SLEEP GOOD SERIES, PART 4: PERFECT CUSHION WANTED
Not only the right mattress, but also the right cushion are crucial for a restful sleep. Silvia Gütl, managing director of the bed and bath specialist “Gans” in Vienna, knows what is important when choosing a pillow.
You made your bed, now sleep in it. However, not only the right mattress is a guarantee to wake up in the morning refreshed and without a tense neck. At least as important is to find the perfect cushion on which to bed the tired head. But this is not exactly easy: the choice of pads is enormous, the needs of sleepers are highly individual. However, there is one thing every individual should take to heart when searching for the perfect cushion: “The most important thing is that the cushion ensures that the spine is straight,” says Silvia Gütl, managing director of Gans. To ensure that this is the case, there are a number of things to consider:
1. take your time!
Buying a cushion virtually on the fly is not a good approach. “You should take time to do it – and it’s best to do it in the morning when you’re rested,” says Gütl. Because a detailed consultation, which you should not do without when buying upholstery, takes time. At least as important is to try various pads right in the store. “With us, this is possible in the down center in the Brandstätte,” says Gütl. However, patience and time may also be needed after buying the good piece: “It can take two or even three weeks to get used to the new cushion. You may even experience sore muscles during the acclimatization phase,” says the expert.
2. the sleeping position decides
Quite decisive for the choice of the right “model” is the sleeping position. “For side sleepers, it’s important that the pad stops in front of the shoulder, so it’s not resting on the pad,” Gütl explains. Optimal are pads with the dimensions 40 by 60 centimeters. “With the standard size of 70 by 90, which is widespread in this country, the shoulder usually rests on the pillow, but this means the spine is no longer straight,” Gütl said. For back sleepers, on the other hand, the cushions should not be too high or too flat in order to prevent the neck from bending or the cervical spine from being hyperextended. “Neck support pillows are optimal,” says the expert. In turn, stomach sleepers would not need a cushion at all. According to Gütl, this sleeping position should be avoided altogether, since the neck is extremely strained by turning the head to the side. For stomach sleepers who do not want to do without a cushion, she advises a very thin pillow at best.
3. the optimal filling
Feathers/down, animal hair, millet and high-tech materials – the choice of fillings is wide. Which best suits the sleeper depends not only on his preferences. Because the materials differ not only in the lying feeling, but also have different properties in terms of air circulation and temperature regulation.
Feathers/down:
While the down provides softness, the feathers are responsible for the support. The higher their proportion, the harder the cushion. However, both have a rather warming effect and are therefore less suitable for people who are slightly hot at night.
Animal Hair:
Most often used virgin sheep’s wool provides good moisture wicking and is therefore optimal for sleepers who sweat heavily.
Hollow fiber balls:
The specially developed 4-hole hollow fiber not only provides excellent sleeping comfort, but also reduces the growth of fungi and bacteria necessary for the food chain of dust mites, ensuring a hygienic and hypoallergenic product. The hollow fibers are exceptionally light and breathable – and the filling can store a particularly large amount of warm air.
Millet/Spelt:
This Fillings are also a natural alternative to animal hair. Both materials also have a warming effect, but offer rather little support.
Foam cores/viscous foam/natural latex:
If you don’t want to snuggle into your cushion, but appreciate a static head rest, you’ll be happy to reach for these fillings. “With Visco foam, however, it must not be below 18 degrees in the bedroom, otherwise the material will not move with you,” says Gütl.
Whichever upholstery you choose, one thing should not be forgotten: Last but not least, the upholstery should be easy to clean. “Pads should be washed regularly at 60 degrees,” says Gütl. Not least because most of the heat and therefore also moisture is released via the head.
All photos: Goose
Previously published in this series:
premiumliving-blog.findmyhome.at/sleep-good-series-part-1-well-rested/
http://myhome.at/schlaf-gut-serie-teil-2-tipps-fuer-einen-erholsamen-schlaf/
http://myhome.at/schlaf-gut-serie-teil-3-wie-finde-ich-die-richtige-matratze/
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