The right pillow helps you get a good night’s sleep and also helps prevent headaches and neck pain. We collected detailed information about which filler to choose for the pillows.
In order not to experience problems with sleep and to have quality relaxation at night without harm to health, it is important to choose good accessories for relaxation. In this regard, a lot of questions arise: what should be the “filling” and how to find the most successful one for an adult and a child? In this article, we tell you which pillow filler is better and what to look for when choosing it.
How to choose a pillow filler
The ideal does not exist, if only because the parameters of the body of each person are individual and what is convenient for one may not be to the taste of another at all. That is why customer reviews of good fillers for pillows and the products themselves often differ.
However, there are general principles to be guided by when choosing an accessory for sleep:
- You should be comfortable. If you choose a pillow in an offline store, lie down on the model you like – the head and body should be in a comfortable position.
- The padding must “breathe”. Choose compounds that do not interfere with the free circulation of air, otherwise, fungus or dust mites may form inside over time.
- The parameters must remain unchanged. Crumple the item a few times and see how quickly it returns to its original shape.
- Covers and “stuffing” should not cause allergies. This rule applies not only to those who suffer from it – the hypoallergenic composition will ensure you a safe and healthy holiday.
- Maintenance should be simple. If the padding requires regular complex maintenance, it is better to abandon this option in favor of one that is easy to store and clean. It will make your daily life and cleaning easier.
- If you often have backaches or headaches, pick up stuffing with a soothing scent. It can be slightly sour – it will weaken the feeling of nausea.
- The pillow must be chosen individually. You should not buy the same products for all family members – each person has his own physiological characteristics and personal feeling of comfort. Someone likes to bury their head in soft fluff, while someone needs an orthopedic model. Perhaps the products will be different in shape or size and therefore look less aesthetically pleasing on the bed than the same ones, but everyone will get enough sleep.
Pillow fill rating
All fillers are divided into two groups: artificial and natural. Ease of care, convenience, and air exchange in the product depends on the quality of the stuffing. Consider which filler is better to buy pillows.
Natural
There is no need to talk about the benefits of natural fillers: they are environmentally friendly, breathable, adjust to a comfortable body temperature and absorb excess moisture (for example, if a person sweats during sleep). But some of them are categorically contraindicated for people with allergies. Consider the pros and cons of each material.
Feathers or down
For pillows, fillers made of down and feathers have been used for a very long time. Usually, take goose or duck. It is worth mentioning right away that this option is not for allergy sufferers. In general, such packing is quite elastic, adapts to human physiology, and perfectly regulates heat transfer. In addition, down and feathers allow the product to “breathe”. The shelf life of this filler is short – it must be frequently sorted out and particles damaged by moisture removed, otherwise, a fungus may form. Usually, renovation is carried out in special ateliers or dry cleaners. The structure of the product depends on how many soft feathers are used. The more of them, the softer and lighter the pillow.
Wool
Usually, they take camel or sheep. Woolen padding does not accumulate dust, it is moisture resistant in summer, and in winter it adjusts to a comfortable temperature for the human body. If the material is of high quality, it will last a long time and will not lose form. But again, this is not a suitable option for allergy sufferers and asthmatics. Wool products are recommended to be ventilated in the air a couple of times a year, optimally in winter and summer. This will prolong the service life and prevent the appearance of an unpleasant odor.
Buckwheat
The peculiarity of this filler is that it takes the shape of the body and at the same time has a therapeutic massage effect. It also supports the head well. Buckwheat stuffing is indicated for people with circulatory or sleep disorders, and back and neck pain. Sometimes it even helps to get rid of snoring. Suitable for those who suffer from allergies. Despite the unusual texture, which at first glance may be questionable, it is easy to get used to it.
Bamboo
Bamboo fiber has antibacterial properties and is good for those who suffer from allergies. This “filling” perfectly absorbs moisture, maintains a comfortable temperature, and perfectly follows the contours of the body. Fungus or bed mites will not start inside. The material is easy to care for – you can simply send it to the washing machine. In addition, in principle, it accumulates dust to a minimum, which greatly simplifies maintenance.
Eucalyptus
Otherwise, it is called Tencel. This is a light but very durable plant material that will last up to 7-8 years. Provides good air and heat exchange, is hypoallergenic, and absorbs excess moisture. A distinctive feature of this pillow filling is that the fibers are hollow inside so that the product is soft and almost weightless. The disadvantages include a fairly high cost.
