Have you always purchased standard bed pillows from the big box store? While they start out fine, it isn't long before they start to fall flat.
Today, there are plenty of orthopedic, ergonomically-designed pillows and cushions designed to provide long-lasting comfort and support. Especially if you suffer from back pain or have a difficult time falling asleep, wedged cushions can be a total game-changer.
If you've never used a wedge-shaped cushion before, you might be wondering what all of the fuss is about. Today, we're pulling back the curtain and revealing the host of benefits you can expect from this investment.
Read on to discover a few of the best reasons to add wedged cushions to your home today!
What Are Wedged Cushions?
Wedged cushions are special pillows designed to help you elevate a portion of your body. Some are designed as triangular-shaped pillows that prop up the top half of your body while you sleep. Then, there are also wedge-shaped seat cushions to help relieve pressure on your spine and back as you sit.
Whichever form you choose, it pays to find a cushion that conforms to your body. That's why we recommend one filled with heat-responsive memory foam or memory gel. Otherwise, you could be forced to adapt your position to fit the shape of the cushion, which could leave you in even more pain than you started with!
1. Relief From Back Pain
Half of all working Americans experience back pain symptoms each year. Does this include you? If so, you've likely tried everything under the sun to keep it at bay. From special creams to physical therapy, there are myriad resources that claim to help you find much-needed relief.
However, have you considered that your sleeping situation might be contributing to your discomfort? If you're used to lying flat on your back without any support, you could be putting unnecessary tension and pressure on your lumbar region.
The next time you lie down, try slipping our Memory Foam Wedge Cushion under your lower back. Made of 100% premium memory foam, this cushion is heat-responsive and contours to your body for a perfect fit. It's also the ideal accessory to take along on long car trips or sedentary days at the office.
Wedge cushions elevate your back to a comfortable angle. You can even slip yours underneath your knees to lift them and reduce strain on your lower back. If this feels great, try our Memory Foam Half Moon Bolster Pillow in the same position for added support!
2. Snoring Relief
Are you one of the approximately 90 million Americans who snore at night?
This condition is not only aggravating, but it could also be a sign of a more serious health condition, such as an impending stroke, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Severe snoring can even lead to sleep apnea, which causes dangerous, intermittent airflow blockage to occur as you sleep.
Your physician can help you pinpoint the underlying cause of your snoring. For many people, it's simply linked to the unique anatomy of your mouth. In addition, there are other issues that could affect the volume and severity of your snoring, including:
- Sinuses
- Allergies
- Alcohol consumption
- Your weight
Regardless of what's behind them, it's important to take control of your nighttime noises as soon as possible. While the market is flooded with sleep aids and mechanisms promoted to help you stay silent, try buying a wedge cushion for bed.
How does it work?
For many people, snoring is a result of their throat and soft palate relaxing as they sleep. When this happens, those tissues tend to fall over their breathing pathways, leading to the gravel-like sounds that you're used to hearing.
Does your partner notice that you only snore when you're lying on your back?
If you're tired of being awoken in the middle of the night with a nudge and request to roll on your side, try propping a wedged cushion under your head. This slight elevation uses gravity to keep your airways open. In this way, it can help keep your throat tissues from interfering with your airway and reduce your snoring.
3. All-Day Office Comfort
It's no secret that most office chairs aren't designed to accommodate hours of sitting. Even the most cushioned ones can begin to place a strain on your back after you've been sedentary for a short while.
Throughout the day, it's best to get up every hour or so and take a short stretch break. Doing so can improve your circulation and keep your muscles warm and joints lubricated. Still, it helps to add a cushion to your chair to cradle you in comfort every time you sit back down.
This is where a wedge cushion for chairs comes in! Our Memory Foam Seat Cushion features a U-shaped cutout that alleviates pain and pressure in your tailbone and coccyx region. The non-slip cover helps it stay in place all day, while the travel strap allows you to take it from the workplace to your vehicle with ease.
4. Faster Injury Recovery
Have you recently injured your back? Maybe you pulled a muscle while exercising. Or, perhaps you suffered a herniated disk or bone spur, leading to pain along your sciatic nerve.
In any case, a wedged cushion can help you recline and rest in comfort while you heal from your injury. As you lie in bed, you can rest assured that you aren't putting any extra stress on your nerves or your pained, sensitive muscles. Over time, this can help promote quicker and more effective healing!
5. Heartburn Help
Studies show that an estimated 60 million Americans experience an episode of heartburn at least one time per month. This occurs when acids from your stomach flow upward and enter your esophagus.
Are you tired of feeling that painful, burning sensation every time you lie down on your back? Whether it's caused by something spicy you ate or a health condition, such as acid reflux, it's more than a little uncomfortable. At night, the condition tends to worsen as the acid continues to back up, causing you to cough and suffer a choking sensation.
