I sleep on my side. A tatortodd comment about head-spine alignment prompted me to make an Amazon search, and subsequently this purchase:
https://a.co/d/014CFZE3

It’s a cylindrical (20” long x 6” diameter) pillow filled with buckwheat hulls. Comfortable, but maintains a thickness of ~4” while my head is on it, helping with head-spine alignment. Perhaps a benefit.

It’s also claimed that the buckwheat hull fill allows air circulation, for cool sleeping. Possibly true, but I’ve never had a problem with that.

I alternate sides when I sleep – a generally good practice for side sleepers, I think. Previously, after sleeping on one side awhile, the down shoulder would get a bit achy. To my surprise this pillow totally fixed that – a significant benefit.

My Apple Watch reports my sleep score every morning. Recent scores are recorded in my iPhone Health app. This pillow has improved the scores from usually “OK” to usually “High”. An objective measurement.

I formerly used a small rug, laid flat, rather than a conventional pillow.

Long ago I slept on my back, but I would sometimes wake with a choking sensation – very unpleasant. Sleeping on my side fixed that problem. I’ve been a side sleeper for more than a decade.

I’m not keen on its color, but otherwise I found it to be the best choice for me among several Amazon offerings of buckwheat hull pillows. All told, I’m quite pleased with this purchase.

Interesting, might be hard to find a pillowcase.
Would like to try one as I am also a side sleeper.

I prefer some with "some" slack in it.

That hurts my neck looking at it. Might work though because you can manipulate the shape of it

If I can find it I will post the one I bought, memory foam with a cut out in the front for shoulder placement. I take it with me on trips too



Found it

https://maloufhome.com/product...lder-flexfill-pillow


I stopped looking after this one, it is amazing

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
I prefer some with "some" slack in it.

Not sure what you meant by slack. If you mean:

height - he selected an adjustable pillow which means open a zipper and add/remove buckwheat to adjust height to keep head, neck, and back aligned

depth - rolling from left side to right side in middle of night while 95% asleep to position head on 6" wide pillow then that's a weakness compared to a more traditional 20" deep std, queen, or king pillow.

width - I've never found pillow width to make a difference for putting head on, but it makes a difference if using for other purposes (e.g. knee pillow) or how a made bed looks. 6" narrower than std pillow, 10" narrower than queen pillow, and 16" narrower than king pillow.

Thanks for posting this! I’ve not heard of buckwheat hull pillows before, but have now spent a little time researching, and am very intrigued. Infinitely adjustable, better airflow to prevent heat retention (I’m a very hot-headed sleeper), and they don’t compress overnight. I see there are some USA organic offerings out there, in a multitude of sizes and shapes. Quality sleep is worth investing a bit of time and money in, so I’ll probably be trying something like this out soon, thanks again!

Buckwheat (soba) pillows are very common in certain areas like Japan.

I think they are an acquired taste. I can use them but don't care for them much. I prefer something that feels like a down pillow but w/o the down/feathers. I hate feathers that poke through the covering. (or having to spend $500 to avoid it).

The problem I have with pillow offerings these days is that they seem to made to fit 6.5' 250lb line backers with 60" jacket size while I'm about half of that. They are too firm (even medium) and too lofty.

If only pillows were tailor made...

quote:

If only pillows were tailor made...

Apparently, this is a thing, and one can have custom pillows made to fit the individual.

2 random links to vendors.
https://www.tailormadepillow.com/
https://youpsleep.com/

That Tailormadepillow had me until I saw the $3995 price. The Yousleep looks like a winner. Thanks for that information.

I used something very similar to that when I was in Korea, at least the few times I wasn't sleeping on a freight train or in the snow.

quote:

That Tailormadepillow had me

Loser - you won't even spring for the $56,995 upgrade version for yourself? Or get a pair for the price of a used Porsche?

Seriously, WTH?

Not THAT'S a pillow!

After reading this thread I purchased one of these Pillows last week.

Only been using it for 5 nights so far, but for the price I like it.