If you wake up with neck pain, back pain and/or headaches, which disappear fairly quickly after rising you may benefit from adjusting the height of the pillow you sleep on. It does not necessarily mean that you have to get new pillow, as you may be able to make the one you have got support you better. So how do you do that?

I suggest that you follow these steps:

• Get into bed wearing your normal sleeping attire and adopt you normal sleeping position using only one pillow.
• Allow 10-15 minutes for you mattress and pillow to warm up.
• Have someone check you posture:

• Lying on side your spine should be in a reasonably straight line from your bottom crease to the top of your head. This isalso a good way of checking you mattress.
• If you lie with a very curved back you a new mattress is likely to be required.
• Lying you your back the muscles either side of you Adam’s Apple should be soft and relaxed regardless whether your head is turned or not.
• Lying on your front is not ideal but if you know that you end up in this position overnight then so be it. In most cases you are then better off with a shallow pillow under the top of your chest rather than under you head.

• Now for the adjustments:

• If you head is too high – so is your pillow and you need to use a lower one.
• If you head is too low, use something firm under you pillow to raise it. A folded up towel usually works.
• Recheck and adjust again.

It may take a couple of weeks to get it right, but it is worth it.

If you really struggle finding a position that feels right and minimises morning discomfort it may be worth investing  in a new pillow.

A brief word on mattresses.

• They generally last a MAXIMUM of 10 years.
• The firmness of the mattress should be dependent on the weight of the user. The heavier you are, the firmer the mattress. If you and your sleeping partner are very different in size you may wish to explore the possibility of having two separate mattresses. You can get mattresses, which zip together.
• If you have a sprung base you will probably have to change this when you change the mattress.
• Buy the best mattress you can afford – you spend over a third of your life lying on it!

If you are still struggling it is time to give us a call on 01903 230066 to find out if you have a back, a neck or even a jaw problem, which needs more specific attention.