How the specific height and shape of your PILLOW could be destroying your eyesight and slowly crippling you
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They might seem an unlikely source of health problems, but research published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology last month suggests pillows could lead to sight loss.
The study included 144 adults with glaucoma, where a build-up of the fluid and pressure inside the eye damages the optic nerve and can lead to irreversible blindness.
The researchers compared participants’ internal eye pressure when lying on a pile of pillows, then when lying flat, every two hours over a 24-hour period. They discovered the pressure was greater on the stacked pillows.
The theory is that the jugular vein in the neck becomes compressed when lying at an angle on stacked pillows, increasing eye pressure.
Along with taking their regular medication, patients with glaucoma should avoid sleeping postures that induce the compression in this way and increase eye pressure, researchers said.
Meanwhile, rather than causing problems, some pillows are designed to ease specific health conditions. So we asked experts to assess a selection, which we then rated.
SORE NECK
Elviros Cervical Memory Foam Pillow, £30.59, amazon.co.uk
CLAIM: Made from a firm foam, this pillow promises ‘neck and shoulder relief’. Shaped to give support to side, back and stomach sleepers, it is sloped with raised edges to keep the head aligned with the body.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘The basic premise of this is to offload the stress and forces on the different structures of the neck which are causing the pain,’ says Nick Seecharan, a physiotherapist at Grounded Health in Brighton.
‘By restoring the natural curvature of the neck when sleeping and keeping the head in a fixed position thanks to the memory foam [which adapts to your contours every time as a result of weight and warmth], this would reduce some pain due to degenerative joints and rest strained muscles in the head and neck, which can be overworked if you’re hunched for long periods looking at a screen, for example.
‘But causes of neck pain vary, so this needs to be considered before trying a pillow like this. Sometimes specific strengthening exercises and manual manipulation by a physiotherapist may be required. But for £30, this is worth a punt.’
7/10
HOT FLUSHES
My Nature Menopause Pillow, £59.95, mattressonline.co.uk
CLAIM: Filled with hollow fibre, a synthetic polyester, it’s claimed that this absorbs heat and wicks away moisture, reducing hot flushes and night sweats.
While this pricey pillow is said to have a ‘cooler’ side, it does not actively cool you down in the same way that an open window or fan could
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘This pillow seems to facilitate heat loss from your head and face, when actually most menopausal women I imagine would want a whole-body solution,’ says independent sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley.
‘This pillow is not actively cooling you down like an open window or a fan would.
‘It boasts that it has a “cooler” side, but any pillow also has a cooler side – the opposite to what you’ve been lying on. And as it’s hugely expensive, I don’t think this is worth it.’
2/10
LUMPY EARS
The Original Pillow with a Hole, from £35, thepillowwithahole.co.uk
CLAIM: This pillow has a circular hole at its centre, said to help people with chondrodermatitis nodularis (CNH), which causes painful lumps on the ear, as a result of constantly sleeping on one side or regularly wearing headphones, for example. ‘Reducing contact on the ear often allows CNH to settle within weeks,’ the maker says.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘CNH is very common – it’s caused by pressure on the outside ridge of the ear cartilage, which leads to inflammation and a small red lump,’ says Dr Tim Churchill, a consultant dermatologist at Cadogan Clinic in London.
‘We prescribe a steroid cream to reduce inflammation – and recommend using a pressure-relieving pillow like this at night. With treatment, these lumps go away within a few months.’
8/10
HEARTBURN
Acid Reflux Wedge Pillow, £59.99, johnlewis.com
CLAIM: Sleeping on this puts your upper body at an angle, which ‘reduces symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux’.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘When you lie flat, the stomach contents can flow up as it doesn’t have to contend with gravity,’ says Professor Peter Whorwell, a gastroenterologist at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester. ‘Elevating your upper body with a pillow like this is very useful to stop this.
‘This wedge looks good because it goes under your bottom so your abdomen is not squashed, which could be uncomfortable. Some cheaper ones won’t do this, so it is worth paying more for one that is longer.
‘I have acid reflux at night but I’ve put four-inch blocks under the top of my bed – so it slopes down, which is a cheaper option.’
7/10
BAD BACK
Bed Back Support Pillow, £46.40, putnams.co.uk
CLAIM: The maker of this D-shaped pillow says it’s designed to go ‘under the small of your back to support the natural shape of the spine during sleep’ and ‘gives pressure relief to the back when in pain’.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘The premise is that this pillow increases or maintains the natural inward curve of the lower back when sleeping on your back,’ says Nick Seecharan. ‘But if you’re choosing this kind of support due to a back issue, you need to first make sure you understand its cause before risking spending hours overnight in a position that could even make the problem worse.
‘I would not recommend it as a first-line or stand-alone treatment for anyone with back pain.
‘But if you’re determined to use a back support, maybe first try with a rolled up towel under the small of your back to see if it makes any difference.’
4/10
SNORING
Luxury Anti-Snore Pillow, £25, silentnight.co.uk
CLAIM: With an ‘ergonomically shaped foam core’, this pillow ‘keeps your head and neck at just the right position to improve your breathing’ and this ‘can help reduce snoring’.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘The problem with snoring is that it can be caused by many factors, from a deviated septum [the thin wall which separates each nostril], to simply your position when sleeping – on your back, for instance, can cause the airways to narrow and obstruct normal breathing,’ says Neil Stanley.
‘This pillow’s filling makes it fairly rigid, so will support your head in a fixed position which could help some snorers. But you won’t know if it works for you until you have tried it.’
6/10
HIP OR KNEE PAIN
The Groove Adjustable 3-in-1 Pillow for Knee and Hip Pain, £28, groovepillows.co.uk
CLAIM: This comes with an adjustable strap to secure it between the knees, meaning it ‘adjusts with you as your sleep position changes’.
It can also be opened out to slip under both knees, to help relieve discomfort including hip impingement (where the ball of the thigh bone pinches against the hip socket), sciatica and osteoarthritis.
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘For side sleepers, having this pillow between the knees helps to prevent the top leg from dropping down – many people report that this helps reduce some hip and lower back pain,’ says Tim Allardyce, a physiotherapist at Surrey Physio.
‘And if you had it under your knees, this would cause slight flexion in the hip which might take some pressure off it, making it more comfortable to sleep.
‘This would also add a slight bend to the knees, so would help people with arthritis who might struggle to straighten their legs.
‘Although a normal pillow could do the same job, the shaped curves of this one might offer additional support for people who have hip or knee problems, or after surgery.’
8/10
Anti-acne silk pillowcase
Silver Ion Infused Organic Silk Pillowcase, £64, yumisilk.com
CLAIM: Pillowcase made from silk to ‘improve your skin while you sleep’, says the maker. It’s infused with silver ions which prevent acne-causing bacteria reproducing.
This pillowcase, treated with silver ion, is thought to eliminate the majority of acne-causing bacteria and reduce breakouts
EXPERT VERDICT: ‘Acne spots occur when pores get clogged with a mix of excess oil, dead skin cells and a bacterium called Cutibacterium acnes which naturally lives on our skin – leading to inflammation that shows up as pimples,’ says Dr Ross Perry, a GP and medical director of Cosmedics Skin Clinics.
‘If your skin’s already inflamed, friction from a cotton pillowcase can make it worse as pillowcases do trap bacteria, especially if they are not washed regularly.
‘Silk is smoother and less irritating – and there’s less transfer of oils from the face, so switching to it can be helpful for someone with acne. The added silver ions have antimicrobial properties, but repeated washing will diminish their potency. Overall this will make a modest difference.’
