I love my pillow. A lot. It's one of the most important things in the world to me. Without the right pillow, I can't sleep well and end up with horrific pain in my neck and shoulders, which translates to terrible headaches and one Kranky Kristin. A. loves my pillow, too, because he does not like Kranky Kristin.
Back when we were living in Albany and driving out here to visit with some regularity, I would always bring my pillow with me. That's because Blackrock is almost exclusively a feather pillow household. I cannot STAND feather pillows. Even if they're plumped up nicely before sleeping, they always slowly flatten throughout the night, resulting in no support for my neck. And that, of course, results in pain, headaches, and Kranky Kristin. A., unsurprisingly, won't use anything but a feather pillow. He's definitely a product of his Blackrock upbringing.
My current pillow is one of those foam ones that's supposed to be molded and softened by your body heat. It is NOT one of those weird-ass contoured ones with the dip in the center. I hate those. I tried one once and it was worse than the feather pillows. No, mine is just a regular pillow, except made of foam. It's firmer than a normal pillow, with no flattening. It keeps my neck, shoulders, and head happy. And me. It certainly keeps me happy.
I know some people (like me) have very strong opinions on pillows (NO FEATHERS--EVER. FEATHERS ARE OF THE DEVIL). So tell me: What's your pillow preference?
27 comments:
Not a pillow comment, but I thought about you when I woke up this morning and my head was touching the cold metal bed frame.
You know what you need? A nightcap. No more hair freezing to the wall. And if our mothers were right when they told us, "You know, 80% of your heat is lost through your head. Wear your hat!" then you could probably get by with one fewer layer of comforters if you wore a nightcap.
BTW you might want to check your feed settings. I'm not able to subscribe to this comment feed.
Ohmigod, let me tell you about my questionable relationship with pillows.
M is a feather pillow kind of guy - polyfill gets to hot, foam can't be sufficiently squished and the little bean filled pillows freak him out even though they have way superior cooling powers. Me, on the other hand - I have one of everything. I have a polyfill pillow that I use occasionally, a down pillow that I roll up into a tiny ball to conform to my head, a temperfoam pillow that I love and a down-alternative pillow with the worlds most stubborn down-alternative. Which pillow I use depends entirely on how I'm sleeping and I never sleep the same way twice, but it drives him mad that I start every night off with four pillows on the bed and eventually throw three of them off while I try to fall asleep, reserving only the chosen one. :P
Hate the feather pillow. I will use a folded up coat before a feather pillow! My current pillow is a cheep wal-mart one. It's just right. It's firm but bendy.
Poor feather pillow. I love a feather (down, really) pillow. I work with two pillows, actually: a wonderfully old flat feather pillow for stomach sleeping, and a foam one (that is very sinky and nice) for side sleeping. But mostly I love down. Love, love, love.
Mine is one that's at least a few years old. The older & flatter the better. Mr Chiots like his new and as fluffy as can be, but firm for support.
No feather pillows for me either. Big soft or medium ones are good. And LOTS of them. I have 4 pillows all for me on the bed right now and my boyfriend has two. It doesn't help that I am preganant. NEED MORE PILLOWS!
Pillows are evil. I use a nice thin comforter. When on your back, a small flat layer. When on your side, bunched up 3 inches for good support instead of having to shove your hands under your head, bad for your wrists. When on your front, either a corner propping your head perfectly or balled up under your chest to provide proper support for reading. A pillow can't do all that! Pillows are evil! Comforters are the BOMB, wish I'd found out before I was 27! I drag my comforter with me wherever I go and it's MUCH MORE USEFUL too, warm on car rides!
I insist on a flat pillow (ew - not feather)for my head and a King sized, puffy one to also cradle when I sleep on my side. And I have been known to ask for extra pillows at hotels until I get the right one. I guess I'm just a princess. Moi
same thing... no feather pillows, a noce firm pillow that supports my head and shoulders or you get a kranky krysta!
love the k's!
