Getting enough sleep at night is crucial for your overall health. In fact, it’s as just necessary as exercising and eating a balanced diet. Good sleep can help maintain optimum body weight, improve concentration, lower the risks of developing health problems like heart disease and diabetes, reduce stress and depression, boost one’s immune system, and increase energy levels.
Generally, adults should get at least seven hours of quality sleep each night. While for younger people like teenagers, it’s recommended that they have at least eight hours of sleep. While that’s the ideal scenario, not everyone gets nights of good sleep. Indeed, sleep patterns and schedules vary from one person to another. For instance, some may not be able to get the desired hours of sleep due to work or other responsibilities. On the other hand, there may also be some people who have insomnia and find it difficult to sleep at night.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to get quality rest and sleep each night. For one, you can transform your sleep environment to help promote relaxation and drive you to sleep quickly. You can also invest in quality pillows like a buckwheat pillow to aid in better sleep.
An Overview Of Buckwheat Sleep Pillow
Also known as sobakawa, buckwheat pillows are cushions filled with buckwheat hulls. In other words, they contain the hard outer casings of buckwheat seeds or hulls. They provide firm support to align your body with the bed and position your head and neck well to ensure you’re comfortable when sleeping.
You might think buckwheat sleep pillows were invented yesterday, but that’s not exactly true. In fact, people in Japan started using buckwheat hulls for their pillows and bedding more than 600 years ago. A few years later, they were introduced to other Asian countries, and in the 18th century, buckwheat pillows had already found their way to the United States. And today, they’re used globally.
Buckwheat pillows aren’t only used for sleeping since others are designed for other things like traveling, meditation, and camping. Therefore, you can always find something to suit your needs. For instance, if you’re a regular traveler and want to enhance your comfort while on a bus, train, or airplane, you can get a small travel pillow that you can easily add to your carry-on luggage and accompany you on your journey.
Benefits Of Buckwheat Pillows
There are many advantages to choosing and using buckwheat pillows over traditional pillows. To give you a few ideas, here are some of the benefits of buckwheat pillows:
- They Are Adjustable And Offer Support
Compared to other sleep cushions, buckwheat pillows are extremely moldable. As noted earlier, they’re filled with buckwheat hulls that freely move around the pillowcases when in use, which is great for providing additional support for your head and neck as you sleep.
In short, buckwheat pillows don’t give you a ‘one size fits all’ solution. Instead, it can easily conform to your neck, head, and body shape, allowing you to attain the right posture and spine alignment when sleeping. This goes a long way in enhancing your comfort so you can sleep better and wake up without your body or neck feeling sore.
In addition, they can accommodate your preferred sleeping position, allowing for a more relaxing and comfortable sleep. You can add or remove buckwheat hulls depending on your needs and preferences. This can be a great option, whether you prefer sleeping on your sides or back.
For more information on how buckwheat pillows can promote comfort and support while you sleep, you can watch this video https://youtu.be/GAA070BuKMY or other similar resources.
- They Are Non-Toxic And Sustainable
Traditional pillows are often made with synthetic materials and chemicals that could potentially be toxic. In some cases, they could also produce a pungent smell which could affect the quality of your sleep. Some traditional materials can also cause or trigger allergic reactions. On the other hand, buckwheat pillows are non-toxic and naturally hypoallergenic, considering they are made of natural and organic buckwheat hulls.
Moreover, if you’re environmentally conscious, buckwheat pillows are a sustainable pillow choice. Most regular pillows are made of materials that take too long to composite. Therefore, disposing of such incorrectly can add more pollutants to the environment. Buckwheat hulls, however, are compostable and biodegradable, allowing you to sleep better while also practicing sustainability.
- They Smell Good
As noted in the previous section, pillows made of synthetic materials often have chemicals that produce a bad smell. Likewise, most traditional sleep pillows don’t smell like anything.
On the bright side, buckwheat pillows have a natural smell from organic buckwheat hulls. This can help make you feel more relaxed so you can fall asleep quickly and have a good night’s rest.
- They Are Breathable
Among the things that can affect the quality of your sleep are too high or low temperatures. For instance, if it’s too hot, you’re likely to keep tossing and turning to find the best sleeping position that’ll make you feel comfortable. The same goes if it’s too cold. This is where opting for buckwheat pillows can come in handy.
Buckwheat pillows are breathable. They can control temperatures and humidity within your sleep environment. In simple terms, they help maintain room temperatures since the buckwheat hulls move around the case pillows more efficiently, promoting better air movement and circulation.
In addition, since the pillow fillings are removable, you can put the buckwheat hulls in the freezer to have a cooler feeling when sleeping during the hot season. Essentially, all these contribute to boosting your overall comfort, letting you get quality sleep.
- Minimizes Headache And Migraine Issues
Have you ever woken up in the morning with headaches? If yes, that could be due to the poor support you get when sleeping. With poor posture, your muscles could get tight and strained since they’d have to work hard to align your spine, causing migraines and tension headaches. A buckwheat pillow, however, can help keep your spine in the correct position, helping reduce cervical stiffness.
