Guide to Wellness – July 2019

BUCKWHEAT-FILLED PILLOW

L-SHAPED PILLOW

WEDGE-SHAPED PILLOW

WATER-FILLED PILLOW

ANTI-SNORE PILLOW

CERVICAL PILLOW

Filled with buckwheat hulls,

these are meant to keep

sleepers cool and offer

support by conforming to the

shape of the head and neck.

Some individuals may find these pillows comfortable, says Joel

Press, M.D., the physiatrist-in-chief at the Hospital for Special

Surgery in New York City. Others could find them to be noisy or too

stiff. Though rare in the U.S., there have been reports of allergies

triggered by buckwheat.

Shaped like a doorstop,

these prop your torso up

on an incline, using

gravity to, theoretically,

help with heartburn and

sinus pressure.

They might be worth a try, says Jennifer Hsia, M.D., an assistant

professor in the department of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery

at the University of Minnesota Medical School. It can be easier for

stomach acid to travel up to the throat when we are horizontal vs.

when we are more upright, Hsia says. She also says a wedge-shaped

pillow may help to reduce “some of the swelling that can occur in

our nasal passages just from lying down.”

These pillows are designed

to encourage people to sleep

on their sides, which can

potentially reduce snoring.

Trying one may be a reasonable place to start: They may help

address mild snoring problems in people who snore only when

lying on their backs, Hsia says. (They will not be effective for

those who also snore on their sides.) If snoring persists, speak to

your healthcare provider: It may be a symptom of sleep apnea,

which requires more serious interventions.

Large pillows designed to

be both hugged and placed

between the knees, these

are supposed to help side

sleepers snooze comfortably,

reducing stress on the hips

and lower back.

Placing a pillow between the knees is common advice for relieving low-

back pain, says Sue Gordon, Ph.D., chair of restorative care in aging

at the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Flinders University

in Adelaide, South Australia. The shape and surface area might make

it easier to find a position that relieves soreness for side sleepers,

says Jeffrey Goldstein, M.D., a clinical professor in the department of

orthopedic surgery and chief of spine service at NYU Langone Health.

By using more or less water

in a bag inserted into

this pillow’s core, you can

customize the firmness

and height to your liking.

The adjustability “does allow you to dial in your comfort,”

Goldstein says. “You can customize it to fit your needs.”

Cervical pillows have

a dip in the middle

intended to keep your

neck supported and

properly centered.

Cervical pillows can help maintain your spine’s proper

alignment while you sleep, Press says. At least one

manufacturer of a certain type of cervical pillow claims

it can provide traction, but true therapeutic traction—

which gently stretches the neck to relieve pain—can

require specialized devices.

TYPE PROMISE EXPERTS’ OPINION

Do These Pillows

Keep Their Promises?

Can a pillow reduce pain and improve sleep?

Medical experts weigh in on the claims of several

types of specialty pillows on the market today.

Sleep Better

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68 GUIDE TO WELLNESS CR.ORG