Is sleeping on a rock good for me?
June 23, 2011 7:55 AM Subscribe
Tell me about your experience with a memory foam pillow. Do you love it, hate it, or something in between?
I recently went mattress shopping and laid down on a mattress to test it out. On the mattress was a memory foam pillow. I instantly fell in love with the way it cradled my head and neck -- I’d never felt anything like it before! I have neck/upper back/shoulder issues and had been looking for a good pillow for awhile. I was so enamored by this pillow that I bought it on the spot, despite the price (never spent $150 on a pillow before!).
Fast forward 3 days. I have been sleeping on it for 3 days. I find it gives me fantastic support, and I DO wake up feeling much better than I ever did in my upper back area. The problem? Once my head settles into it, it’s TOO firm. I’m used to sleeping on flat, soft pillows (which admittedly, weren’t good for my back). On this pillow, I feel like I’m sleeping on a rock, or at least very densely packed sand. Will I get used to this? Will it get softer over time? The one in the store felt softer, but maybe that’s because I was only on it for a few minutes. And even if it doesn’t get softer, will this pillow be good for me in the long run? If the answer is yes, I guess I can live with the firmness.
I recently went mattress shopping and laid down on a mattress to test it out. On the mattress was a memory foam pillow. I instantly fell in love with the way it cradled my head and neck -- I’d never felt anything like it before! I have neck/upper back/shoulder issues and had been looking for a good pillow for awhile. I was so enamored by this pillow that I bought it on the spot, despite the price (never spent $150 on a pillow before!).
Fast forward 3 days. I have been sleeping on it for 3 days. I find it gives me fantastic support, and I DO wake up feeling much better than I ever did in my upper back area. The problem? Once my head settles into it, it’s TOO firm. I’m used to sleeping on flat, soft pillows (which admittedly, weren’t good for my back). On this pillow, I feel like I’m sleeping on a rock, or at least very densely packed sand. Will I get used to this? Will it get softer over time? The one in the store felt softer, but maybe that’s because I was only on it for a few minutes. And even if it doesn’t get softer, will this pillow be good for me in the long run? If the answer is yes, I guess I can live with the firmness.
I went through a similar experience. The store pillows are definitely softer because people keep testing them, and I've been told that the new pillows will eventually settle in as well. I was unable to get used to it, however, and went back to a down pillow.
Perhaps they should artificially age these things prior to sale. I am considering leaving mine under heavy weights for a couple of weeks to see if that makes a difference.
posted by Behemoth at 8:03 AM on June 23, 2011
Perhaps they should artificially age these things prior to sale. I am considering leaving mine under heavy weights for a couple of weeks to see if that makes a difference.
posted by Behemoth at 8:03 AM on June 23, 2011
My Tempur-Pedic pillow got a bit softer as it broke in, but without becoming too soft over time. (I've had it for several years.) I've also found that temperature makes a difference. In the winter, when the pillow is up against the poorly-insulated wall behind my bed, the pillow is quite firm when I get into bed. It's softer in warmer weather. You will probably adjust over time, as well.
For others considering these pillows, I love mine, except that it's not quite high enough for someone with a long, thin neck like mine. (I believe I have the medium size of this one.So, I have to use it atop another pillow. I probably should get the larger size. Also, the pillow tends to cause pillowcases to get stretched out of shape, since the pillow isn't a standard shape (they do make standard shape ones, though).
posted by maxim0512 at 8:05 AM on June 23, 2011
For others considering these pillows, I love mine, except that it's not quite high enough for someone with a long, thin neck like mine. (I believe I have the medium size of this one.So, I have to use it atop another pillow. I probably should get the larger size. Also, the pillow tends to cause pillowcases to get stretched out of shape, since the pillow isn't a standard shape (they do make standard shape ones, though).
posted by maxim0512 at 8:05 AM on June 23, 2011
I find the $20 ones at the drugstore/Target to be much softer.
