One of the most critical conditions for well-being is a night of healthy sleep. A lot of aspects like our appearance, physical condition in the morning, mood, and general psychological state depend on it. That is why it is essential to equip a proper sleeping place. There are a lot of disputes about sleeping without a pillow topic. Some people say that it is inconvenient and harmful, while others prove the benefits of such a way to sleep.
Before you decide to get rid of the pillow, you have to remember that this is not equally beneficial for everyone. The question of should you sleep without a pillow needs an individual approach. In this article, I will try to help you analyze your sleeping process and whether getting rid of the pillow is suitable for you.
I will tell you about the role the pillow has in our daily lives. I’ll share all the benefits of pillow absence with you and some tips to start sleeping this way. You’ll find out whether this way of sleeping suits you and how to start sleeping without a pillow. Besides, there are the answers to the most popular questions on the topic you’ll probably want to know.
Sleep Without Pillow: Your Starting Guide
Usually, the discomfort interrupts the stages of sleep that your body needs to function correctly. Why do we sleep with pillows? During sleep, a person needs to put a pillow under the head to relax the cervical vertebrae that became tired during a day, to avoid bending, back pain, and migraines. However, to remove or replace anything unsuitable for our sleep has to be our priority.
An excessively large pillow will distort the natural curve of the spine. As a result, it may harm the head, back, or neck, and, in more serious cases, disorders will occur. Your brain may experience a lack of blood supply because blood will flow up along the side of a mountain called Pillow. During sleep, the body`s natural position implies the head is low enough so that the brain is provided with blood. You can try another way to sleep to avoid discomfort and pain in the spine.
Is it better to sleep with or without a pillow?
The primary support for our body depends on the choice of mattresses and pillows. The majority of people pay lots of attention to the mattress. As for the pillow, we usually select from something available in the shop. Inattentive choice and further frustration can make you think: is it better to sleep without a pillow?
If you want to find the solution to this question, you should analyze your position during the night. Remember that there is no distinct position equally useful for everyone. Your regular one, which you are used to, should be adequately supported by a mix of sleeping accessories. Any chiropractor will confirm that the spinal cord is directly connected to all major organs.
If the spine is damaged and the exchange of connection between your brain and your body is disturbed, it can have even catastrophic consequences. Improper body position causes some of these problems during sleep.
Analyze how your natural sleeping pose affects your spine, which connects your nervous system. It settles it due to displacement and enclosing soft tissue pressure, pointing to long-term pain and chronic health problems due to poor sleep.
As you’re sleeping without a pillow neck pain can be reduced. This way of sleeping can prevent your muscles from straining. It can suit you if you feel discomfort in your spine or neck in the morning.
Why we recommend getting rid of the pillow?
Sleeping with no pillow helps to stretch your spine, and you can relax in a regular pose without any discomfort or pain. If your pillow is very soft, it can lead to your neck tissues and muscles stretching. It also can reduce the flow of the blood to your brain.
If your pillow doesn’t provide appropriate support, then your blood flow will be significantly decreased. That’s why you can feel weak after awakening. It also could be a reason for your morning headache.
If you use a thick pillow or even several pillows, this may distort the position of your neck and head. This factor can also cause back pain. Prolonged sleep in this position can cause chronic pain in the spine, muscle tension, and constriction. If you experience these symptoms, I recommend you try to sleep without a pillow. After a few nights, you can determine if the lack of this accessory helps you. Sleeping without a pillow protects your back and neck and can also help solve some other problems.
A Few Benefits of Sleeping Without a Pillow
- Clean skin: Almost no one changes the pillowcase every day. It can lead to facial skin contamination. The pillow can collect dust, dead skin cells, hair, and sweat. Your face touches this all night. As a result, you may have a rash, allergy, or skin irritation.
Putting a small clean sheet every day could be more comfortable. Perhaps, you can save money on cosmetological items this way, which is a great bonus. - Cervical osteochondrosis: Preventing back and neck pain is another benefit of sleeping with no pillow. However, this method of sleep is not suitable for everyone, as some people prefer purchasing a particular orthopedic model.
