Beds and Pillows

Do you wake up in the morning with a stiff neck or sore back on a regular basis? It could very well be your bed or pillow isn’t performing maximally for you.

If you think about the amount of time you spend in your bed (the average time being 8 hours per night) and make a quick calculation, you will see that most people spend one quarter of their life in bed. Sure, beds appear expensive as an initial outlay but not when compared to how much time we spend in them and comfort is essential.

When buying a bed, don’t be shy! Lay on it- on your sides and back- try to get a real feel for the bed. Make sure you buy with the proviso that you can return the bed if not happy after a couple of weeks. When lying on it, don’t forget men and women are very different in body shape. Women need more give in a bed when laying on their side- if there is a big difference between the hips and waist this may lead to hip or lower back pain if the bed doesn’t give. Ultimately, the big test is comfort.

When choosing a pillow a contoured one is the way to go. This allows the curve between your shoulder and the side or back of your head to be supported. Make sure the height of the pillow suits you -only one way to find out (lay on it!). The firmness of the pillow is also another factor to consider –some like it firm, some softer.

Ultimately, for relatively small difference in outlay the difference in quality, when multiplied over time, can be huge!! If still in doubt, please ask one of our physiotherapists to advise you.