I gave up memory foam pillows because I had a dog that was a foam-seeking missile. A physical therapist gave me a cervical roll many years ago, which you just stick into your pillowcase with a pillow you actually like. You get the neck support and head-cradling, plus you could actually get that into a suitcase when you travel (though I just roll up a towel - it's a little firm, but it'll do the job for a couple of nights).
posted by Lyn Never at 8:07 AM on June 23, 2011
I gave up memory foam pillows because I had a dog that was a foam-seeking missile. A physical therapist gave me a cervical roll many years ago, which you just stick into your pillowcase with a pillow you actually like. You get the neck support and head-cradling, plus you could actually get that into a suitcase when you travel (though I just roll up a towel - it's a little firm, but it'll do the job for a couple of nights).
posted by Lyn Never at 8:07 AM on June 23, 2011
My experience has been that they do get slightly softer over time, but it's not a dramatic transformation. However, there are a lot of memory foam pillows out there, and their firmness varies significantly, as well as their price. There are plenty on Amazon, and some of the reviews do talk about relative firmness. I was always very happy with the ones I got from Costco, and right now I have this one, which is if anything slightly too soft for me.
posted by unsub at 8:11 AM on June 23, 2011
posted by unsub at 8:11 AM on June 23, 2011
I didn't care for it.
posted by theora55 at 8:15 AM on June 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by theora55 at 8:15 AM on June 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: My Dad has one of these. It was recommended to him by his physiotherapist (he has neck/shoulder pain) and he absolutely loved it, he says it helps him so much. When I tried it out I complained that it was way too firm, and his response was that he got used to it (as in he adjusted, rather than the pillow firmness changed).
posted by maybeandroid at 8:17 AM on June 23, 2011
posted by maybeandroid at 8:17 AM on June 23, 2011
I got a memory foam pillow at Costco, and I actually put a second, soft pillow on top of it. Not because the memory foam is too hard, but because I like my head elevated more, and the memory foam gives a nice base.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:18 AM on June 23, 2011
posted by filthy light thief at 8:18 AM on June 23, 2011
Best answer: I have a TempurPedic Symphony pillow. I absolutely love it, but my husband calls it a "brick." Indeed, it is quite firm. And after you've spent most of your life sleeping on soft, feathered pillows, it's a bit of an adjustment. But it's vastly improved my comfort while sleeping.
The kind of pillow I think you liked and brought home is the contoured pillow, right? Those are comfortable in the store where they've been laid on (yuck) thousands of times, but in practice, IMO, they're not so great. That's what I like about the Symphony pillow--it has the comfort and support of memory foam without the horrendously awkward and uncomfortable shape. It's shaped like a regular pillow, which is perfect.
posted by litnerd at 8:19 AM on June 23, 2011
The kind of pillow I think you liked and brought home is the contoured pillow, right? Those are comfortable in the store where they've been laid on (yuck) thousands of times, but in practice, IMO, they're not so great. That's what I like about the Symphony pillow--it has the comfort and support of memory foam without the horrendously awkward and uncomfortable shape. It's shaped like a regular pillow, which is perfect.
posted by litnerd at 8:19 AM on June 23, 2011
Put a cover on it and use it on your couch/sofa for a few weeks. Sit on it, lean on it, nap on it. Then move it back to the bedroom.
posted by blue_beetle at 8:20 AM on June 23, 2011
posted by blue_beetle at 8:20 AM on June 23, 2011
Tried it. Hated it. Then I spent the next two weeks worrying that my posture sucked so much I couldn't even like a pillow designed to help my posture. Then I decided the pillow just sucked.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:20 AM on June 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:20 AM on June 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
I've had a Tempur-Pedic pillow for about five or six years. I have the opposite problem: mine has always been too soft. It sinks under my head and doesn't spring back quickly or fully. I need another pillow underneath it, and I frequently smoosh the ends in to try and fluff it up. I don't remember a time when it wasn't like this. Maybe I have an abnormally heavy head.
On the other hand, I've slept on it for years, so I guess I like it some. I don't think I'd buy another one, though.
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:22 AM on June 23, 2011
On the other hand, I've slept on it for years, so I guess I like it some. I don't think I'd buy another one, though.
