Some people said that after a night of sleeping with pillows, they woke up and experienced pain in the neck, back, and shoulder blades. Besides, there have been recent reports that sleeping without a pillow is also good for health.
Thus, is sleep without a pillow really better than sleeping with pillows or not? Let’s find the answer to this crucial question through this article below.
General Information About Using Pillows When Sleeping
Most of us are familiar with using pillows when sleeping. Even many people cannot sleep well without at least one pillow.
Usually, the pillow is placed in the head and neck position, but depending on the sleeping posture, pillows can still be used in many different places to create the best and most comfortable sleep.
Although a pillow can support the head, neck, and become an indispensable item for many people. But recently, scientists have confirmed that sleep without pillows has many good uses for human health.
Using such high pillows during sleep can cause neck, shoulder, and back fatigue. Therefore, people who are experiencing this condition are best to practice the habit of sleeping without a pillow – especially those who often work with computers.
Sleep with pillows can cause neck, shoulder, and back pain.
Of course, if you cannot sleep due to a lack of pillows, choose a pillow of the right height, which can hold your neck in line with your chest, forming a line with your spine.
A standard adult pillow is often 8cm high, 30cm wide, and 60cm long.
Besides, sleeping pillows should not be too hard or too soft. If too hard, it will insert into the nerve at the back of the neck, which adversely affects the blood circulation to the brain, leading to anemia.
Conversely, with the too soft pillow, when you turn into an inclined position during sleep, the head will sink deeply, affecting the respiratory process.
Advantages When Sleeping Without A Pillow For Children
According to experts, sleeping without a pillow is good for human health. Here are a few benefits that this sleep style brings to your babies.
A baby is sleeping without a pillow
Reduce The Risk Of Asphyxiation
If there have too many pillows around the baby or the mother uses an inappropriate pillow, an accident may occur.
At that time, the pillow easily inserts into the baby’s face, leading to the risk of suffocation or neck pain because the parents put the child in the wrong position. Therefore, babies will sleep better without a pillow.
Reduce The Risk Of Allergies
Many children are often allergic to dust. Sleeping on dirty pillowcases, which are not changed and cleaned regularly, can make this situation worse.
Bacteria, dirt, and some other agents tend to hide inside the pillow surface, and they will accumulate there over time. If your children inhale, they are more likely to experience allergies.
Therefore, if your babies sleep without a pillow, they can minimize the risk of allergy caused by this contact.
Prevent Flat Head Syndrome
If the baby’s head is flattened on one side because of an unnatural sleeping position on the pillow, this is called a flat head syndrome.
By not using pillows, your child will sleep in a natural site and prevent the risk of developing the above malformation syndrome.
Prevent Head Sweating
The material of the pillow can also cause a few problems. If the pillowcase is made of poor absorbent material, your baby will easily sweat at his head or feel uncomfortable.
Limit Neck Dislocation
Using a pillow for a long time can cause dislocations. This will not happen if you choose to buy the right pillows, but most baby pillows are not properly designed.
Benefits Of Sleeping Without A Pillow For Adults
Not only suitable for young children, but the habit of sleeping without a pillow also brings many health benefits for adults.
Sleeping without a pillow is good for adults
Prevent Back Pain
Poor posture causes a lot of people to have back pain, and one of the main reasons for this situation is the wrong pillow option.
Some people incidentally purchase pillows that counteract the natural curvature of the spine, causing the spine to bend more than usual. Therefore, sleeping without a pillow is much better than using an inappropriate pillow.
Reduce Neck Pain
When you sleep with a pillow, you accidentally push your neck up or back. This is one of the causes of neck pain and makes you tired after waking up.
On the contrary, without a pillow, the head will rest in its natural position as well as prevent nerve damage.
Limit Acne And Wrinkles
Many people have a habit of lying on one side when sleeping and putting their face on the pillow. However, pillowcases are home as well as breeding grounds for many bacteria.
Thus, if you regularly sleep in this position, they will have a chance to stick to your face, thereby causing acne. Also, it can cause wrinkles to appear because your face is suppressed for hours.
Reduce Stress
Sleeping with an inappropriate pillow can disturb sleep because sometimes, you will change positions in unconsciousness. And if you do not sleep well, you can easily feel uncomfortable and more stressed after waking up.
However, when not using a pillow, the above case will not occur because the body can move freely without hindrance, thereby improving the quality of sleep.
Prevent Insomnia
If you find it difficult to sleep at night, try temporarily away from the pillow. Experts have advised that sleeping without a pillow will help you fall asleep faster and more comfortably.
Improve Energy Levels
Why can sleeping without a pillow do this?
Actually, they are quite related. When you give up the habit of using pillows, you will feel less back pain or neck pain. The body also has the necessary rest to recover energy for the new day after you wake up.
Increase Creativity
A good night’s sleep can improve creativity and even enhance memory. The brain uses the body’s rest time to organize all the information that has been stored during the day.
Therefore, the better you sleep, the better this process will be. And, of course, the memory will also improve.
When sleeping without pillows, the body can quickly recover, rest, and bring about the miracle for both your physical and mental health.
How To Sleep Without A Pillow?
The way to do this habit is also quite simple, and you can refer to the following suggestion:
– Fold a thick towel and place it under the head.
– Make sure the towel is not set too high.
– Reduce the thickness of the towel each week until you feel comfortable to sleep without the need for a pillow.
In Conclusion
Obviously, the use of pillows when sleeping depends on the preferences and needs of each individual.
If you like sleeping with pillows, you should explore the pros and cons of each sleeping position, so you can decide to use the appropriate pillows.
However, many experts revealed that sleeping without a pillow brings unexpected benefits to human health such as stress reduction, insomnia syndrome limitation, neck and back pain improvement…
Therefore, you should try sleeping without a pillow and feel the wonderful advantages of it.
