Neck Muscles: What They Do and What Role Your Pillow Plays
Your neck muscles support and move your head, during the day and at night in every sleeping position. A pillow can neither train nor loosen them, but it does help determine whether your head and cervical spine line up when you lie down.
What do neck muscles have to do with your pillow?
When you lie down, something has to support your head: your mattress and your pillow. If the pillow is too high or too low, your neck ends up at an angle. It then stays in an unfavourable position for hours.
Your pillow helps decide what position your neck spends the night in. It's no more than that, but no less either.
What determines the right pillow height?
Three things work together: your body measurements, your sleeping position (back, side, stomach) and your mattress (soft, medium, firm). For side sleepers, for example, a lot depends on how much room the shoulder needs. When it comes to body measurements, three measuring points matter:
| Measuring point | How to measure |
|---|---|
| Shoulder width | around the curve of your back, with the measuring tape not pulled tight |
| Neck circumference | once completely around your neck |
| Neck length | from the underside of your ear to the shoulder point |
The same pillow height doesn't suit every body. To learn how to estimate your height, read Calculating your pillow height.
How does Pillowise approach this?
Pillowise is a made-to-measure memory foam pillow. Thijs van der Hilst developed it as a physiotherapist. In his practice, he couldn't recommend a suitable pillow to patients with neck complaints. So he developed a measuring method: based on the three measurements, your sleeping position and your mattress, an algorithm selects the pillow that fits best. There are six sizes, each with its own colour.
You can get measured at a Pillowise retailer, or you can work out your size yourself with PillowScan.
Can a pillow relax your neck muscles?
A suitable pillow makes sure your neck is well supported while you lie down. It is not a cure. Tension and pain have many possible causes. If you regularly have discomfort, please have it checked by a doctor. The same goes for exercises: your doctor or a physiotherapist can tell you which ones are suitable for you. You can find more about pillows at Which pillow for neck pain?
So: do you need to change your pillow?
If you wake up without discomfort and sleep well, you don't need to change anything. If you're unsure, the tips at Is your pillow too high or too low? can help. And if you'd like to know which height suits your body, measuring is a surer way than guessing.
Work out your size yourself or find a retailer near you
Thijs van der Hilst, physiotherapist (non-practising)
Inventor of Pillowise
