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Answering the most common questions about whether or not sleeping without a pillow is good
Pillows have been somewhat of a necessity when we go to sleep. They provide comfort and support to our heads and neck and many would never dream of a night’s sleep without a pillow. An entire industry is set up over getting pillows of all shapes and sizes to be bought and sold for their ability to provide support and comfort to the body.
All that considered, for some sleeping without pillows was the best decision they ever made for their bodies. They swear that the elimination of pillows has led to a host of benefits physically that make sleeping without them worth it.
Is there a method to their madness? Do the benefits of sleeping without pillows warrant never sleeping with them again? All that and more will be answered below:
Why Do Humans Need Pillows?
Most animals, even humans, tend to find something to rest their heads on when they sleep. In a research published by the Cambridge Press, humans have used materials to prop up their heads in the night hours for as long as they have existed. Later on, the softer versions of pillows began to see wide usage and now, most people cannot imagine sleeping without them.
Pillows support the neck and upper spine muscles while improving sleep quality for countless people. The benefits include:
- Back and Neck Support
- Increased Comfort and Better Sleep Quality
- Helps blood circulation either towards or away from a part of the body.
For some though, pillows are discomfort and might even exacerbate certain conditions like neck or back pain. According to posture studies from the University of Rochester Medical Center, certain pillows create a bad sleeping posture which can weaken the integrity of the spine or lead to a herniated disk. Below are some of the benefits of sleeping without a pillow:
Benefits of Sleep Without a Pillow
So what are the benefits of sleeping without a pillow? Here are some of the reported benefits of sleeping without a pillow that some studies and people claim to have experienced:
Reduced Neck And Back Pain
This case really depends on the position you’re used to sleeping in. Some studies suggest that sleeping without a pillow can alleviate neck pain or align the spine — reducing or eliminating back pain too. Other experience jus the same sleeping with a pillow though. It perhaps really depends on what works for the sleeper.
Sadly, there isn’t much research looking extensively on the effects of pillows on the long-term health of your spines or bones. Until scientists and researchers know more, you’re gonna have to find what works for you in a process of trial and error.
Less Development of Wrinkles
Studies, like the one published in the 2016 edition of the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, suggest that the compression of your face caused by the pillow can lead to the advanced development of wrinkles. Wrinkles develop when fault lines are made on aging skin and pillows can be one of the main culprits in the creation of these fault lines.
This has led some people to eliminate pillows from their bedrooms altogether or to sleep in a fixed position on their backs.
Less Acne
Though pillows do not necessarily cause acne by themselves, bacteria and oil can accumulate on their surface and be the cause of acne in those who rest their heads on them. Even with regular washing, people with naturally oily skin can cause dust and germs to build upon the pillow overnight. Some believe that sleeping without pillows has led to a significant lessening of their acne.
Despite being very beneficial to some, sleeping without a pillow poses some complications for others. Below are such ways sleeping without a pillow can be harmful.
Disadvantages of Sleeping Without a Pillow
Sleeping without a pillow could lead to pain and discomfort for those not used to sleeping without them. Some of the reported experiences include:
An Increase in Neck or Back Pain
Depending on the sleeping position, pillowless sleep can lead to stiff neck or neck and back pain. Pillow provides support to the neck, head, and upper back and can ensure the proper alignment of the spine.
In some cases, headaches are experienced too due to the flow of blood into the brain.
Bad Posture
Since the head and neck lack the support provided, the resulting neck and back pain might cause you to acquire an awkward posture. The awkward posture, if assumed regularly, can deform the spine and lead to conditions like osteoporosis or sciatica. A weak or overly soft pillow and mattress need to replace with a form on which can conform to the spine’s natural curves.
Sleeping on too large pillows can also be a detriment to posture. Although sleep without a pillow might mean bad posture, sleeping with the wrong pillow is just as discouraged.
Inability to Sleep Comfortably
The fact that one has grown used to sleeping with the softness and support of a pillow means that, if they were to be removed, the sleeper might have a hard time getting a good night’s rest. This leads to a reduction of sleep quality or a loss of sleep entirely.
A lack of sleep can negatively affect one’s motor and cognitive functions — rendering them languid or unable to perform basic tasks. It can also make you more susceptible to negative emotions and stress. In worse cases, a lack of sleep can worsen other medical conditions and put your life at risk.
Is it Healthier to Sleep without a Pillow?
The answer really depends on what your body type is and what you’re used to. The support and comfort they provide to those who use them is certainly something that can’t be discredited. However, if you find yourself wanting to slowly remove pillows from your sleeping arrangement, either because it promotes less wrinkling or alleviates neck pain, then do so little by little.
Try to go for a few days a week without pillows to slowly increasing the days week after week. Soon you’ll find you can sleep just fine without them.
As to answer the question of whether sleeping without pillows is healthier, then more time will be needed for the experts to come up with a clear answer. It can certainly be a way to better skin or fewer wrinkles but no sure answer is available with pillowless-sleep is healthier.
