Neck, shoulder or back pain in the night may come from the pillow rather than the bed or mattress. Ajker Patrika reports the advice of Dr Chris McCarthy, physiotherapist and associate professor at the Manchester School of Physiotherapy, who says a pillow should be chosen by sleeping position, shoulder width and how firm the mattress is. He gave the advice on the BBC's Sliced Bread podcast.
People usually sleep on their side, back or front. He discourages sleeping face-down, because the neck stays turned to one side for a long time and muscles or ligaments can be strained. For back sleepers the natural curve of the neck matters; people whose upper spine has become more curved with age may need a thicker pillow.
For side sleepers, shoulder width matters most: the broader the shoulders, the thicker the pillow generally needs to be. But a firm mattress lets the shoulder sink less, calling for a thicker pillow, while on a soft mattress a thinner one may be enough. If a pillow feels too thin, a folded towel underneath, with more or fewer folds, helps find the right height.
McCarthy says there is no firm evidence that 'contoured', 'ergonomic' or 'orthopaedic' pillows work, though a slightly raised front edge may help some side sleepers. Feather and down pillows keep the head cooler but can bunch up to one side during the night and tilt the neck; hollow-fibre and microfibre pillows hold their shape better but shed heat less well.
Photo: Liz Lawley / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Source: Ajker Patrika
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