Is it better to sleep with a pillow or without a pillow?

The majority of people sleep with big soft pillows, though it can be tempting to sleep without one of you are someone who experiences back and neck pain. There are advantages to sleeping without a pillow though they don’t apply to everyone. Sleeping without a pillow only helps if you sleep in a certain position.

Advantages of sleeping without a pillow:

Does sleeping flat without a pillow improve your posture?

Pillows are designed to help and keep your spine in a neutral position, they go to align your back along with the rest of your body which helps with your posture. There have been no studies as of yet that look at whether sleeping without a pillow really does affect your spinal cord.

However, if you are someone who sleeps on their stomach then sleeping without a pillow may benefit you. This is because it is said that sleeping on your stomach puts your spine in an unnatural position. This is because all your body weight is being focused on the middle of your body which adds stress to the back and neck which then makes it difficult for your spine to maintain its curve.

Can sleeping without a pillow get rid of neck pain?

If you are someone who sleeps on their stomach then sleeping without a pillow may also help get rid of that neck pain. This is because when you are sleeping on your stomach you have your head turned to the side which causes your neck to extend backwards. This causes pain and discomfort as the neck is at an uncomfortable angle. Sleeping without a pillow can help to lessen the unnatural position of your neck whilst also minimising the stress on the spine. Though this is a potential benefit there isn’t enough research to back it up.

Disadvantages of sleeping without a pillow:

Poor posture- Sleeping without a pillow if you sleep on your stomach can help your spinal cord but it will be better to put a pillow under your stomach rather than scrapping it altogether. This is because it will lift up your body and minimise the pressure on the spine. However, if you sleep in any other position then sleeping without a pillow isn’t wise.

Neck pain- if you sleep without a pillow and you aren’t a stomach sleeper it will cause a lot more pain in your neck. This is because sleeping on your side or back causes your neck to extend.