Bye-Bye, Pain in the Neck
Posted by: Naomi on July 1st, 2009
I’ve had a pain in the neck since Roo was born five years ago. No, I’m not talking about my beloved daughter, although she certainly has her trying moments. I’m talking about the residual loss of sleep I’ve had since first getting pregnant and being forced to change my sleep habits. Ever since I was a little girl, I have been a back sleeper. Flat on my back, covers tucked tightly around my neck (to ward off vampires, duh!), motionless in deep, replenishing sleep. Of course, pregnant ladies aren’t supposed to lay flat on their backs so early on in my pregnancy I made the switch to side sleeping. I assumed I would just switch back once the baby was born but it just hasn’t happened. Not after Roo was born, not after Jasper was born. For some reason, I am still sleeping on my side and fitfully so. Now that both kids are sleeping through the night, I blame my pillows. I can’t seem to find the proper ones. I like firm pillows but not too hard. Soft but not mushy. Plus I tend to flip them all around since I have the world’s sweatiest head (aside from my kids, of course) so it has to stand up to a beating. I usually use two and swap them back and forth all night, bunching them and fluffing them to try and get comfortable. To no avail.
Thankfully, Tempur-Pedic offered to send me a couple of their fabulous pillows to test out. All of their pillows feature their proprietary Tempur material, a pressure-relieving foam that absorbs and distributes your body weight for maximum comfort and support. It conforms to your shape but immediately regains its original shape, eliminating pressure points. The invention of Tempur was inspired by the study of G-forces on astronauts and Tempur-Pedic is the only brand of mattresses and pillows recognized by NASA and certified by the Space Foundation. Literally, it is the science of sleep!
There are a wide variety of Tempur-Pedic Pillows to choose from, depending on your sleep style. I received the NeckPillow and the ComfortPillow.
The NeckPillow is a sculpted pillow recommended for those who need a therapeutic sleep posture. Its dual-lobe shape ergonomically supports your head, shoulders and neck to align your posture and help you get a more restful sleep. It is a bit funky looking but it does a great job of cradling your head and neck as you lay on your back, ensuring proper posture and comfort. It really helps me to remember to sleep on my back. I even bought a travel-sized one for Jasper to use since he is a fitful sleeper and it has seemed to help. (There is a similar style meant for side sleepers, too: the SidePillow would have been a lifesaver during pregnancy!)
The ComfortPillow is a more traditional-looking pillow but still very supportive thanks to the Tempur material.
I love that it looks and feels like a standard firm pillow but it gives a little, thanks to its plush zip cover. My husband tried to steal it from me immediately! I didn’t let him.
I am sleeping much better these days and would love to try sleeping on a Tempur-Pedic mattress one of these days. If I win the lottery, I would even consider getting them for the kids’ beds. They’re that comfortable. And everyone is happier with a good night’s sleep.
