Does the thought of your soft, fluffy pillow bring thoughts of pain and suffering? When I think of things that cause pain, pillows don’t usually come to mind.

How could such an innocent household item be the cause of so much pain? Your squishy bedtime friends flatten out and their change shape with use over time. So, how long have you had your current pillow? That pillow that was so supportive when it was brand new may need to be retired if it’s not as firm as it once was.

Is your pillow a pain in the neck? Neck and shoulder pain one of the most common complaints that I hear from my clients. When confronted with a client in pain I like to ask questions to understand what has caused the pain. Of course there are loads of other factors (including stress and posture) for many people. If you “sleep funny” or wake up with more pain than you had the night before your foamy or feathered friend might be to blame.

If your neck didn’t hurt when you went to bed but is does in the morning, something about how you sleep may be causing it.

Typically when people think about their bed they think about how they would like to spend more time there, not about foam degradation or long term compression value of down versus bamboo.  We have enough other things to occupy our attention. Even if we occasionally wake up with a headache, it’s still nice to crawl into bed after a long day. We do notice differences when sleeping in a new place and we look forward to getting back into our own bed.

Sleep is incredibly important and we should feel better, not worse, in the mornings. Getting a good nights sleep not only makes our days a little brighter, it also can cause changes in weight, personality, stress levels, intelligence and so many more things. And while you are taking a closer look at the bedroom, examine your mattress also.

Pillows don’t cost a lot so it is not a big expense to try a new one. it is money well spent if a few dollars can prevent you from waking up with pain. Mattresses are of course more expensive, so be sure to do your research and get one that you will be happy with for the next ten years.
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There are plenty of things in the world that cause you pain so if your a pillow is a problem, replace it.  It may be hard to let go of the old one, but you will learn to love your new one too.