If You Wake Up in Pain…
A Guide to Choosing the Right Pillow
Waking up with a headache or a stiff neck every morning is the quickest way to start your day badly. More often than not, the cause isn’t stress or a bad mattress, as you might think, but your pillow. Let’s find the pillow that suits you best with our Guide to Choosing the Right Pillow…
The neck is one of the most sensitive areas of the spine, and when it isn’t properly supported at night, tension builds up. Long hours in office chairs or in front of screens make an already strained neck even more sensitive.
A good pillow means not just comfort, but healthy posture, uninterrupted sleep and pain-free mornings.
Why Is the Right Pillow So Important?
A pillow affects not only your head but the alignment of your entire spine. The wrong pillow:
– Disrupts the natural position of your head
– Makes your neck muscles tense up through the night
– Creates tension in your shoulders
– Makes you change position constantly without realising it as you sleep
An ideal pillow should support your head and neck, keep your spine straight and tell your muscles it’s time to “rest”.
What to Consider When Choosing a Pillow
1. What Is Your Sleeping Position?
The ideal pillow type is different for each position.
– Back Sleepers: A pillow of medium thickness and medium firmness is ideal. The head should neither be pushed forward nor fall back. Our pick: a Downmix or medium-fill goose down pillow.
– Side Sleepers: You need a pillow thick enough to fill the gap between your neck and shoulder. Our pick: a high-fill pillow that holds its shape.
– Stomach Sleepers: This position is generally not recommended for the neck, but if you prefer it, use a very thin, soft pillow. Our pick: a slim goose down pillow.
2. Pillow Height and Firmness
Pillow height is crucial for preserving the natural curve of your neck vertebrae:
– Pillow too high: the head tilts forward → neck muscles tense up
– Pillow too low: the head falls back → the curve of the spine is disrupted
– Pillow too firm: creates pressure points and lowers sleep quality
– Pillow too soft: offers no support, so you wake up in pain. Only suitable for stomach sleepers.
3. Choosing the Filling
Each type of filling offers a different sleep feel:
Is Your Pillow Right for You?
Quick tests you can do at home:
✅ When you lie on your pillow, are your head and shoulder aligned?
✅ When lying on your back, does your chin come too close to your chest?
✅ Do you wake up with a headache?
✅ Do you change position often during the night?
If you answer “yes” to even one of these questions, it may be time to rethink your pillow.
Lyssa Home Recommends
At Lyssa Home, we offer pillows to suit every sleep type and body’s needs:
– Goose down pillows: ultra-lightness and natural comfort
– Downmix pillows: balanced support and softness
– High pillows: the perfect shape for side sleepers
Visit our online store to see our full pillow collection.
