A good night’s sleep has multiple benefits, especially in today’s lifestyle. Memory foam pillows can be the ideal accessory to help you relax and sleep. Traditional pillows use materials like feathers, cotton, gel, and so on. Memory foam pillows make use of Visco-Elastic, developed by combining chemicals and polyurethane.
This is the same material that we find in other products like sofas, insulation, spray foam, and even mattresses. Unlike traditional pillows, foam pillows can offer better head and neck support. Interestingly, there are several types of memory foam pillows available in the market, and each has its benefit for the user.
What Is Memory Foam?
Before diving into the benefits of foam pillows, let’s take a detailed look at what it constitutes. As mentioned previously, memory foam is a type of polyurethane foam that has been combined with chemicals to make it viscose and elastic or Visco-Elastic.
This material can change shape under pressure and returns to its original shape once the pressure is removed. A memory foam pillow can slowly contour to your body when pressure is applied, and go back to its original shape when the pressure is removed.
Similar to traditional pillows, one can find many types of memory foam pillows in the market. This includes traditional memory foam, open-cell memory foam, and gel-infused memory foam pillows.
Traditional Memory Foam Pillows
This type of pillow was introduced back in 1992 and makes use of a dense, closed-cell structure. The same materials were used in insulation, helping to retain heat. However, it didn’t make a good memory foam as it would make sleepers feel hot.
Open-Cell Memory Foam Pillows
Then came along open-cell memory foam pillows. These are softer versions of the traditional memory foam pillows and included air pockets in their material for improved airflow. These are also considered one of the best memory foam pillows as they are softer and spongey.
Gel-Infused Memory Foam Pillows
Similar to open-cell memory foam pillows, gel-infused foam pillows are designed to make the material softer and more comfortable. The pillow design includes gel that enhances the cooling quality of the pillow as well as improves airflow and breathability.
Benefits of a Memory Foam Pillow
The benefits of memory foam pillows are several, including better support for the head, neck, and spine. Moreover, their unique materials make them cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Here’s a detailed look at the benefits of memory foam pillows
Head, Neck, and Spine Support
One of the primary benefits of using a foam pillow is to get better support for your head and neck. A traditional pillow or flatter pillow will likely make your head sink in over time, straining your neck and shoulders. This isn’t the case with memory foam pillows as it removes the burden on pressure points in your neck and head.
It additionally enhances your spine as it aligns your chest and lower back with your neck. This further prevents straining your spine while you sleep. A flatter pillow kept in your pelvic region is also said to help reduce the stress on your spine. However, a foam pillow will get the job done with your sleep naturally, with a pillow to your head!
Helps Stop Snoring
Snoring is one of the sleep disorders and can be caused due to varying factors like congestion, sleep apnoea, and so on. More importantly, snoring can also be caused by how an individual sleeps at night. Using a memory foam pillow can help reduce snoring as it aligns your head and neck, keeping the right airways open.
Warm in Winter, Cool in Summer
One of the other benefits of using a foam pillow is its temperature control. Some of the best memory foam pillows are designed with the right air pockets so it helps keep cool in summer and warm in winter.
Hygienic to Use
If you or your partner have allergies, using a memory foam pillow is the best choice for you. The synthetic materials used in foam pillows are naturally hypoallergenic. It prevents bacteria, dust mites, fungus, and mould from growing, making them the safer and more hygienic choice for you and your family.
Easy to Clean, Long Lasting
Speaking of allergies, it’s also important to note that foam pillows are easy to clean. Some of the best memory foam pillows come with a cover that can be removed easily and washed. What’s more, they are also long-lasting. The materials used in foam pillows are certainly comfortable and soft, but they are also naturally durable. This further makes it a good, long-term investment.
Who Should Not Use Memory Foam Pillows
There are a couple of factors that one should keep in mind before buying a memory foam pillow. While it has several benefits, there are a couple of downsides to it as well. For one, people who develop body heat when they sleep should avoid using memory foam pillows. Despite being cool in the summer, foam pillows can get hotter than traditional pillows.
If you’re a hot sleeper, you might feel sweaty if you use a foam pillow. Additionally, people who are sensitive to off-gassing should also be mindful of foam pillows. A few types of memory foam pillows use VOCs or volatile organic compounds. These might give off a bad smell when the pillow is new, called off-gassing.
If you’re sensitive to odour, you might even face headaches, nausea, eye and throat irritation, and even have a hard time breathing. The off-gassing smell is said to fade away after a few days or weeks in a well-ventilated area. But it’s best to be mindful of the odour and how it can impact you.
To conclude, memory foam pillows can be one of the best investments for your family as it promotes better health with improved sleep. Users have also experienced improved posture after using foam pillows, which is a bonus. You can check out several affordable foam pillows in India, and experience the difference for yourself.
