If you often wake up to flip your pillow to the cool side, you may be entitled to financial compensation. We’re kidding, but we will show you the best cooling pillows so that you don’t have to continue the frustrating flip.
If you deal with a shoddy air conditioner (or none at all), a partner who doubles as a heater, hot flashes, or if you’re just a generally hot sleeper, a pillow that keeps you from overheating might help you sleep a little more soundly. (However, if you deal with chronic night sweats, that’s something that should be handled by your doctor, not a chilly pillow or cooling mattress.)
What should you look for when shopping for cooling pillows?
First, think about the qualities of your current pillow(s) that you like, and keep those things in mind when browsing for a new one. Also, consider the way you sleep—are you a back sleeper? If so, look for a low-profile pillow (10 centimeters is the optimal loft for back sleepers, Michael Gallizzi, MD, MS, FAAOS, a spine surgeon with OrthoOne at Sky Ridge Medical Center, previously told SELF). Side sleepers should look for a high loft pillow and something that’s a little bit more firm. “The goal is to ensure that your neck and head are aligned straight over your shoulders when sleeping,” Srikant Kondapaneni, MD, chief of pulmonary medicine at Englewood Health, previously told SELF. Stomach sleepers should look for a lower-loft pillow—or no pillow at all, per the Mayo Clinic.
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Cooling pillows specifically should have either ventilation or other features that promote breathability, or some kind of cooling technology. They can be filled with memory foam, cooling gel, latex, and down alternatives, all of which promote temperature regulation. The pillow shell should be made out of breathable or cool-to-the-touch materials like viscose, cotton, or mulberry silk. If you have sensitive skin or are allergy-prone, keep an eye out for a hypoallergenic pillow.
Using this research, we found the 13 best cooling pillows for year-round use. You’ll find ice-cold picks for stomach sleepers, and side sleepers, firm pillows for reading, plush pillows for cloudlike comfort, and more. Enjoy your temperature-regulated z’s!
Source: SELF
