I hate my pillows

[Misty Avich]

I can't sleep properly because my pillows seem to be uncomfortable. I have to use two pillows, one memory foam pillow, but that's too hard to lay my head on with earplugs or headphones, so I put it underneath the other pillow, which is a normal pillow. But my shoulder misshapes the memory foam pillow underneath (I always lay on my side), so I have to keep turning it over, but it's completely gone a weird shape and the pillow on the top doesn't sit right on the pillow underneath, and feels distractingly uncomfortable.
It's like the pillow on the top goes almost vertical, which for some reason annoys me. I just want my pillows to be flat, in a horizontal way, not flat flat. But it's my stupid shoulders that sort of push the pillows upwards so I'm laying on one bulging corner of the pillow or something.

I spend a lot of time each night trying to get the pillows right. It's making falling asleep difficult, which then makes motivation difficult during the day. I just want a comfortable, good night's sleep.

Any tips on how to solve this pillow issue?

 

[Mary Terry]

Go buy some new pillows.

 

[Forest Cat]

Go buy some new pillows.

I think this makes a lot of sense.

 

[Misty Avich]

I think this makes a lot of sense.

Well yes but I'm never sure which pillows to choose and if they'll just do the same thing.

 

[Forest Cat]

Well yes but I'm never sure which pillows to choose and if they'll just do the same thing.

I think the only option is to do some serious pillow testing. Go to a store and find some pillows that seems to be right and take them home and test them. Maybe you have to do it a few times but eventually I'm sure you'll find the perfect pillow. And when you do, buy some extra back-up pillows and put them in a closet. So you can easily replace the old ones later when they need to be replaced.

 

[Outdated]

I have the same setup and I admit that I'm not too happy with it. Also memory foam isn't all that great if you live in a hot climate, just a little bit on sweat on that pillow and it then smells like burnt rubber for the rest of it's life.

I used to have some great pillows when I lived up the top end but I can't find them anywhere in shops any more. They're called Side Sleeper pillows, picture below. I have found pillows that look the same shape but the filling in them is that modern synthetic rubbish that squashes down to 1 mm thick the first time you use it.

I'll put up with the memory foam pillow only until I can find something decent again. I hope that as our new eco laws get stronger all that polyester rubbish gets outlawed and pillows get stuffed with feathers again.

 

[Dagan]

I have been seriously considering one of those giant bean bag beds. I feel like one of those will be perfect because it will probably contour around me and not even need to screen pillows for use again, myself.

 

[Judge]

Always my observation, where I prefer a pillow to be quite stiff rather than soft.

Knowing that such stiffness inevitably dissipates with time. A soft mattress can be "fixed" to a degree, but not a pillow. With replacement being the only real option. An unpleasant task to me, given how pillows can be so individually preferred or disliked.

 

[Ken]

I think the only option is to do some serious pillow testing. Go to a store and find some pillows that seems to be right and take them home and test them. Maybe you have to do it a few times but eventually I'm sure you'll find the perfect pillow. And when you do, buy some extra back-up pillows and put them in a closet. So you can easily replace the old ones later when they need to be replaced.

Yep, my wife has always bought four or five or more different pillows anytime new pillows are needed or wanted. We test them with two pillowcases then return all but the desired one.
We each have different pillows and this has always worked well for us.
The key is to make sure the store allows pillow returns.

 

[MildredHubble]

I can never seem to get the configuration of pillows correct. I prefer firm pillows and I sleep on my side too. Sometimes I've bought big billowy pillows thinking they will provide enough support for my neck and head only to find that when I've placed my head on them my head sinks to the bottom and they aren't offering any support at all. Plus then I have my head surrounded by the displaced pillow.

I got a memory foam (I think they're called) bolster pillow which is cylindrical so I put that kinda diagonally under my head and it naturally rests under my neck giving that support. Probably difficult to imagine I appreciate, but basically the pillow goes from my temple to my jawline and then what remains kinda cradles my neck. This probably sounds strange, but it is comfy when I get it arranged right, but there's a lot of trial and error involved.

I also have a couple of cushions in my bed, the sorts of things you usually put on your armchair. They are a lot more firm than pillows and I arrange them underneath a normal pillow and the cylindrical pillow to create a gentle upwards slope.

Trying to sleep any other way than this esoteric setup is basically impossible and if I do manage to sleep any other way, I usually wake up with a headache and sore neck.

 

[Aspychata]

I hate your pillows too. Can we burn them?

 

[Misty Avich]

I hate your pillows too. Can we burn them?

No, I feel sorry for things lol. Throwing them across the room would be good enough lol.

 

[Gerontius]

I sleep with a regular old pillow in a homemade case, on a straw-tick mattress, and I get the best sleep I've ever been getting this side of a hotel room or under the stars. Probably headed there in just a little bit!

 

[MildredHubble]

I sleep with a regular old pillow in a homemade case, on a straw-tick mattress, and I get the best sleep I've ever been getting this side of a hotel room or under the stars. Probably headed there in just a little bit!

I wish I could just sleep on a normal pillow! I used to be able to, at most I'd fold the pillow over up untill 6-7 years ago. I can't sleep in hotel rooms either. In fact the only place I stand a chance of sleeping is in my own bed.

 

[MNAus]

I have the same problem. I've got pretty broad shoulders and sleep on my side. I also seem to fight with my pillow like it's a scrum trainer:

End result is it gets vertical, my mattress slides down away from the headboard and, bizarrely, the headboard has a dent behind the pillow where it's been crushed by the force. I have no idea of what I'm doing in my sleep that has actually caused damage to the bed. (Note I said in my sleep, not just in my bed )

MY solution is to buy a big pillow and stuff it inside a padded pillow protector then inside the pillow case. It's got some give, but not too much as the protector stops it expanding.

 

[MildredHubble]

MY solution is to buy a big pillow and stuff it inside a padded pillow protector then inside the pillow case. It's got some give, but not too much as the protector stops it expanding.

An interesting idea! I also seem to try to tunnel head first through the headboard in my sleep for some odd reason. Sometimes the pillows get wedged between the top of the mattress and the headboard/wall.

 

[MNAus]

An interesting idea! I also seem to try to tunnel head first through the headboard in my sleep for some odd reason. Sometimes the pillows get wedged between the top of the mattress and the headboard/wall.

Exactly the same! I wonder if it's one of those spectrum things.

I think my protector came from Aldi or something. The actual pillow isn't crazy big, but just a bit of a squeeze to get into the cover. The result is a pillow that almost forms a cylinder, gives way at first then quickly firms up. The only problem i have is that after a while the cover bursts its zip or stitching from the pressure of me grappling with it. Still, at least the pillow lasts longer. Without the double cover it's basically ruined within a couple of months, max.

 

[Misty Avich]

I hate when the mattress slips away from the headboard and the bottom pillow gets wedged between the headboard and the mattress, making the top pillow go almost vertical. I think it's because I share a bed with my husband and he moves about a lot in bed which I think moves the mattress.

 

[MNAus]

I hate when the mattress slips away from the headboard and the bottom pillow gets wedged between the headboard and the mattress, making the top pillow go almost vertical. I think it's because I share a bed with my husband and he moves about a lot in bed which I think moves the mattress.

Maybe you're part of the headboard driller club like MH and me!!!!!

 

[Fino]

I had a decade of neck pain and pillow issues. The only kind of pillow I can sleep on is one that dips down in the middle. If you don't know what I mean, I can find a link.