- Radiant face: No matter how comfortable your pillow is, it can’t prevent your face from wrinkles and extra lines in the morning. If you don’t lay your face on the pad, there’s no pressure on your skin. Furthermore, the bacteria on the accessory can cause acne and other unpleasurable consequences.
- More in-depth sleep: A soft pillow is not the best solution for a good rest, because the neck and back muscles are so tense. A flat surface makes your sleep deep. This way of sleeping helps your body to find the most convenient natural position. It reduces the level of stress as you don’t have to wake up in the night or search for the right pose for a long time.
- Maintaining a good posture: A night’s sleep on a flat surface restores posture and eliminates osteochondrosis symptoms (though not in all cases).
- Headache prevention: A large and soft pillow provokes migraines, especially in the morning. Besides, this kind of pillow can develop the oxygen starvation that is extremely dangerous for our organism. A flat surface for sleeping is the best solution to prevent migraines.
Can everyone sleep without a pillow?
To get started, think about how you sleep. If you sleep on your stomach, you should know that such a position often puts a strain on the lower part of the back due to a mismatch with cervical alignment. The reason for this may be the incorrect choice of the mattress, health condition, or injury. You need a stable position in the spine to stay healthy.
Are pillows bad for you? — No, but they can be just not suitable for your case. So, let’s find out when sleeping without a pillow is the best option.
Do not rush to throw the pillow away solemnly for an ideal posture or radiant skin.
If you are a stomach sleeper, you always disrupt the spine due to the need to turn your head in various directions. This is the least healthy sleeping position.
However, you can hardly control it as you fall asleep. In this position, your head should be as close to the mattress as possible. It would be the best way for you to give up the pillow. Place your head on the same level as the mattress. In this position, your spine may become more even with time. Besides, you will remove the load from the lower part of the back, internal organs, and neck.
Many experts claim that the ideal option is to sleep lying on your back. There are several reasons for this. It is the most suitable position for the spine (unless you make some mistakes, which I will enlighten later). Also, you most likely will not be bothered by burping.
Attention to everyone who monitors beauty: sleeping on your back allows your face skin to breathe, which reduces the likelihood of dermatological problems and the appearance of early wrinkles. The disadvantage of this posture is the high probability of snoring and sleep apnea.
Some back sleepers will also get certain benefits by abandoning the pillow. But it is not so simple. The need for a pillow depends on your physique, and not on personal preferences. If you have broad shoulders, for example, you will feel very uncomfortable. In case you suffer from back pain, you will thank yourself for your choice.
As you already know, without a pillow, your spine is stretched, and thus you remove the load from it. You will also get the most significant advantage if you choose a hard mattress.
Sleeping on your side helps alleviate discomfort in digestive disorders. If you are a side sleeper who chooses to rest without a pillow, you will most likely be extremely uncomfortable because of your shoulders. Perhaps, your body will be able to find another, more comfortable natural position, but this may take time. So it would help if you did not cause yourself discomfort.
It is best for you to choose the right pillow that will not provoke tension in the neck or spine. Furthermore, to keep the skin clean, it is necessary to change bed linen more often.
How to Start Sleep Without a Pillow
Getting rid of a pillow forever can be quite simple. To get started, make yourself a cloth roller or towel. The roller should be lower than the pillow you are used to using. Gradually reduce the height of the roller. If you do everything right, soon you will feel better both in the process of immersion in sleep and in the morning.
I have a few more tips for those who decide to try a pillowless type of sleep. To prevent discomfort, place pillows under other parts of the body to maintain balance. If you sleep on your stomach, it will be more convenient to put a pillow under the pelvis and stomach so that the spine remains out of load.
If you are a stomach sleeper, bend one knee to open the hips and relieve spinal stress caused by straightened legs. Remove the pillow. Lying on it all night, you will stretch your neck. Imagine what it is like to walk all day looking at the sky. Yes, and it seems strange, and also causes problems with the neck.
Place a small, dense pillow under the abdomen and hips to reduce stress on the neck and lumbar spine. Just arrange it the way it suits you, on the same side where the bent leg is, and you can sleep in your favorite position without any risk for health.
As you’re going to sleep without a pillow, you have to choose the right mattress of high quality. It’s one of the most critical factors in healthy sleep. The mattress should be firm enough and support your back. If the bed is too soft, your spine will bend.
