I've long been an advocate of side sleeping. According to the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, two out of three people sleep on their sides. I always sleep on my side. Sleeping on your side reduces snoring. Those with obstructive sleep apnea find the number of episodes is fewer when they sleep on their sides. And, for some reason, sleep paralysis seems to strike more often when the sleeper is lying on his or her back. It's even a help for those with sinus problems.
Ordinary pillows, unfortunately, don't take side sleeping into consideration. For instance, there doesn't seem to be anyplace for your shoulder. You roll up the pillow, fold it, fluff it, punch it, but still, that shoulder just doesn't seem to fit in there properly. Sometimes, too, when you wake up, your ear is sore, red and even swollen. It looks like you've gone a round with Muhammad Ali.
So what can we do to make sleeping on your side more comfortable? Some of the newer pillows now in production take this problem into consideration. For instance, Tempur-Pedic© with its exclusive viscoelastic construction responds to temperature, and therefore cradles the head and neck. The pillow is shaped to fit your body when you sleep on your side. It cradles the shoulders, neck and back and keeps your body in the correct alignment. Further more, it remembers the shape of your body and how you like to sleep. Due to its viscoelastic properties, it responds to the body heat, and forms around the head (and the ear) for support.
But Tempur-Pedic© isn't the only company that's beginning to realize the benefits of side sleeping. Dr. Joseph Berke, recently patented the Better Sleep Pillow© to accommodate side and stomach sleepers. Dr. Berke is a neurosurgeons and founder of the Arbours Association, a registered charity providing personal, psychotherapeutic support.
According to Dr. Berke's press release, this innovative pillow features a unique recess along the front width of the pillow that comfortably accommodates a person's shoulder. The center is tunneled for arm comfort and the sides are sculpted to accommodate stomach-and side-sleepers. Regardless of how a person prefers to sleep - stomach, side, or back - the Better Sleep Pillow© evenly distributes and reduces pressure on a person's arm, shoulder, and neck, thus helping maintain the head, neck, and spine in the correct position for improved breathing. This in turn, keeps the nasal and throat air passages open, reducing snoring as well as sleep apnea.
Many of us have discovered how important the proper pillow can be. If you sleep on your side, and I recommend it, why not look into a pillow made just for you?