FEATHERS ARE FROM THE DEVIL. NO FEATHERS, EVER!!! lol I hate feathers. I love foam. My favorite ever was little pieces of foam, but I'll put up with a piece of foam. Or, the Wal Mart special..It's kind of a down, but very firm, like foam. It'll do in a pinch. And yes, pillows do make a difference!!LOL
After all these years, I'm still looking for the perfect pillow
gramps
I also HATE feather pillows. I grew up spending many nights with cousins who only had feather ones - I woke up with puffy eyes and a sore neck every time. I don't like foam either. We have two of them and one is too soft while the other is too hard. I rely on the poly filled ones and have to get new ones every couple of years because they flatten over time.
Oh, and my mom gave me a buckwheat filled pillow a couple of years ago (weird, I know) and that's even worse than feathers. It's hard and makes noise. I have no idea why people make them!
ABG
Feathers are the devil and buckwheat are his minions. I've had it all and I hate it all. I have NEVER ONCE IN MY LIFE had a pillow I like. I switch pillows like some people switch socks. I keep buying and I keep switching. Currently, I'm sleeping on a down alternative but it's too flat and I'm a side sleeper so I wake up with a headache. 'Course my mattress sucks too, so I'm generally kranky all night long.
The perfect pillow is like the holy grail. I haven't found it yet. I am also looking for the perfect mattress...
I am not a fan of feather pillows because of that smooshing phenomenon you describe. That being said, it doesn't really matter for me WHAT kind of pillow I use, because my pillow always ends up on the floor. Sometimes I end up on the floor too. Apparently I chase werewolves in my sleep or something.
I pity my future husband.
I do have one pillow hang-up, though - I MUST sleep on the cool side of the pillow. If I'm having a hard time getting to sleep (like when it's 100+ degrees in the summer here) I will flip my pillow numberless times throughout the night.
foam baby. and heavy covers. just enough weight to allow for breathing.
yawn. am sleepy now.
Ok, everyone, gather round. I have found The Perfect Pillow.
The Millenium pillow by Temperpedic.
Yes it's $100 and Yes it's worth it.
And I'm pretty sure the first thing I'd do if I won the lottery is to get one of those thousand dollar mattress systems. Ahhhhh.
I have a good support pillow--foam, maybe? I'm like Goldlilocks--I don't like one too thin or one too thick, I like it just right. There are a couple of pillows in my repetoire (sp?) and I can mix & match as needed, lol.
As any Soldier would state. Any other object than a kevelar helmet, or an ammo can is DREAMY! A tent is appreciated as well. Lance
K L Parish, you know, the pillow is always cool on the bottom, right? So just sleep with your head under the pillow. Problem solved.
WHAT?!?! People don't like feather pillows? How can this be? People sleep with foam pillows ON PURPOSE?
I had no idea.
A TempurPedic pillow. I'm with you - gotta have my neck and head properly supported! Have just recently discovered your blog, but am thorougly enjoying it. You put up with some things in that house that I can't even imagine doing!!! I do not go for frost on the walls!!
Drew, I've been known to do that too :) - get frustrated with the pillows and how poorly they're working and just sleep under them :P
We have to make an essential distinction on the matter of pillows: CC has it, as usual. Down, Down Down. Down is NOT feathers. Down pillows can be soft and gentle, or firmer and gentle, but they are always gentle. Foam, even temperpedic foam, fights back during the night. Down embraces.
Of course, one actually needs four pillows: one soft down, one not so soft down, one feather, and one temperpedic, the latter two for reading in bed, the other two for actually sleeping. (And then, one can also use an ice bag for pillow-chilling as needed.)
Drew - I have been known to do that, but not for the reason you mentioned.
My upstairs neighbors can be...um..."frisky" sometimes...man I can't wait until I live out in the country, and not an apartment...
Not that I am downing the pillow play. And they haven't complained about me dragging hen manure through the commons, so I will not dog them on having a little fun. :P
Kristen, have you found your foam pillow too hard to form to your head when your bedroom is so cold? Or do you bring it down by the woodstove during the day?
I love my foam pillow but not in the cold. Being that we are old-er (is 45 old?),and pansies now, we have taken to sleeping in the warm basement guest bedroom during the cold (anything under 35°) months.
Mattress-- the best is Doctor's Choice from Denver Mattress. Pillow topped and firm enough but still soft. Queen sized or larger.
Good flannel sheets (not thin, whimpy ones), one quilt and then a comforter & I'll sleep like a baby.
PS. Adding you to my Favorite Blog list on my blog. LOVE your writing.
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