You’ve probably heard about the importance of sleeping on a comfortable and supportive mattress right? Great – but something many of us overlook is the importance of investing in the right pillow. If you’re regularly waking up tired or with a sore neck, it might be time for a new pillow. Everyone deserves a good night’s sleep, and the correct pillow can make all the difference.

Given that we spend a third of our lives in bed, it’s essential that we sleep with a pillow that not only supports our neck and spine, but it also has to be comfortable! But with so many different pillows out there these days, where does one even begin?

Something to consider when it comes to the perfect pillow is your preferred sleeping position – do you prefer lying on your back, curling up on your side, or sleeping on your stomach? Although some of us toss and turn while snoozing, we usually have a preferred sleeping style.

When on the hunt for that perfect pillow, the goal is to keep your head in a neutral alignment – meaning that your head placement should not be too far forward and not too far back.

If you’re a back sleeper you’re best suited to a pillow with enough thickness and firmness to support your head, neck and shoulders. A pillow with medium-fill that is not too high is ideal so that your head is not pushed forward.

For our side sleepers – you require a firm ‘high-profile’ pillow that will keep your neck aligned with your spine. Keeping your spine in a neutral position will help prevent back pain.

For those of us that sleep on our stomachs – although not recommended, you should use a relatively ‘low profile’ pillow. This will prevent your head from being pushed back, to avoid creating lower back pressure and neck strain.

A good quality pillow will help support your head and neck throughout the night allowing you to wake up feeling refreshed. An extra little tip is to protect your pillow with a pillow protector – this can help extend the life of your pillow and protect it from any nasty stains and bacteria. It’s actually quite interesting (and horrible) what can be lurking in your unprotected pillow. There are dust mites, dead skin cells, mould and bed bugs which can also double the weight of your pillow over time so having a pillow protector is a good investment for your health.

If you need help finding your perfect pillow, talk to the Bedding specialists at your local Harvey Norman store to get a professional and personalised pillow fitting. No matter how you sleep or what body frame you have, there is a pillow for you!