Memory Foam Pillows

[Shirley]

Has anyone tried these - some of you will know that I'm suffering major neck/shoulder pain at the moment - doc reckons it's a possible prolapsed disc in my neck that is pinching a nerve causing extreme pain and tingling and numbness too. On pain killers but they aren't doing much and sleeping is difficult - so I thought I'd give one of these pillows a go.

I've got a buckwheat pillow at the moment and the main problem with this is that it's cold.... it's also quite heavy too so I end up trying to shift it around to get comfy and hurt my arm.... and then it's flipping cold too.

[Wombat]

G'Day Shirl!

Mrs Wombat used one of them a few years ago. Her comments were that they are good for straightening your neck out but not the most comfortable to sleep on. I sleep on my side so it would be no good for me, but if you sleep on your back it could be worth a go!

Nev

[Shirley]

Thanks Nev - I'll give it a go anyway - at the moment mainly sleeping on my back anyway but usually on my side.

[Wombat]

No worries mate. I hope it helps!

Nev

[Muddypause]

A friend of mine had a memory foam mattress on trial for a while, but sent it back. She said that once the foam had shaped itself to your body it became hot and sweaty. Maybe this could be improved by a different choice of bed linen, and maybe it wouldn't be a problem with a pillow.

I've just had an Ikea catalogue put through the door (unasked for, and never shopped there meself, so no idea if they're any good). It has a couple of 'ergonomic' pillows, one made from memory foam. They seem to be shaped so that you can sleep on your side, as well as on your back. Least, that's what the illustration seems to imply. It could be this, but the catalogue price is different, at £11.99 (actually, it's pretty confusing - the catalogue and website seem to be at variance over many things, and often more expensive online). A bit of Googling will prolly turn up plenty of alternatives.

[Clara]

Before I ditched the rat race I got really bad RSI from overreaching when I used the mouse, I bought one of these from my physio and it was brilliant. They are shaped so that they fill the gap between your neck and shoulder and support your neck in the correct position. If you look at someone lying on their side with traditional pillows, depending on how many and how soft they are you will probably see that the neck is either arching downwards or the head pushed upwards.

Several years on I still use mine every night, I don´t feel at all comfortable on regular pillows now.

Though keep your old pillows handy, the foam ones are rubbish for sitting up in bed.

[the.fee.fairy]

I've got one, and i tried to get on with it, but it wasn't high enough - i'm a broad shouldered lass, and it would be ok if you're a skinny waif with a sylph like frame. Sadly, i am neither of those - i've got what my dad calls a farmers wife build - powerful shoulders, good hips and a waist. The memory foam pillow was useless for me sleeping on my side.

I did try putting it on top of another pillow and that worked a bit better, but it was smaller than the other pillow and my head kept falling off the edge in the night giving me neckache in the morning!!

[baldowrie]

I used one a while back but found it a little uncomfortable as I am not big enough to 'reach' over the hump in them being small.

As for memory foam mattresses, I used one I got through the hospital that was little squares joined together and it did not sweat on me. It eventually fell apart, help along I believe by someone

[Millymollymandy]

would be ok if you're a skinny waif with a sylph like frame. Sadly, i am neither of those - i've got what my dad calls a farmers wife build - powerful shoulders, good hips and a waist.

Oh no, you've ruined the impression I had of you! It must have been the dainty little pink fairy avatar that made me think you 'looked' like that!

[the.fee.fairy]

Ha ha ha, no, i'm not in any way what you'd call dainty!!

[Cheezy]

I've got a mattress, and got the pillows thrown in for free. The mattress is good, a little soft for my liking (it's the hardest they did, but I was used to sleeping on an old futon that had compressed down to 5cm!.)

I was worried about the heat thing cos "I's hot stuff!". Well I kick out a lot of heat especially at night.
But it's OK I don't have a problem, never been sticky, you need a proper cover on it and normal bed clothes. I do tend to sleep with my feet stuck out anyway. Mind we've not exactly had a hot summer to test it out with yet! (got it last Autumn)

The pillows I can't get away with, like the other's have said it's OK if you sleep on your back. How ever there are newer designs, they even do a "normal" pillow made up of chopped up foam....But they're expensive.