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October 11, 2007

Where Are All The Good Pillows?

One of the most common questions I get from clients is where can they find a good bed pillow. If I knew the answer to that question, I would be sleeping better myself!

According to an informal poll of my clients, the Temper-Pedic pillow is the most revered, vilified and asked about pillow I know. It's also one of the most expensive and has a host of knock-offs that purists swear do not compare to the real thing. Another pillow that I've heard about can be acquired at a chiropractor's office called the D-pillow because of the shape of the dent in the center.

In the quest for the perfect pillow, my husband I have purchased and cast aside seven different kinds of pillows. There's the Old Grampa from K-Mart that lasted for about two weeks before it got lumpy. Then there is the quilted number we bought from WalMart that we decided was too hard and unforgiving. TJ Maxx has yielded Ralph Lauren half feather, half down pillow. Also from TJ Maxx was a boxed Laura Ashely pillow that got lumpy, so that has ended up donated to a thrift store.

What I sleep on is a combination of fluffy pillows and an old feather pillow that I had when I moved away from home. That thing is so old that it's more useful as a small quilt than a pillow. It is great for back sleeping because it is flat enough that my head is not elevated too much. The fluffy pillows are useful for side sleeping, one under my head, one between my knees and ankles to prevent low back pain. The fluffy pillow is also good for stomach sleeping because it props my body up slightly to ease the twisting on my neck. Honestly, with all that shifting around and swapping out props, I no longer can sleep through the night.

In my quest for a good night's sleep, I've turned to my travel experience. Unfortunately, most forays away from home have not helped me find quality sleep. I have learned to avoid the side of the bed closest to the telephone--there's a hole in the mattress on that side that I fall into. However, there have been exceptions to torturous nights away from home. First was a forced layover at a brand new Baymont motel. I had a king sized bed to my self with great pillows. Unfortunately, I did not have the wherewithal or the time to strip the bedding off the pillow and get the make and model number.

Second was a business trip to Florida with a stay at the Jupiter Beach Resort. I had a nice bed, but I fell in love with their pillows. They were down filled with a feather center baffle that you could punch down for back sleeping and punch up for side sleeping and it would hold its support. This time I stripped the three layers of fine bedding off the pillow and found a company name: Pacific Coast. Their website does not offer a pillow with the same combination of feather and down and their pillows are not cheap (though they are cheaper than what the hotel would have charged me had they ended up home with me--I called and asked).

Since I wrote this post, I noticed that Pacific Coast has a "Hotel Collection" that allows you to contact them and find out what pillows you slept at your favorite hotel. The prices on these products are much more affordable and I am optimistic that I will finally find the pillow of my dreams.

tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health

Posted by linda at October 11, 2007 11:20 PM