Body Pillow: Why Use a Body Pillow?
A body pillow, also known as a side sleeper pillow or body pillow, is an elongated pillow designed to improve sleeping posture. In the Netherlands, sleeping with a body pillow is uncommon, so many people are unsure why they should sleep with such a pillow. On this page, we explain why we recommend everyone sleep with a body pillow.
Why is a Body Pillow Necessary?
When you sleep, you have no control over your position. You lie down in a comfortable position, but during sleep, you might end up in an incorrect posture. This can cause discomfort, and a body pillow can prevent this.
A body pillow has two main functions:
- It helps you adopt a better sleeping posture
- It helps you stay in that better posture.
Many people sleep on their side. The upper arm then needs support, and the body twists forward until the upper arm rests on the mattress. As a result, the neck is twisted, and crossing the legs causes rotation in the back. A side sleeper pillow can prevent this.
Is a Body Pillow Useful in Different Sleeping Positions?
Yes, a body pillow can be useful in several sleeping positions:
- If you sleep on your side, it can support the upper arm and help you lie better on your side. The neck is not twisted and can relax well.
- If you sleep on your back, the body pillow can be placed under the knees, possibly folded in half. This promotes relaxation in the back.
- Sleeping on your stomach is discouraged because the neck is then too twisted. A body pillow can improve this somewhat, but this position is still not recommended.
What is a Good Shape and Size?
If you only consider support for sleeping posture, a body pillow can be quite long, wide, and heavy. This helps it stay in place and provide a lot of support. However, such a large pillow takes up too much space for many people and is often uncomfortable when turning over.
Should the Amount of Filling be Adjustable?
That is desirable. First, the filling of the body pillow can compress somewhat over time. This is a natural process and can be compensated by regularly fluffing the body pillow and adding extra filling if needed.
What Materials are Best for a Body Pillow?
The filling of a body pillow should feel comfortable and be moldable. Polyester, a synthetic filling with good anti-allergenic properties, works best.
An inner cover is not necessary but desirable: it forms an extra barrier against sweat, preventing it from reaching the pillow core. This extends the pillow’s lifespan.
If the inner cover is made of velour, comfort can be greater in winter because it feels warmer. In very warm summers, it can sometimes be more comfortable to remove the inner cover.
The outer cover is best made of regular cotton or satin cotton. This is a personal choice.
The Perfect Body Pillow
In our webshop, you will find the Mikoala Body Pillow. This pillow is available in two lengths and its thickness can be adjusted by adding or removing filling. The pillow features a velour inner cover and a cotton outer cover (also available in satin cotton and various colors). Thanks to the adjustable thickness and the option to use it with or without the inner cover, you can ensure optimal support for the correct sleeping posture all year round.
The Mikoala body pillow was designed by movement scientist Jan Willem Elkhuizen and industrial designer Rick Blom in collaboration with physiotherapists and patients.
The Mikoala Body pillow is a body pillow specially designed by Ligwijzer. The Mikoala Body pillow (also called side sleeper pillow, body roll, sleep roll, side sleeper, or side sleeping pillow) helps you adopt and maintain a good sleeping posture.