How a Wedge Pillow Can Improve Your Sleep (and Your Life)
Considering how absolutely essential sleep is to our health, achieving a restful night can be incredibly difficult. We have thousands of years of technological advancement and medical research to draw upon, and yet many of us lie awake watching commercials at 3am.
It’s clear that your choice of bedding, especially pillows , has a huge impact on how well you sleep, as does how often you change out all the fluff that keeps you going at night. But your pillow choice can affect more than just how many hours you sleep each night. If you suffer from problems such as acid reflux, snoring, or back problems, a traditional flat pillow may not be of any use to you. Instead, a better choice may be a wedge pillow—a foam pillow shaped like a slice of cheese or a piece of cake. While you should consult your doctor first if you’re concerned about any aspect of your health, wedge pillows can offer a number of specific health benefits that can not only improve your sleep, but also how you feel while you’re awake.
Advantages of a wedge pillow
A wedge-shaped pillow like this one, or this one that’s a little fancier, can help you:
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Acid reflux. If you suffer from heartburn and acid reflux, elevating your torso at night may help relieve symptoms . When you lie on your bed, stomach acid doesn’t have to overcome gravity to travel up your esophagus. The wedge pillow brings gravity back into the equation.
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Sinus problems. If you regularly suffer from sinus congestion and associated headaches, a wedge pillow can improve drainage while you sleep, reducing the frequency and severity of your symptoms.
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Snoring and apnea. Whether your snoring is driving your partner crazy or you suffer from sleep apnea (where you stop breathing for short periods of time – a potentially very serious problem), the wedge pillow has been shown to be beneficial because it changes the angle and position. respiratory tract. Sleeping in an inclined position can reduce snoring and improve overall sleep, as well as significantly reduce the incidence of sleep apnea.
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Backache. If you wake up with a stiff back, a wedge pillow may be part of the solution. Sleeping with a wedge pillow positioned so that the neck rests on the upper end helps keep the spine in a straight line , relieving pressure and reducing back and neck pain.
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Prevention of glaucoma. Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can impair vision and ultimately lead to blindness. There are few early symptoms, so by the time you notice vision problems, it is usually too late to reverse your vision loss. Increased intraocular pressure is one of the causes of glaucoma. Research has shown that sleeping on an incline reduces eye pressure , which may reduce the likelihood of developing glaucoma and slow the progression of the disease.
Sleeping on a wedge pillow may take some getting used to, but the benefits can be significant, especially if you have breathing problems or back pain. You may have to experiment with several sizes and materials to find one that suits your style and sleeping situation, but a better night’s sleep may be your reward.