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:22 AM on June 23, 2011
Best answer: I have one and I love it now, but at first I had the same problem you describe—it felt so brick-like and I was VERY conscious about how hard it felt underneath my head that I found it difficult to fall asleep at first. About three months in, I no longer notice it and I don't wake up with neckaches or backaches anymore.
posted by anderjen at 8:26 AM on June 23, 2011
posted by anderjen at 8:26 AM on June 23, 2011
I LOVE a firm pillow, so much so that I take two regular pillows and stuff them into one pillow case so that it's firm enough for me!
I thought that I would like a memory foam pillow, but when I bought one at Kohl's I absolutely hated it! It went back the next day!
posted by Hanuman1960 at 8:27 AM on June 23, 2011
I thought that I would like a memory foam pillow, but when I bought one at Kohl's I absolutely hated it! It went back the next day!
posted by Hanuman1960 at 8:27 AM on June 23, 2011
Best answer: I adore my memory foam pillow, to the point that I've taken it camping (it likes s'mores). I had one from Target that was great at first but became too soft after just a few months; one from Ikea that was rock-hard and terrible; and a very expensive Tempurpedic that was wonderful for the first years but now is getting a bit too soft.
I too have neck / shoulder / upper back problems, but they almost go away so long as I have a memory-foam ergonomic pillow.
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:32 AM on June 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
I too have neck / shoulder / upper back problems, but they almost go away so long as I have a memory-foam ergonomic pillow.
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:32 AM on June 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
I just got one about two months ago and love it -- I find my neck and shoulder pain has definitely diminished. My only complaint is that it sometimes gets a little hot, so occasionally I have to switch it out for a cooler pillow in the middle of the night (but this is an established memory foam problem for me -- the mattresses are too hot for me, too).
posted by scody at 8:46 AM on June 23, 2011
posted by scody at 8:46 AM on June 23, 2011
Tried it. Hated it. Then I spent the next two weeks worrying that my posture sucked so much I couldn't even like a pillow designed to help my posture. Then I decided the pillow just sucked.
This is essentially describes my experience, too, although I stuck with it for a lot longer than two weeks.
I think part of the issue really depends on what sort of sleeper you are. If you sleep on your back, you'll probably have a better time of it. I alternate between my side and my stomach (I move around a lot at night), so the "side sleeper" pillows are only comfortable for about half of the night, and memory foam/"posturpedic" pillows don't generally come in a "stomach sleeper" variety (at least not that I've ever seen).
To the point about the pillow getting softer: not really. It'll soften up a bit, but not very much. If it softens up significantly it's because the foam has started to breakdown and you should actually be replacing it at that point (this shouldn't happen for several years).
posted by asnider at 9:06 AM on June 23, 2011
This is essentially describes my experience, too, although I stuck with it for a lot longer than two weeks.
I think part of the issue really depends on what sort of sleeper you are. If you sleep on your back, you'll probably have a better time of it. I alternate between my side and my stomach (I move around a lot at night), so the "side sleeper" pillows are only comfortable for about half of the night, and memory foam/"posturpedic" pillows don't generally come in a "stomach sleeper" variety (at least not that I've ever seen).
To the point about the pillow getting softer: not really. It'll soften up a bit, but not very much. If it softens up significantly it's because the foam has started to breakdown and you should actually be replacing it at that point (this shouldn't happen for several years).
posted by asnider at 9:06 AM on June 23, 2011
i have a tempurpedic pillow and a tempurpedic bed. love the pillow, hate the bed. the pillow is firm as i like it, but the bed gets boiling hot and i can't even sleep under the covers in the summer w/ the a/c on full blast.
posted by cristinacristinacristina at 9:06 AM on June 23, 2011
posted by cristinacristinacristina at 9:06 AM on June 23, 2011
I sleep on my stomach/side and like mine, although I wish there were a stomach sleeper variety. This at least does a better job of not making my shoulders hurt and not smothering me in the middle of the night. Sometimes I'll flip it around so that the small end is facing me (instead of the part that supports your neck), and let my mouth/chin hang off the end. Sometimes I'll try to fall asleep on my back, and it's at least more comfy than anything else.
