How to choose a pillow

Speaking of pillows, people often think of the idioms "sleeping with a high pillow" and "sleeping with a high pillow and no worries", believing that it is better to sleep with a high pillow. In fact, a high pillow is not good for people, but a suitable pillow can help relax the whole body, protect the neck and brain, and promote and improve sleep. Therefore, when choosing a pillow, you should pay attention to the following points:

(1) Height: Modern research shows that the height of the pillow should be slightly lower than the distance from the shoulder to the neck on the same side. The height of the pillow is determined according to the physiological curve of the seven cervical vertebrae in the human neck. Only by adapting to this physiological curve can the shoulder and neck muscles, ligaments and joints be relaxed. A pillow that is too high or too low is harmful. A high pillow hinders blood circulation in the head, which can easily cause cerebral ischemia, snoring and stiff neck. It is not as people often say "sleeping high means no worries"; a low pillow causes congestion in the head, which can easily cause swelling of the eyelids and face. In particular, when suffering from high blood pressure or heart disease, it is better to choose a suitable pillow.

(2) Length and width: The pillow should be slightly longer, and the length should be enough for a sleeper to turn over his or her body. The pillow should not be too wide. If it is too wide, it will exceed the head and neck joints, causing muscles to become tense. 15 to 20 cm is appropriate.

(3) Softness and hardness: A pillow with moderate hardness and a little elasticity is best. If the pillow is too hard, the relative pressure between the head and neck will increase, causing discomfort in the head; if the pillow is too soft, it will be difficult to maintain a normal height, causing the head and neck to lack support and become fatigued; if the pillow is too elastic, the head will be constantly affected by external elastic force, which can easily cause muscle fatigue and injury. Therefore, the pillow cores are generally made of rice husks, buckwheat husks, kapok, feather flakes, loose foam glue, etc. They are soft and hard, slightly elastic, and beneficial to sleep and health.