How to sleep with a contour memory foam pillow
How do you use contour memory foam pillows? Which side are you supposed to sleep on? It’s important to know this because sleeping the wrong way on a contour memory foam pillow can end up defeating their purpose.
A contour memory foam pillow has two heights you can use to sleep on. The short side and the tall side. The short side is meant for sleeping facing up and the tall side is meant for sleeping facing the side.
When sleeping your back, your head is on the groove and the lower height that’s jutting supports both the neck and the head, while your shoulders aren’t touching the pillow at all.
The same thing applies when sleeping on the side. Your head is still on the groove while the neck is supported by the taller side of this contour pillow with the shoulder not touching the pillow at all.
Contour memory foam pillow benefits
Using contour memory foam pillows can improve your sleep quality and overall wellbeing, as the way you sleep really matters. You might be doing everything else right – maintaining great posture during the day, exercising with perfect form, but if you’re not sleeping properly for several hours each day, it can lead to issues in the long run.
Let’s consider a common incorrect sleeping position. A lot of folks sleep on their side, but they leave a gap between their neck and the pillow. If your head falls into this space, it could be harmful.
Imagine being in this position for hours. Your muscles on one side would stretch out, while those on the other would tighten up. This results in a muscular imbalance.
Muscles that tilt your head to one side, such as the upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and scalenes, could become tense on one side and slack on the other.
Tightness in these areas could cause tension headaches, shoulder and neck pain, and potentially even nerve issues.
Tight scalene muscles can affect the brachial plexus, a nerve network that runs from your neck to your fingers. If this gets compressed, you could feel pain, tingling, numbness, or a burning sensation down your arm, which is far from pleasant.
Ideally, you should aim to sleep with your neck – or cervical spine – in a neutral position. Not tilted down, not raised up, and not bent to one side. Maintaining a neutral spine can improve your sleep and general wellbeing.
That’s where the memory foam pillow comes in. It has a unique contour that offers support. A flat pillow might not provide enough support, but a contour pillow fits right into your neck, providing adequate support and comfort.
So, even if you adjust your position during the night, this pillow will continue to support you.
In summary, contour memory pillows provide excellent support whether you’re sleeping on your side or on your back.
However, when using contour pillows avoid sleeping on your stomach. You’ll need to turn your head to breathe, which can cause the same muscle imbalances we discussed earlier.
So, keep your spine neutral, sleep on your back or side, avoid sleeping on your stomach, and use a memory foam pillow for the support you need to prevent issues caused by incorrect sleeping positions.
Cleaning and caring a contour memory foam pillow
Cleaning memory foam pillows is another important aspect of using them.
This section covers spot cleaning, removing unpleasant odors, and washing the entire pillow.
Usually, you can simply wash the outer case of a sleeping pillow in a washing machine.
The actual memory foam pillow, however, needs to be cleaned by hand.
If you want to quickly freshen up your pillow and get rid of bad odors, you can sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over it, leave it for a bit, then vacuum it off.
Spot Cleaning
Here are a few simple techniques you can use to spot clean a memory foam pillow.
If you have a dirt stain, you can use a mix of vinegar and baking soda. If you don’t want to deal with vinegar, you could use a dishwashing cleaning solution along with a sponge and some water.
First, dampen your sponge with lukewarm water and add a bit of dishwashing solution. Make the solution nice and soapy. Find a spot on your pillow and use circular motions to clean it.
For blood or red wine stains, add some hydrogen peroxide to the mix, but keep in mind that it might bleach the pillow. Once you’re satisfied with the cleaning, rinse your sponge and dry off the area.
You can also rinse the soapy area with some clean water. To dry the wet spots on the memory foam pillow, simply use a hairdryer.
Cleaning the whole pillow
Cleaning the entire pillow is best done in the bathroom.
Submerge the whole memory foam pillow in the bathtub. Since these pillows tend to float, you’ll need to squeeze out the air to keep it submerged. Fill up the bathtub until the pillow is completely underwater.
You can use any soap you prefer. Add some soap to the water and start cleaning the pillow by squeezing it gently. This process can take a couple of minutes, and the water may change color as the dirt comes off.
Remember to be gentle while washing the pillow as it can break. If the pillow is not completely clean after the first cycle, empty the tub, refill it with clean water and repeat the process to rinse off the soap.
Once all the soap is rinsed out, you can start drying the pillow. To do this, move the pillow to the top of the bathtub and start squeezing out the water. This will help get rid of most of the water and prevent your floor from getting wet.
For drying the pillow completely, you can use various methods, such as placing it on a drying rack near a heat source or a fan. You can also put it outside in the shade on a hot day. However, avoid wringing the pillow as it can break.
Keep squeezing out the water until it’s as dry as possible, then leave it to air dry using one of the methods suggested. This concludes our guide on cleaning memory foam pillows.