inadequate.

In all cases it is a big mistake not only for your neck. The shoulders twist leading the spine to take a misalignment position that your body will try to compensate “in some way”, a situation certainly not optimal for your posture.

5) Pillow along the body

Are you part of those people who hug the pillow to fall asleep, placing it along the chest because they love that feeling of warm softness that comes with it?

There is nothing wrong of course but be careful: the pillow loses all its functionality turning into an accessory element, almost like a teddy bear! While the pillow, we remember, is together with the mattress a fundamental element to speep well and live our days with the right energy.

6) Double pillows

Some people tend to fold the pillow in two parts as to be thicker, perhaps to watch TV or even use a double pillow. The problem is that they then fall asleep in this position and sometimes wake up in the middle of the night with widespread malaise. Why?

The reason is that the height of the pillow is fundamental and it’s designed to align the neck with the rest of the column, especially in a tailor made pillow like our Nightingold. Double the height of the pillow by folding it in two … it’s never a good idea.

So how to position the pillow?

Regardless of the position you take, on the side or on the back, the pillow must accommodate both the neck and the head that must ideally position itself in the center, as you see in the pictures below.

When you lay down on your bed try to follow these 3 rules:

1) place the pillow horizontally without bending or deforming it;

2) position your shoulders directly on the mattress

3) check to “feel” the pillow touching your neck

Aren’t you comfortable and can’t find the right location to relax?

Then maybe you use a pillow that’s not right for you.

Properly placing the pillow is the first step to getting a good night’s sleep. The second step? Sleep on a tailor made pillow. Nightingold is the pillow created around your physicality and habits.

Discover the benefits of a personalized pillow

Do you suffer of agitated nights and can’t find the right position for your pillow?

We are happy to make our expertise available to you.