This past weekend I was traveling, and slept in 2 different beds in 2 nights. Usually I like to travel with my own pillow, which might be one of the few high-maintenance things about me. I'm quite tall (5'11") and have fairly wide shoulders and am a side sleeper, which means flat pillows are like having no pillow. Everyone's pillow preferences are different, and not everyone has enough pillows in their house to accommodate your needs when you visit (plus, I'd never ask them to). Plus, I have 3 siblings from one house, and when we are all there with our partners and/or kids, there may not be enough pillows to go around. So, I just decided long ago to embrace my inner pillow diva and both invest in a good one (which turns out to be amazing for me now) and bring it everywhere with me. Judge me. I don't care.
A few years ago, my husband and I decided to go invest in a couple of good pillows. We went to the store, tested a bunch, spoke to the sales person and each took home our favourites. His is a memory-foam type thing, mine is a thick but very springy foam. I love my pillow. Maybe a little too much. We never switch (we each think our pillows are superior) and I never sleep without it. If I recall correctly, they were +$100 each, but amortized over however long we will have them, I think it's well worth it.
Well I decided that I wasn't going to bring my pillow with me this past weekend. I'll be fine, I thought. I'm the only one sleeping over (well, my 3 year old too, but he DOES bring his pillow everywhere....). I was wrong.
The pillows on night #1 were adequate in height, but much firmer than mine. Normally this would be fine, but I've got a couple of ticking time bombs on each side of my face. And, as mentioned, I'm a side sleeper. It was like sleeping on rocks, and my face ached the whole next day. Night #2 was better, a thick, soft pillow, but still not mine. Plus my lingering soreness needed some recuperating, and only my own pillow would do it.
So there you have it. I'm writing a blog post about my damn pillow. The old me would be embarrassed, but the new me (post injury) gives zero F's, so I'm cool with this. Plus, my experience this past weekend has made me realize that a lot of my lack of intense TMJ pain might be related the fact that I have a great pillow for my condition. So the real reason for this post is to tell you that if you're in the same boat as me, go and find yourself a great pillow. I wish that I could remember what mine was so that I could recommend it (if I find a label on it I'll update my post) but I'd say go out and buy the best pillow that you can easily afford. There's no need to break the bank but I'm confident saying that it will help your pain levels, especially if you're a side sleeper and can't give it up.
Like I said, my pillow is great for me being a side sleeper. You'll have to choose your own type based on your sleep preferences, but I'd say one of the key things is something really soft and springy, as little firmness as possible so that it cradles your face without pressure. To me, it's like how a cloud might feel if you rested your head on it. (How's that for a sleep analogy).
It's just like my mom always says....there are 2 things you should spend good money on: shoes and mattresses. And by extension of that - your pillow.
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