The bad mattress can be a reason for pain. It may seem that you are relaxed, but some muscles relax while others work all night due to the irregular spread of weight. The mattress should support you, but it shouldn’t be as firm as the floor. There’s no need to buy the most sophisticated mattress in the world.
Make sure you don’t dive deep into it, keeping the spine’s natural bending.
Everything You Need to Know About Pillowless Sleeping
Sleeping with no pillow can become your best night solution. However, it needs an individual approach and preliminary analysis. Here, I give answers to the most popular questions you may still want to know.
How to sleep properly without a pillow?
First, you have to analyze your natural position during the night. Then you can make a small roller from a towel or other fabric that will be close to the mattress and lay your head on it, gradually reducing the layers. You can also place pillows under other parts of the body so that your spine lies straight. Also, before giving up the pillow, get a mattress of optimal hardness so that your spine does not bend during sleep.
How does sleeping without a pillow impact sleep?
Sleeping without a pillow reduces pressure on your back and neck. Also, this factor can affect your headaches, as improper posture during sleep often causes migraines. Besides, this method of sleep will help maintain the smoothness and youthfulness of your skin, as the pillow can accumulate dust, particles of dead skin, bacteria, and other contaminants. Your spine will be in a stretched position, which prevents clamping and bending. You will also feel better in the morning.
Why do I get a headache when I sleep without my pillow?
Sleeping without a pillow does not suit everyone. If you are a side sleeper, this way to sleep is not for you. This position can be a reason for tension to your neck and back. The tension often causes pain. The other reason can be a poor-quality mattress that is too soft.
How does sleeping without a pillow help you to sleep longer?
Sleeping without a pillow helps you keep your head flat while you sleep. Thus, the load on your neck and spine is reduced. Accordingly, you do not experience discomfort and stress during sleep. That’s why you can sleep peacefully for as long as you want.
Is sleeping without a pillow good for your hair?
There is no evidence that a pillow improves your hair. As with a cushion, it’s better to change what is under your head more often so that sebum and dead skin particles do not accumulate there, as all this causes bacteria to appear.
Is it better for your neck to sleep without a pillow?
If you sleep on the wrong pillow, you continuously experience improper back alignment. It leads to a reduction in blood flow, and it makes your muscles tense. As you get rid of the pillow, you maintain the neck’s natural position, which will relieve pain over time.
Is it healthy to sleep without a pillow?
The answer to this question depends on the position you choose for sleeping. Some people should sleep without a pillow to preserve the natural blood flow, the stretched position of the spine and neck. In general, you should rely either on the recommendations of specialists or on your own feelings, because no one knows better how you feel after sleep than you.
Can sleeping without a pillow improve posture?
When you sleep on an overly thick pillow, your neck bends, which can damage your posture, especially for children, while sleep without a pillow can improve your posture, as the spine is in a natural position, and there is no pressure on it in any part.
What are the contraindications of sleep without a pillow?
Medical severe problems with the back can be a contraindication. In this case, you need an orthopedic pillow. These pillows can be designed specifically for your issues. For acid reflux, you should sleep with a pillow. If the head and esophagus are above the abdomen, you can prevent this phenomenon. And during sleep without a pad, the situation may worsen. If you often experience shoulder pain, you will also need a pillow. You can hug a pillow for greater convenience. The main thing is not to sleep on a sore shoulder.
Also read: How to Wash Pillows?
Improve Your Night Rest with Comfort
Sleep without a pillow is not suitable for everyone, but for a particular group of people, this is the best option possible. For example, it suits some back sleepers and stomach sleepers. Such a dream will help relieve tension from the neck and back and fight migraines. Without a pillow, your back will maintain a natural and flat position. Of course, this is only possible if you have the right mattress, which is quite firm.
However, sleeping without a pillow has contraindications, for example, if you have serious medical problems with your back or internal organs. It is necessary to approach each case individually and only then to decide. If you still hesitate whether you should try sleeping without a pillow, you can start with a gradual reduction of the distance between your head and the mattress.
Have you ever tried to sleep without a pillow? What do you think about this way to sleep? What tips were the most useful for you? Please, share your opinion and experience in the comments section below.