Can Sleep Without a Pillow Help My Neck Pain?
In an article by ChaseDentalSleepcare.com, sleep without a pillow can lead to less neck pain due to your spine’s realignment. Some types of pillows, especially large ones, can place stress on the neck muscles and spine rather than support it. Even in cases where the sleeper finds the position comfortably, extended periods of sleeping this way can cause the bones and muscles to develop deformities.
Sleeping without a pillow can help alleviate neck pain if, indeed, the pillow was the cause of the neck pain, to begin with. In other cases, a change to a less large pillow is enough to address the problem. Again, a process of trial and error is the only way to be certain if pillowless sleep is for you.
Is Sleeping with Two Pillows Bad for Your Neck?
Rochester.edu asserts that more pillows can be beneficial to provide the body and spine with the support it needs to maintain good alignment. Placing pillows strategically on different parts of the body as you sleep can keep the right shape of the spine and body while also promoting good blood circulation.
They also state though that too many pillows under the neck can put it on an awkward angle with will lead you to wake up stiff and maybe in pain. In most cases, one pillow is enough unless the pillows you have are unusually thin. If they are thick, not too firm, and can adjust well enough to the contours of your form, then one pillow should suffice.
You can also opt to sleep pillowless completely. Sleeping straight on a firm mattress is marked to be good for the back and spine in the long run. Harvard Medical School recommends placing plywood under your mattress to give the mattress a firmness that supports the form of the entire person.
Does Sleeping Without a Pillow Reduce Double Chin?
There are no definitive studies either proving or disproving whether or not sleeping without a pillow reduces or removes a double chin. A variety of things can cause a double chin to develop but the only sure way to get rid of it is proper diet and exercise. Some believe though that good posture and right sleeping positions can go a long way to reducing one’s double chin.
Sites like Women’s Best suggest sleeping on your bed and only allowing your head to be elevated slightly. This position prevents the water on your face from retaining and slowly eliminates puffiness.
Chewing gums is also a well-known remedy that might help.
Tips for Sleeping Without a Pillow
The first and foremost trick to a good night’s sleep without a pillow is to do it naturally — that is try to eliminate pillows gradually over time. This will save you from the pain and discomfort that comes when your bones and muscles try to find the support they’re used to at night. You should also strive to have a mattress that can pick up where the mattress is left enough in that it is comfortable enough to provide good sleep but not too soft as to lack support and deform the spine.
If your mattress is less than optimal, you can also still sleep with pillows in other parts of the body, like under the knees or lower back, to keep them comfortable and supported.
Below are some tips for sleeping without pillows based on your preferred sleeping position:
Side Sleepers
Side sleeping without a pillow poses problems concerning the support and positioning of the neck. Your main concern here is ensuring the support of the ridge between the ear and the shoulder. This arch at the very least should be supported with a firm foam or pillow. Adding a pillow in the knees also allows the spine to settle in its natural position.
Some also claim that sleeping in a fetal position can stretch out the spine and be comfortable enough to sleep even without a pillow.
Back Sleepers
Sleeping on your back tends to be the more ideal position in terms of spinal and neck support. Healthline recommends that back sleepers would benefit from at least a thin pillow that prevents the head from falling too far backward. Memory foam pillows or mattresses are also recommended for their ability to adapt to the body’s natural form.
Stomach Sleepers
Stomach sleeping can put your back in a very strange position which might cause stress and strain to the spine or back muscles. It can put your back on a weird arch bend it in angles not conducive to its natural shape. A thin pillow should be able to provide enough elevation to support the natural curvature of the spine.
Otherwise, it would be better for the sleeper to sleep on his or her side or back.
Final Words
Sleep quality is extremely important in getting a good night’s rest. People and doctors alike are constantly experimenting with new techniques to ensuring the body is at its best when we are asleep. Ensuring that it is will only make sure it’s at its best when we wake up to seize the day. All of the information on this article should essentially prove that research is still ongoing — there is no definitive answer to whether or not pillows are necessary or a detriment to sleep.
For now, the only thing one bases his or her own decision on is experience. Try for yourself which works and which doesn’t. Find the position that gives you the comfort you need and lets you wake up each morning feeling energized and renewed.
References:
- Crickette M. Sanz; Josep Call; Christophe Boesch (7 March 2013). Tool Use in Animals: Cognition and Ecology. Cambridge University Press. pp. 184-. ISBN 978-1-107-01119-9.
- https://www.healthline.com/health/sleeping-without-a-pillow
- https://dubslabs.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-sleeping-without-a-pillow-/
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/sleeping-without-a-pillow
- https://academic.oup.com/asj/article/36/8/931/2613967
- https://www.chasedentalsleepcare.com/blog/5-benefits-of-sleeping-without-a-pillow
- https://eu.womensbest.com/blogs/beauty/how-to-get-rid-of-double-chin
- https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=4460
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/what-type-of-mattress-is-best-for-people-with-low-back-pain