In most cases, short-term, periodic episodes of heartburn aren't usually a cause for major concern. Yet, if you experience this condition on a regular basis, it could be a sign of a more serious health problem.
This type of long-term heartburn is called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. If left untreated, severe GERD could lead to:
- A persistent cough
- Inflammation or ulcers on your esophagus
- Difficulty swallowing
- Laryngitis
By elevating your head and neck just a little with a wedge cushion, you can help keep your stomach acids from traveling upward and into your throat. These help gravity do its job, channeling the acids downward into your stomach. This can help quell any symptoms of heartburn and help you sleep better at night.
6. Maintain Proper Blood Flow
Your circulatory system is designed to pump blood from your heart to your head, and then to the rest of your body. If you sleep in a position that places your head below your heart, you can put too much pressure on your veins and arteries.
To optimize your head and brain circulation, appropriate elevation is key.
If you've ever jolted out of bed too quickly and experienced a sudden onset of dizziness or lightheadedness, you know the risks of sleeping completely flat. As you raise your head to get out of bed, a sensation called orthostatic hypotension can occur.
When this happens, it means that your blood pressure has risen too fast, and without caution. Any time you lie down flat, your blood pressure takes a dip. If you suddenly jump up and raise your head, you can temporarily deprive your brain of adequate blood pressure.
In turn, this can make the room spin and leave you feeling breathless. In a short amount of time, your blood pressure will soon rise to sufficient levels. This will increase the supply of brain to your blood and help you return to normal again.
When you lie on a wedged pillow, your head is already in a semi-inclined position. Thus, you're less likely to jolt straight up and trigger an onset of orthostatic hypotension.
7. Sinus Drainage
Are you tired of sinus inflammation that makes it difficult to breathe, sleep and talk? If your nasal passages become swollen, they interfere with almost every aspect of your life.
While you can try over-the-counter medications, prescription treatments, or special nasal sprays, most of these are designed to only provide temporary relief. If you've noticed that you always seem to wake up with a stuffy nose, it's time to change the way you sleep.
Using a wedge cushion to elevate the top portion of your body (specifically your head and shoulders) can help eliminate nasal swelling. In return, it can also encourage built-up mucus to thin and drain out overnight. This can help you find relief from stubborn blockages, ease painful sinus pressure, breathe more easily and enjoy a deeper night's rest.
8. Spine Straightener
If you suffer from back and neck pain, it helps to keep your spine as straight as possible while you rest, relax or sleep. Tucking a wedge pillow under your neck can help make sure your spinal column stays in a straight line.
You can also try our Gel-Infused Memory Foam Travel Pillow to elevate your neck slightly while you sleep. The unique shape of this pillow allows you to shift comfortably in your bed and tilt your neck to either side thanks to raised lobe contouring. It's also perfect for long flights, helping you make the most of every hard, awkward airplane seat!
For added comfort, bring along our Memory Foam Airplane Travel Kit! In addition to a plush, memory foam travel neck pillow, this kit also contains memory foam earplugs, a padded eye mask and a convenient travel bag.
9. Help for Glaucoma and Eye Pressure
Glaucoma is one of the most prominent causes of irreversible blindness in the United States. In all, it affects more than three million Americans.
This condition is part of a group of eye disorders that damages the optic nerve that connects your eye to your brain. It is usually caused by a high degree of eye pressure.
While a wedge-shaped cushion won't necessarily reverse early signs of glaucoma, it can help you find relief from its painful symptoms. A wedged neck pillow, for instance, elevates your head slightly and helps to reduce built-up pressure in your eye region.
10. Pregnancy Comfort
If you're pregnant, sleeping on your stomach can pose a health risk and isn't advisable. Yet, as we've mentioned, sleeping straight on your back can also lead to stress and tension in your lower back.
When you're carrying a child, it's likely that you already feel pressure in those regions, and your sleep position shouldn't exacerbate that discomfort. For that reason, most physicians suggest that pregnant women lie on their sides.
If you're having a difficult time getting comfortable as you sleep on your side, try slipping a wedged cushion between your legs. This will support your back and your belly, keeping you and baby comfortable all night long. It can also help you naturally keep your legs separated to fully support your spine and hips.
Shop Our Selection of Cushions and Pillows
Are you looking for relief from persistent back pain? What about hip, knee or foot pain? In any case, we have a wide variety of cushions, pillows and other accessories designed to help you work, play, and travel in comfort.
In addition to wedged cushions, we also provide wheelchair cushions, neck pillows, and a vast selection of health and wellness products for your home. Feel free to browse our collections and reach out to our team with any questions.
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