posted by deludingmyself at 9:31 AM on June 23, 2011
posted by deludingmyself at 9:31 AM on June 23, 2011
Maybe a year or two ago, I started having jaw pain because I was clenching my teeth at night. I realized that my feather pillow was all flattened, and it was shifting my head and neck so that my jaw was tensed. Switched to the curvy memory foam, and I will never go back. I agree that the $20 Target one is softer than the more expensive ones, but it gets softer as it ages, so after a while, I had to upgrade. My current ($60) one started out pretty hard, but is now (~2 weeks later) the perfect texture. The firmness is a feature, not a bug!
posted by specialagentwebb at 9:38 AM on June 23, 2011
posted by specialagentwebb at 9:38 AM on June 23, 2011
I got one after I got into a bicycling accident and had whiplash. Two years later, I can't imagine switching back to a normal pillow.
posted by 2ghouls at 9:45 AM on June 23, 2011
posted by 2ghouls at 9:45 AM on June 23, 2011
My husband loves his and I hate mine... I think tempurpedic gets softer with warmth since I am cold this doesn't work for me. He loves it because he is warmer- same with the bed. just a theory.
posted by ibakecake at 9:57 AM on June 23, 2011
posted by ibakecake at 9:57 AM on June 23, 2011
Best answer: Yes, I got used to mine, and now I can't sleep on horrible squishy pillows anymore. I haul my pillow with me everywhere, and if I fly, I have a tiny travel pillow to take.
Be warned that once you've adjusted to the fabulous firmness of your memory foam pillow and you do something like take it camping in cold weather, it will get very, very firm if it's cold. Close to rock hard. You might have to snuggle with it for a bit to soften it up. But that's true for many of us, right?
Also, don't ever be tempted to get in a pillow fight with this pillow, because you could kill someone with one swipe.
posted by Addlepated at 10:23 AM on June 23, 2011
Be warned that once you've adjusted to the fabulous firmness of your memory foam pillow and you do something like take it camping in cold weather, it will get very, very firm if it's cold. Close to rock hard. You might have to snuggle with it for a bit to soften it up. But that's true for many of us, right?
Also, don't ever be tempted to get in a pillow fight with this pillow, because you could kill someone with one swipe.
posted by Addlepated at 10:23 AM on June 23, 2011
Firmness varies. I have had a Therapedic pillow for 5 or 6 years that is a smidge too hard. It's also way too hot, though that may not be the pillow's fault; I am very much a hot sleeper.
At some point in the last couple years, I got another, much softer memory foam pillow. I don't recall the brand. It was too soft, and I mostly use it between my knees when I sleep on my side. It is also quite hot.
I just got a Sleep Innovations Cool Contour pillow to replace the original. It's a bit softer, but not too soft. It's also smaller, which I like better so far (seems counterintuitive to me, so we'll see). Also: less hot.
posted by willpie at 10:48 AM on June 23, 2011
At some point in the last couple years, I got another, much softer memory foam pillow. I don't recall the brand. It was too soft, and I mostly use it between my knees when I sleep on my side. It is also quite hot.
I just got a Sleep Innovations Cool Contour pillow to replace the original. It's a bit softer, but not too soft. It's also smaller, which I like better so far (seems counterintuitive to me, so we'll see). Also: less hot.
posted by willpie at 10:48 AM on June 23, 2011
I use a shaped one for my fucked up neck. I use the cheapo ones, and replace them after a year or so, I have not tried an expensive one, but I cannot sleep with a regular pillow anymore, no way, no how, has to be memory foam, and has to be shaped. I find regular pillows more comfortable for lying in bed reading or whatnot, but I cannot sleep on them.
posted by biscotti at 4:14 PM on June 23, 2011
posted by biscotti at 4:14 PM on June 23, 2011
I have a pillow that's memory foam on one side, synthetic down filling on the other. The down side makes the memory foam side a bit less hard, and I can always flip it over from one side to the other if my head is feeling a bit more sensitive that day.
posted by booknerd at 5:34 PM on June 23, 2011
posted by booknerd at 5:34 PM on June 23, 2011
Response by poster: UPDATE: 3 weeks later, I have gotten used to it! I hardly even notice the firmness anymore. I am sleeping really well and my back and shoulders have definitely improved. Yay for memory foam!
posted by yawper at 7:36 PM on July 15, 2011
posted by yawper at 7:36 PM on July 15, 2011
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