I don't know if you have observed that older people generally use higher pillows, while younger people tend to prefer lower pillows, believing that a lower pillow can prevent hunchback. From the perspective of health preservation, is your approach correct or not?
The hazards of using a pillow that is too low
1. Compression of the trachea
Sleeping without a pillow or with a pillow that is too low, if lying flat, the head will be tilted back significantly, putting pressure on the throat, causing some breathing difficulties.
Moreover, the compression of the throat is also an important cause of snoring.
2. Chronic damage
Our head and neck have a normal physiological curve. If the pillow is too low, the head and neck will be excessively tilted back, increasing the anterior convex curvature, causing excessive tension in the muscles and ligaments in front of the vertebrae.
Over time, fatigue may occur, and even chronic damage and degenerative changes in hormones may be induced.
3. Imbalanced blood supply
After lying down, the position of the head will be lower than the heart, so the blood will concentrate in the brain and the blood flow to the head will increase.
This will cause congestion in the blood vessels of the head, rather than promoting sleep, leading to dizziness, muscle weakness, and unrelaxed muscles.
How to choose a pillow suitable for yourself
1. Height selection
The height of the pillow depends on the sleeping position. You can choose based on whether you usually sleep on your back or on your side.
(1) When sleeping on your side, you need a high pillow with firm support, and the height of the pillow should be equal to the width of one side of your shoulder.
(2) When sleeping on your back, you need a thinner pillow, and the height of the pillow should be equal to the height of your fist.
2. Firmness selection
Deliberately pursuing support and choosing a pillow that is too firm can easily reduce the contact area between the head and the pillow, increase pressure, and cause tension in the head muscles, seriously affecting the relaxation of the whole body muscles.
Choosing a pillow that is too soft in order to pursue comfort and softness, it is difficult to maintain the height of the pillow.
Excessive softness can cause the head to have too much contact with the pillow, causing compression and affecting blood circulation, resulting in a posterior extension of the neck, excessive traction of the neck, and tension in the throat muscles, which can exacerbate snoring.
A pillow that is moderately firm is the correct choice. You must choose a pillow that seamlessly fits the curve of the head and neck, so as to provide appropriate support for the head and neck and relax the neck effectively.
