Pillows
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I feel like someone on this forum has similar problems to me wrt to sleeping. I wake up every morning with a sore neck, back and shoulders. I'm too young for this! Lots of the time, if I don't rise immediately upon waking, I can feel a creeping headache. I've tried sleeping hugging a pillow and putting a pillow between my legs but both are more harmful than helpful. I'm most consistently a side sleeper, with the occasional back sleep. I have gone through a half a dozen pillows over the past couple years with nothing of quality. The current pillow I use is some Great Value extra firm pillow that has been the least intrusive on my sleep and body. I know there is a lot of talk about buckwheat pillows but it seems like a never ending rabbit hole of bad quality garbage to fill the demand for what feels like a fad. I'm thinking of getting a MyPillow for the meme, but I'm interested to hear if anyone else has had a good ending on their sleep journey.
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@eugene I've been there and I feel your neck pain. Today's pillows are pretty terrible. My Pillow pillows are really the worst. The problem is that they are all over stuffed so when you sleep on your side your neck isn't horizontal and also supported.
I solved the problem by making my own little pillows. I have a neckroll pillow that is filled about 1/2 to 2/3rds full with millet (bird seed). It is around 2.5"X13" long and limp. I use this alone if I'm on my back. If I turn on my side, I add one of my little home made pillows for my head and I shove more of the neckroll pillow under my neck. These little pillows are around 9"X14" and are not overstuffed, maybe 2.5-3 inches thick tops; the filling can be mushed around to allow space for an ear. The goal is to try to keep your neck horizontal.
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@eugene P.S.: I also go to a good chiropractor twice a month to keep me put together. He works on my neck occasionally if it needs it. Your description of your morning aches/headache made me think that maybe your neck needs a little adjustment where your head attaches to your neck. I had a lot more trouble and need for neck adjustments before I made my little pillows.
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@mostlylurking Good thinking. I hear cracks in my neck whenever I straighten up. I'm gonna try and find a reputable chiropractor around me.
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@eugene I use a core product tri-core cervical pillow or a Mckenzie cervical pillow. The tri-core is my favorite.
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@eugene Good plan. I was looking into the options recently because of a hip/pelvis issue I've recently acquired that my regular chiropractor seems to not be able to address well. (Maybe it's my sedentary sitting & computer time....) Anyway, I found this: https://www.posturalrestoration.com/ You can review the Find a Provider (link in the header). I found this one: https://www.starphysicaltherapyaustin.com/why-choose-star/ which is only a two hour drive one way for me.
I've been injured in the past by a local chiropractor (not my current one). So it is important that you do your due diligence when selecting one.
I've never been able to find an off the shelf neck pillow that works for me; they are all way too big. I have an old whiplash injury in my neck that is easily aggravated so I resorted to making my own. The millet bird seed is the best filler by far. Years ago, I used a tightly rolled up dish towel (or two) which worked well for back sleeping.
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@mostlylurking Thank you for the resources. I feel like the average persons apprehension to Chiropractors as practitioners is unwarranted, but I will most definitely be doing my due diligence to ensure I don't waddle into a quacks office.
The sun is rising. Hear the words of cosmic mouth anew: cogito ergo sum.
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@eugene have you tried sleeping with less support? what is your mattress like?
