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Humans aren’t the only creatures on Earth that seek the comforts of a pillow for a good night’s sleep. The invention of pillows with soft fillers appear later in history, but animals and humans since long before have found objects or each other to rest their heads on while sleeping. Humans initially started with primitive stone and wooden pillows, which later evolved into well-crafted headrests. For example, over across many Chinese dynasties, headrests were beautifully designed and decorated, and moulded from a variety of materials such has bronze and ceramic. In order to reduce back and shoulder pain from sleeping, pillows with soft inner materials were developed and became the norm we use today.
Pillow filler materials
Pillow filler material can be composed from a variety of materials. Natural materials have been the traditional fillers of pillows, such as wool, buckwheat, kapok, feather, down, and latex. Nowadays, synthetic materials such as polyester fibres and memory foam are rising in popularity. These materials can differ in softness, malleability, price, and durability. It is ultimately down to your own personal preferences to determine which type of material is most appealing to you. However, it can be hard to know where to start, so here is a brief breakdown of common filler materials to help you make your initial considerations:
Sleeping positions
A good pillow should not be too high or too low, and offers proper support to your head and neck. Your sleeping position is therefore an important factor in determining the type of pillows which best provide this support and reduce neck or back pain.
Caring for your pillow
Your pillow should be cleaned regularly to prevent the collection of moisture and to eliminate dust mites inhabiting your pillow. Just as there are many types of fillers for your pillow, each filler requires different methods of care and cleaning.
When using your pillow, a case should be on at all times to preserve the cleanliness of your pillow. This also allows convenience in cleaning as the case can easily be taken off and washed. For those who may have dust mite allergies, inserting a dust mite-proof pillow case under your usual pillow case can help reduce your symptoms and provides an extra layer of protection for your pillow.