What role do pillows, mattresses play in determining the quality of your sleep?

You tried limiting your coffee intake, reducing screen time, practicing various yogic techniques, managing your diet and fitness, and many other things, but, does sleep still evade you? This could be because you are probably missing out on paying attention to one of the most crucial aspects determining the quality of your sleep — your pillow and mattress. As such, it’s crucial to understand what role they play in determining the quality of sleep, and how to pick the best ones for yourself.
According to several studies, people using the right type of pillow and mattress experience reduced discomfort and pain and, in turn, better sleep. “Bed equipment (sheets, blankets and pillows), plays a role in the quality of sleep. One survey estimated that 7 per cent of sleep problems were related to an uncomfortable mattress contributing to poor quality of sleep or physical discomfort,” a research, published in the National Library of Medicine, noted.
Agreeing, Dr Santosh Pandey, Acupuncture and Naturopathy Special, Founder and CEO of Dr Santosh Healthcare Centre, Mumbai, said, “A good mattress is very important to improve sleep because it gives comfort to your body when at rest.”

It has been seen that sleeping on a good and firm mattress helps one relax and get better sleep, Dr Vipul Gupta, Chief – Neurointerventional Surgery and Co-Chief – Stroke Unit, Artemis Hospital, Gurugram said. He explained that a “softer mattress can relieve bad pain and doesn’t cause any problems to the neck region. Also, when sleeping on a softer surface, our bones absorb most of the pressure and there is less stress on the muscles. When muscles are less strained, the circulation of blood improves in the body”.
But it is not just the mattress, your pillow is equally important. “The main role of a pillow (during sleep) is to support the cervical spine in a neutral position. A neutral position of the spine prevents loss of cervical spine curvature and cervical waking symptoms minimising end-range positioning of spinal segments,” a study, published in The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine, stated. “In addition, proper support can increase the contact area between the neck and the pillow so that the pressure exerted upon the muscles can be evenly dributed.”
Not just the mattress, your pillow(s) is equally important. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
According to Dr Pandey, pillows play a pivotal role when resting your head and neck while laying on the bed to rest or sleep. “Its texture, size and quality do play a significant role in the ergonomics of quality sleep,” he added.
Agreeing, Dr Gupta explained that without a pillow, one may experience sleep loss due to the neck and spine not being in a neutral position, causing discomfort. “The most crucial function a pillow must do while you are sleeping is supporting your neck and upper back. The natural curve of the human spine requires this support as we sleep,” he said.
Despite the many benefits of sleeping with an appropriate pillow, many skip it altogether. “While research is limited, anecdotal reports show that sleeping without a pillow can help reduce neck and back pain for some sleepers. Stomach sleepers are generally best suited for going pillowless because the lower angle of the neck encourages better spinal alignment in this position. Some individuals also assert that sleeping without a pillow can be beneficial for skin and hair, but more clinical studies are needed to evaluate these claims,” sleepfoundation.org stated.
But, is it recommended to sleep without a pillow? Not really! “It is recommended to use a pillow to avoid feeling discomfort while you sleep as well as avoid sleep wrinkles which happen to people sleeping on their stomach and side,” Dr Gupta said.

Dr Pandey added: “Ideally, pillows are a must because it keeps your neck and head in connection with the body while sleeping but sometimes the wrong pillow size might affect the posture and kinematics of the spine so people tend to avoid it.”
What kind of mattress and pillow should you use?
Now that you know that your pillow and mattress play a significant role in determining the quality of your sleep and health, it’s equally important to understand the kind of bed equipment you must opt for.
Research published in Science Direct suggests that sleeping on a medium-firm mattress, especially one with adjustable firmness, promotes comfort, proper spinal alignment, and quality sleep. Another 2015 study, too, advised sleeping on memory foam mattresses of medium firmness for reduced pain and better sleep.
“A firm pillow and mattresses should be always preferred rather than ones that are too hard or too soft,” Dr Pandey said. Dr Gupta also recommended using a medium to firm mattress “as they strike a perfect balance between pressure relief and support, and help provide pressure relief while sleeping on the side and help support the hips while sleeping on one’s back”.
“There are also innovative materials available in the market these days that take shape of your spine curvature and give utmost support and comfort while sleeping,” Dr Pandey concluded.
(Next in the series: Can lack of sleep harm your immunity?)
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