Choosing a natural pillow to help you sleep better
Struggling to sleep? Don't let your pillow be the problem. Switching to a natural pillow that solves your sleeplessness can have a significant improvement on the day ahead. If you suffer from hot flashes or night sweats, choosing natural fibres can help regulate temperature and moisture, rather than a sweaty synthetic pillow that can hold moisture close to your skin. Aches and pains can be supported with grains, and allergies reduced with fillings that are naturally hypoallergenic or washable. Whatever keeps you awake at night, read our guide to the best pillows to give you a better night's sleep, every night.
Best natural pillow for night sweats
Synthetic pillows and pillow cases have a habit of not absorbing moisture, keeping it close to your skin, making the symptoms of night sweats feel worse. Switching to natural breathable fibres will almost certainly help. Our best heat and moisture regulating pillow is our natural horsehair pillow, providing a springy and comfortable support, whilst wicking moisture away from your skin. If you follow a vegan or plant based lifestyle, then our buckwheat pillow is brilliant. The pyramid shaped hulls create air gaps in the pillow, allowing moisture and heat to evaporate.
Best natural pillow for heat regulating
Wool is a fantastic pillow filling for regulating heat, as well as locking moisture away from your skin. This means keeping you cosy through the colder months, and cooler through the warmer months. A great all rounder supporting your sleep throughout the year. Wool pillows provide a medium level support, and whilst the filling isn’t washable it’s good to know that wool is naturally hypoallergenic with resistance to mould and dust mites, so works well in cold damp houses too.
Best natural pillow for allergies
If you suffer from allergies, then the good news is many natural fillings are naturally hypoallergenic, and the superior moisture absorbing / releasing qualities of fibres like wool, silk and grains create a dry environment that is hostile to bacteria, dust mites and fungus that can cause allergies or irritate respiratory systems and asthma. However, we know for some of our customers, allergies to specific fillings and sensitivities means they want a pillow they can wash. Dust and dust mites, sweat and natural oils from your body can all accumulate and washing the pillow can help. Our tencel pillow can be washed in your washing machine at up to 40 degrees, and dries easily too. Tencel is a plant based fibre, extracted from eucalyptus trees, and like all our other fillings is completely biodegradable.
Best natural pillow for dry sensitive skins
If dry and sensitive skin is an issue, then a silk pillow with it’s anti-allergenic properties could be a good choice. Because silk absorbs less moisture than other natural fillings like wool or horsehair, it allows your skin to retain more moisture which can help prevent dry and itchy skin. If you apply moisturiser or lotions to your skin before bedtime, then silk is less likely to absorb them too.
Best pillow for neck pain
Our millet, spelt and buckwheat pillows allow you to create a shape that contours your neck and head, offering great support. Millet feels like a very fine beanbag, and is the most mouldable, and buckwheat and spelt’s irregular shaped husks create a massaging effect. Spelt’s high silica content can be particularly beneficial for stiff necks and shoulders. If you’re looking for something softer then a silk or wool pillow offers a medium level support.
Other things you need to know when choosing a natural pillow
Whichever natural filling you choose, it’s good to know that all our pillows are wrapped up in an organic cotton case, avoiding the use of synthetic and chemically treated fabrics. These cases are naturally breathable, and our silk, horsehair, tencel and wool pillows all come with an organic cotton and wool quilted outer.
Adjusting the filling in your natural pillow
- too firm for you? Simply unzip and remove what you don’t need
- not firm enough? All our pillow fillings are available on our web site so you can fill it up to your desired firmness.
Caring for your natural pillow
Our tencel pillow is a fully washable pillow, filling and all. For our other natural filling pillows, you will need to remove the fillings and wash only the case. Most natural fillings don’t need washing, for example the natural fibres in wool absorb/release moisture which creates a dry environment which is hostile to bacteria, fungus and dust mites. If you feel that your filling needs drying out too, then when washing the case you can spread the grains or other filling onto a tray and allow to air dry naturally.
If you need any help at all choosing your pillow - then just get in touch with us for more information.