Linen
Linen fabric is easily recognizable due to its rough, rough texture. Lovers of everything natural often choose it for bed linen, but linen can also be used as a filler. To do this, softer fluffy fibers are used, and a thin layer of dense flax pierced by needles is placed between them and the cover. It provides the product with strength and helps to keep its shape. The result is durable and strong padding that “breathes”, does not deform, cools the pillow in summer, and warms in winter. The material is suitable for machine washing, it is also advisable to shake the product after sleep to restore natural air circulation.
Cotton
Another natural and eco-friendly material. For stuffing, short and long cotton fibers are used, intertwined with each other. The result is an elastic, breathable, voluminous filler that passes air well. However, it has a number of disadvantages. Firstly, a relatively short service life – on average, cotton stuffing needs to be changed after 2-3 years. True, given the low cost, this does not become a big problem. Difficult care can also be attributed to the disadvantage: the material cannot be machine washed, while moisture accumulates inside and must be cleaned regularly.
Artificial
The synthetics market is rapidly developing, and now there are dozens of modern artificial materials that are not inferior in their characteristics to natural ones. At the same time, they are easier to care for, and they are usually cheaper.
Polyester fiber
Polyester pillow filling is an inexpensive and durable material that is made from polyester. It is very flexible, easily recovering from compression. The price varies depending on the type of fiber. For example, inexpensive models – with a microfiber cover. They are suitable for temporary use, for example, in the country . There are also denser options filled with ultra-thin, highly siliconized polyester microfiber that mimics natural fluff. The product is lightweight yet flexible.
Sintepon
An inexpensive and durable material made from polyester fibers bonded together using high temperatures. The resulting matter is treated with an antibacterial compound and silicone. At the same time, such stuffing poorly retains heat, and absorbs moisture and all odors.
Holofiber
Safe synthetic material, which consists of polyester impregnated with silicone. It is hypoallergenic but does not absorb moisture. Machine washable at low temperatures, but may clump when spinning, so it’s best not to turn on this mode. Due to the improved structure (the fibers have a silicone coating), it is called an improved version of the padding polyester.
Memory foam
It is a synthetic porous monoblock, which is most often made in the form of a pillow at the production stage. Foam filling is safe for health, and does not cause allergies. The material quickly takes and remembers the shape of the body of a particular person, optimally distributes the load, and improves the quality of sleep. It cannot be washed. Foam is recommended for people who have problems with the spine, and pregnant women who have neck or back pain. Memory Foam consistently leads the rankings of the best fillers.
Microfiber
Microfiber keeps its shape well, is safe, does not cause allergies and, importantly, is suitable for rooms with high humidity: for example, for summer cottages. Does not accumulate static electricity. Products with such stuffing should be kept away from fire and washed at low temperatures.
Polystyrene
If you have ever met a pillow with small balls inside – this is polystyrene. The convenience of this padding is that it gently fixes a comfortable position of the body and comfortably distributes the load. The material is easy to care for – it is enough just to periodically wash it in a typewriter .
Artificial down
Despite the fact that this material was created as an alternative to natural down and feathers, it is much inferior to them in terms of performance. Synthetic fluff does not absorb moisture, is electrified, and besides, it does not have very good orthopedic characteristics.
Holfitex
Another modern pillow filler is holfitex. Like other artificial materials (for example, synthetic winterizer, synthetic winterizer or holofiber), it is made from polyester fibers. Raw materials differ from others only in manufacturing technology. It absorbs odors well, maintains a comfortable temperature and does not become a breeding ground for fungus or household parasites. The pillow turns out to be voluminous, light, and soft, but elastic.
What is the result?
So, how to choose a good pillow, focusing on the filling material? If you have allergies, it makes sense to pay attention to synthetic stuffings. Many of them are machine washable, easy to care for, and hold their shape well. Natural materials are good for their hygroscopic and thermoregulatory performance but are more difficult to care for and are not always suitable for allergy sufferers.
Recommended product parameters
When choosing an accessory for sleep, there are certain standards, but they should be based primarily on personal comfort.
The sizes in which pillows are sewn are different: for children, these are more compact and flat models 40 centimeters wide and about the same length. For an adult, you can take a more magnificent and larger model, the largest size is a square with a side of 70 centimeters. There are also cushions – for those who like to sleep without a pillow. They are equal in size to the children’s model but have an elongated rounded shape.
Also, products vary in height.:
- The tallest, up to 13 centimeters, is ideal for relaxing on your back.
- The minimum height is 8 centimeters, suitable for sleeping on the stomach.
The remaining parameters are selected individually. The most convenient will be an anatomically shaped product with an optimal degree of rigidity for you personally.
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