A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor s book (Irish Proverb). However, getting to sleep is sometimes the problem. With all our pressures, problems and pains of everyday living, it is no wonder that millions suffer from sleep disorders. According to a national survey, 54 per cent of adults said they have experienced insomnia at one time or another. Additionally, back pain, neck stiffness, muscle injuries and menopause can add to sleeplessness.

Today, pillows are not just something fluffy to place beneath our head at night. They are chiropractor approved, sleep doctor designed and specifically created to assist in pain relief, snoring cessation, spinal alignment, neck support, headache relief, joint strain pain, arthritis relief, sleep apnea and much more, while accommodating and stabilizing injuries and conditions. The basic sleeping pillow filled with foam or feathers is a thing of the past.

The fillings for pillows have also changed. Feathers and foam are still available, but new materials have been introduced such as buckwheat hulls, mustard seeds, memory foam and new types of fiber. Added to that are pillows filled with air and/or water and magnetic therapy pillows. These different surfaces provide different types and levels of support for the body and can, over time, heal and correct certain conditions such as degenerative discs, sleep apnea, snoring, insomnia, etc.

How often have you had to punch your pillow into a shape that supports your neck and is comfortable for sleeping? Most of us have had to do this at one time or another. Now, pillows are available in a variety of sizes and shapes. Listed below are a few specific pillows designed to aid sleep:

• Econo Wave Pillow: this pillow has a wavy surface to allow air to circulate while soothing and supporting the neck.
• Buckwheat Hull or Mustard Seed Pillows: these pillows can conform to any shape, come in a multitude of sizes, provide air circulation, help reduce stiff neck and insomnia and come in a variety of scents. Mustard seeds are also believed to relieve backache, joint pain, muscle aches, rheumatism or migraine headaches, while buckwheat hulls provide support and cooling of the head and neck and can help reduce stiff neck and insomnia.
• Air Core Adjustable Pillow: a cervical fiber pillow with a trapezoid shaped center that adjusts the level of support using an air pump and can reduce snoring by correcting blocked airways.
• AquaCore 3 in 1 Pillow: This pillow consists of fiber, resilient foam, plus and easy, fill to your level water cushion that addresses the cause of pain and restores proper neck curvature.
• Leg Spacer: This specialty pillow helps relieve pressure and strain on the lower back, knees and ankles and helps relax muscles while sleeping by placing the pillow between your knees.
• Headache Ice Pillo: This pillow uses medically recommended cold therapy in treating dull, moderate and severe tension or migraine headaches.
• Dreamzz Magnetic Sleeping Pillow: Get a great sleep and wake up refreshed while sleeping on this pillow that produces a calming therapeutic magnetic field that soothes away tension and stress while sleeping.

Pillows are also available for neck support, back support and headache relief:

• The Magnetic Lumbar Pillow is a half roll foam pillow that relieves pain due to muscle strains, sprains, sciatica and herniated discs by delivering a deep penetrating bio north magnetic field.
• The Jackson Roll is a versatile fiber filled support pillow that provides comfort and support for muscle and joint pain, as well as adding curvature to your spine. (I can personally attest that this works to help relieve the pain of degenerative discs.)
• The Soothe A Ciser foam pillow helps relieve headaches and neck pain.

These are just a few of the pillows offered on the market today, along with many others that address specific conditions or injuries. The response of the public to these specialty pillows has been tremendous and will grow in popularity as sleep conditions, sleep disorders, aches and pains and the stress of our fast-paced world continues. Also, these pillows provide a noninvasive method of relieving and perhaps eliminating pain without medication or surgery.

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