- Reduces Snoring
If you usually snore at night, this could be due to poor sleep position or posture. When you sleep in an incorrect position, the air could get blocked from flowing in and out of your body. Snoring may not only disrupt your sleep but can also irritate or inconvenience people around or near you. This is where the power of a buckwheat pillow comes in.
A buckwheat pillow doesn’t promise to fully eliminate snoring problems, especially for people with sleep apnea conditions. However, it can give a better body posture to open airways and ensure air flows freely. As such, you’ll see a reduction in snoring, thus having a night of quality sleep.
Finding The Right Buckwheat Sleep Pillow
As explained above, there are many ways you can benefit from using buckwheat pillows when sleeping. However, to fully maximize such advantages, you must invest in the right pillow. But with so many products on the market, it can be difficult to identify the best one to get.
To help you choose the right buckwheat pillow for your sleep needs, you can consider adopting the following tips:
- Determine Its Quality
Among the essential factors to consider when selecting a buckwheat sleep pillow is the quality of the material. After all, you’d want a durable pillow that you can use and will last for years to come. Apart from surviving you for an extended period, a buckwheat pillow made of quality case materials can also help you save money in the long run since they won’t tear or wear out easily and require a replacement.
Most buckwheat pillows have cotton cases, while some come in bamboo rayon or polyester case materials. There are various case options you can consider based on your preference. For instance, the thickness of the material and how soft and light it is to touch.
But aside from the pillow cover material, take the time to know the quality of buckwheat hulls used. For instance, you’d want to know where the hulls have been grown and how they were treated once harvested. After all, buckwheat hulls are the main component of your pillow, and you’d want to ensure their quality and know how they were handled.
- Find A Buckwheat Pillow With A Zipper
Any buckwheat pillow you choose should fit your needs and enhance your comfort. To do that, you’re likely to adjust the fillings and would add or remove buckwheat hulls from time to time. Therefore, it can be more convenient if you’d get a buckwheat pillow with a zipper.
On top of the convenience and flexibility, buckwheat pillows with a zipper make it possible to wash them efficiently. This way, you can maintain the cleanliness of your cushion and eliminate dust and other particles that can affect your sleep or cause allergic reactions.
- Consider The Pillow’s Shape And Size
You can’t ignore the shape and size when finding the right buckwheat sleep pillow, especially since they come in different types. For instance, in terms of size, there are small, medium, and large, while in terms of shape, you can choose classic or body pillows.
That said, the size and shape selection will majorly depend on your personal preference. And as a good start, take into consideration your body size and sleeping position preference to determine what pillow size would suit your needs best and give you optimum comfort. The good thing about buckwheat pillows is that there are sizes for every person. So, even if you’re shopping for yourself or your children, you’ll always find the best match.
In addition to the size, you also need to consider the weight of the buckwheat pillow. While weight might not be of any concern if you’re shopping for a pillow specifically for sleeping at home, if you’re going to use the pillow for other things like traveling, camping, or meditation, then you must consider the weight.
- Look For A Buckwheat Pillow With A Warranty
Shopping for a buckwheat pillow from a brick-and-mortar store allows you to check for all features you may want it to have. However, there may be instances wherein you may not be satisfied or pleased with the product’s quality after purchase. This can lead to you spending extra money and wasting time shopping for another one. Fortunately, you can avoid all these hassles by buying from a reputable brand that offers a warranty or trial period.
A warranty is a written promise by the seller to the buyer that they’ll exchange the purchased buckwheat pillow if it doesn’t serve their purpose. That way, you can get the right one without spending extra money. However, it’s essential to ensure that you comply with the terms and conditions of the warranty.
- Compare Prices And Features
Another great way to choose the best buckwheat sleep pillow in the market is to compare prices. And to fully know the value of the pillow, aside from comparing the price tag, also determine how each product differs from the other. For instance, some pillows have an adjustable loft. Some buckwheat pillows also offer more cushioning, while others are firmer.
If you’re working on a limited budget, it’s only natural to go for buckwheat pillows at an affordable price. However, don’t compromise the quality of your pillow for a lower price. Your buckwheat pillow is a significant investment, especially since it can affect your sleep quality and overall well-being. Moreover, a low-quality pillow may not be as durable, thus, won’t serve you for a long time.
Wrapping It Up
One of the best ways to enhance the quality of your sleep is by investing in the right pillow. Buckwheat pillows, for instance, can be a great choice. It can help support your body as you sleep, promoting good posture and spine alignment to ensure you get the sleep and rest you deserve. Moreover, they’re also non-toxic and environmentally friendly, a good alternative to traditional pillows.
However, not every pillow on the market can be suitable for your needs. That said, knowing what to look for in a buckwheat pillow can help you maximize its many benefits. Hopefully, the pointers outlined above can guide you and give you a good start as you choose a buckwheat pillow to improve your sleep.
