Find Your Perfect Pillow

Want to find your perfect pillow? Let me help. Let’s start with how you and your current pillow met. No, not your decorative pillow collection, not your oversized teddy bear, but your main squeeze pillow. The one you cuddle up to every night when you crawl into bed. The one with your drool stains imbedded into the fabric. How did you find that pillow?

Was it a casual meet-cute at your local bedding store? Maybe you walked down an aisle, tripped, and their plush filling cushioned your head from your fall? You both laughed it off at first, but knew it was fate. Or maybe you singled them out from a long list of potential suitors online; they had the wittiest profile, the best picture and their hypoallergenic filling won your heart, so you decided to give them a chance

But are they everything you thought they would be? After the honeymoon phase ended, did their true, unsupportive nature start to show? If your assumed knight in shining armor turned out to be more frog than fairytale, it’s time to move on and find some pillow new. A pillow that understands your uniqueness, a pillow that supports your neck AND your head full of those crazy, wonderful ideas; a pillow that just, you know ‘gets’ you.

The ‘perfect pillow’ is out there, trust us.

Your one true pillow is out there, waiting for you to come and find them. Sure you’ve been courted by some other pillows along the way, but they weren’t right for you, you weren’t right for them, and that’s okay. But now you’re older, wiser, and ready to find the perfect pillow.

But how do you find such a pillow, you may ask? The journey begins internally. You need to get to know yourself first, your needs and desires when it comes to a perfect pillow. Once you know what you need and what you won’t put up with, you’ll be able to shop with no distractions.

Sleep Positions

To start, what position do you sleep in? Are you a side sleeper, stomach sleeper, or do you predominantly sleep on your back? Most people don’t realize this, but your normal sleeping position affects how firm and thick your pillow needs to be. Why? Because your head and neck are at varying distances from the mattress depending on your sleep position, and your pillow needs to compensate for this distance in order to provide adequate support.

I sleep on my side most nights, meaning that my neck and head are several inches above the mattress. So my pillow needs to be thick enough that it can easily cradle my head and neck, and firm enough to support their weight. If not, my neck will experience excess strain from trying to support my head while I sleep. This can lead to discomfort, injury, and/or restless sleep.

If you’re a back or stomach sleeper, you’ll want to look for a pillow of medium or soft firmness that’s flatter, thinner. That’s because your head and neck are much closer to your mattress in these two sleep positions, so you don’t need a super lofty pillow! In fact, a pillow that’s too firm and/or too thick can be potentially harmful.

If you’re not sure what your preferred sleeping position is, pay attention for the next few nights. Is there a position your body naturally moves into before falling asleep? And what position are you normally in when you wake up in the morning?

Allergies & Sensitivities

Do you know if you have allergies or sensitivities to any bedding materials? This is the first thing to consider when purchasing a new pillow. You two will be getting up close and personal for a good eight hours every night, so you want to make sure what your pillow’s made of is up to the challenge of keeping you comfortable.

If you have known allergies/sensitivities, make sure you read textile labels carefully before making any purchase. If you’re unsure, it might be worth making an appointment to see your doctor. They can help you figure out what materials cause your body to have an allergic reaction.

Personal Preferences

You’ve narrowed down the search based on what you can and cannot tolerate in a pillow filling, now it’s time to further hone in on what you want by considering your own personal preferences.

What exactly am I talking about? Well, what are your priorities? What do you focus on in your own life that you want to feel is reflected in your perfect pillow? Are you environmentally conscious? Maybe you’re looking for ecologically sustainable materials, certified organic, or vegan-friendly products. Maybe you’re looking for staying power; something that has value and will last a long time. Whatever your personal preferences, take note of them and make sure you’re in the market for a product that fits these preferences. Otherwise, you’re not going to be comfortable with your pillow choice, even if it is oh-so very comfortable.

Pillow Fill Materials

Now let’s learn about the different materials available and the benefits each one might offer. Whether you’re interested in a material that’s classic, hard-working, good-looking, or sustainable and cares about the environment, you’re sure to find what you’re after in this list we’ve prepared you below:

• Microfiber (aka Microdenier) – Microfiber is a fabric created from synthetic poly. Inexpensive, vegan-friendly, hypoallergenic, moisture-wicking, and antimicrobial. Microfiber/microdenier can be a great choice for a pillow. However, it is not naturally made, and does have a tendency to deteriorate faster than naturally-derived materials. Be aware of this when shopping.
• Washable Wool – Want a pillow you can throw into the wash without worry? Then washable wool is what you want. If you have sensitivities, make sure the wool is treated with hydrogen peroxide, not bleach, to make it washable.
• Botanicore™ Latex – Latex might not sound like a comfortable pillow fill at first, but hear me out; it’s freaking awesome. You want to make sure you’re purchasing a pillow made from 100% natural rubber latex from a tree, not from synthetic polymers. This is especially true if you have sensitivities. Tree rubber latex will last well over a decade if properly cared for, is antimicrobial, hypoallergenic, and customizable! We sell several types of latex pillows at our store. My favorite is the shredded latex pillow. I sleep on one every night! Why? Because you can add or remove shredded fill to customize the pillow to your preference. How great is that?!
• Bamboo – Bamboo fill is a great choice for many reasons: Bamboo is a very sustainable material, it’s hypoallergenic, it’s vegan-friendly, and it’s moisture-wicking. If you’re looking for a pillow made from a very eco-friendly material, you definitely want to consider bamboo. It’s also great for allergy sufferers.
• Silk – Silk is antimicrobial, resistant to dust mites, and hypoallergenic. Add all of this to silk’s natural luxury and silky smooth feel, and you have a high quality pillow fill that will make you feel spoiled every time to lay your head down at night. Just be aware that silk comes with a higher price tag than other materials.
• Down – Not to get down on down, but we’re not huge fans of the material here at Bedrooms & More. You can read in-depth about our reasons why in this blog, but basically it’s because down sleeps hot. That said, we do stock some items that contain down because we have customers who swear by it; and who knows? It might be the right material for you!

Pillow Protectors

After you find your perfect pillow mate, we suggest you consider adding a Washable Wool Pillow Cover, this protective cover not only keeps your pillow drool-free and clean, it also can extend its life while helping ward off pesky dust mites and other allergens that may be lurking. With trusty zipper access, you can easily remove cover for regular laundering. Fresh and clean friends, it’s the best way to sleep well.

Still not sure how to find your perfect pillow? Come and see us at our flagship store in Wallingford. You can test out all of the different pillows we offer and see what works best for you, then skip off into the sunset with your new happily-ever-after pillow purchase. Whether you buy from us or from someone else, we’re always here to help!