{"id":33538,"date":"2024-10-09T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-09T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/?p=33538"},"modified":"2024-10-09T13:19:24","modified_gmt":"2024-10-09T13:19:24","slug":"what-is-a-cervical-pillow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/what-is-a-cervical-pillow\/","title":{"rendered":"The Benefits of Using a Cervical Pillow"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Any pain at all can make it difficult to get a good night\u2019s sleep\u2014but it seems that\u00a0neck pain<\/a>\u00a0is\u2026well\u2026a particular pain in the neck when it comes to achieving high-quality rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSleeping with poor or improper neck support can increase stress on spinal joints, and neck pain can increase muscle tension and lead to a rise in stress hormones,” says Kevin Lees, doctor of chiropractic and director of chiropractic operations at\u00a0The Joint Chiropractic<\/a>. “Together, this prohibits the body and mind from relaxing and getting a restful sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, those with neck pain may find it difficult to become comfortable or may wake up with sharp pain when trying to change positions, says Lees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily,\u00a0finding the right pillow<\/a>\u00a0can help. One option is a cervical pillow, also known as a cervical neck pillow. What is a cervical neck pillow, exactly? In this article, we\u2019ll explain what this type of pillow is and what it\u2019s used for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a cervical pillow?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cervical pillows often have raised edges that provide extra support specifically for the neck, explains Lees. The middle of the pillow is usually lower, allowing the head to sink deeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many variations of cervical pillows. Some of the basic ones have a lower center and raised edges. Others have one edge that’s higher than the opposite edge to accommodate different-sized people or those who prefer to sleep on their side, says Lees.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some cervical pillows can have indentations on the sides, giving the pillow an \u201cX\u201d or butterfly shape. \u201cThese cutouts are used for armrests for those who sleep on their side,\u201d explains Lees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cervical pillows are typically filled with similar materials as other pillows, but most tend to be memory foam<\/a> or latex<\/a>. These materials offer a firmer support that doesn\u2019t tend to compress or clump together, says Lees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSince memory foam tends to sleep warmer, some pillows offer a cooling gel or breathable fabric covers to help the user stay cool,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a cervical pillow used for?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A cervical pillow\u2019s purpose is to offer support to the cervical spine or neck, says Lees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When lying on your back, your neck should have a natural curve that arches over the pillow.\u00a0In a typical pillow, this curve can flatten.\u00a0Side sleepers<\/a>, meanwhile,\u00a0have a gap between their neck and the bed that\u2019s created by the shoulders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving a raised support that cervical pillows offer allows the neck to stay in a neutral position, whereas regular pillows may be thicker in the middle, pushing the head to the side,\u201d says Lees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does a cervical pillow work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The unique shape and design of a cervical pillow can be good for neck pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKeeping the neck in a neutral position helps reduce stress on the spinal joints and decreases muscle tension around the neck,” notes Lees. “For those who have very little neck curve or have a straight neck, also called a military neck, cervical pillows offer support in restoring that curve to a \u2018C\u2019 shape.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the benefits of using a cervical pillow?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In particular, back or side sleepers can benefit from cervical pillows, especially if a person feels like their neck pain is worse in the morning than before going to sleep, says Lees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also a good idea for office workers who may have poor posture or have developed forward head posture, aka \u201ctech neck.\u201d \u201cThis may apply to students as well,\u201d adds Lees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main benefits of using a cervical pillow include little to no neck pain while trying to sleep or when you get up in the morning and proper spinal alignment during sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to choose the right cervical pillow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs with any pillow, choosing the right cervical pillow depends on the size of the person and the sleeping style they prefer,\u201d says Lees. For example, someone with a larger body may need a thicker pillow than a person with a smaller body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile some pillows have one standard-size neck support, others offer dual sizes that can be used for side sleeping and\u00a0back sleeping<\/a>,” adds Lees. “There are some cervical pillows available that make it difficult to change sleeping positions throughout the night, so restless sleepers<\/a> may need more options.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What’s the difference between a cervical pillow and an orthopedic pillow?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There actually isn\u2019t a difference. \u201cCervical pillows are also known as orthopedic pillows, with the primary goal of supporting the cervical spine in a neutral position,\u201d explains Lees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are cervical pillows good or bad?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In general, yes, cervical pillows are good. \u201cCervical pillows provide support for the neck in a way that most pillows do not,\u201d says Lees. \u201cThis can be very beneficial for healthy necks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there’s a caveat for when cervical pillows can be bad. \u201cIn some cases, these pillows may aggravate symptoms, either for a short duration or long term,” says Lees. “It\u2019s always best to discuss neck pain with your doctor to understand the underlying cause and to see if a cervical pillow may help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you sleep on a cervical neck pillow?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you’re a back sleeper, the base of the pillow needs to be at the base of your neck, so your neck is fully supported and your head is resting in the thinner, middle part of the pillow, says Lees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf the pillow slides up, the neck will not be supported,\u201d he cautions. \u201cThis position may be no different or worse than a regular pillow,\u201d he explains.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also says side sleepers should make sure that the pillow comes down to the top of your shoulder, so the raised area of the pillow is fully supporting the neck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf the pillow moves up out of position, this can create increased stress on the neck, pushing the head to the side,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, if you’re using a cervical pillow for the first time, you should expect some soreness after the first few nights, notes Lees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust like a new exercise, it may take some time for your body to adapt,\u201d he says. \u201cIf you develop long-term soreness,\u00a0headaches<\/a>, or any other new or worsening symptom, stop using the pillow and speak with your doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more ways to keep neck pain at bay, check out our guide to preventing neck and shoulder pain while sleeping<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Any pain at all can make it difficult to get a good night\u2019s sleep\u2014but it seems that\u00a0neck pain\u00a0is\u2026well\u2026a particular pain in the neck when it comes to achieving high-quality rest. \u201cSleeping with poor or improper neck support can increase stress on spinal joints, and neck pain can increase muscle tension and lead to a rise […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":33539,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[384,388],"tags":[],"coauthors":[418],"guest":[],"host":[],"class_list":["post-33538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bedding","category-pillows"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33538","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/70"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33538"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33538\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33542,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33538\/revisions\/33542"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33539"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33538"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33538"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33538"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=33538"},{"taxonomy":"guest","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guest?post=33538"},{"taxonomy":"host","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/host?post=33538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}