Nowadays, in our country, much attention is paid to the interior design of apartments, cottages and private houses. Finishing materials, furniture, textiles and decorative elements of the room are selected. But we do not pay much attention to the choice of bedding. With the development of medicine, as well as the manufacturing industry, various types of bedding are currently produced, including pillows. Our health and well-being depend on the correct choice of the latter. Healthy sleep can cure any melancholy, and it is impossible without comfortable bed linen. Therefore, it is worthwhile to understand the choice of a pillow in more detail.
Content
What types of pillows are there?
The choice of the headboard of the bed requires close attention. The condition of the spine depends on how correctly the person's head is positioned during sleep. Before buying one or another option, you should understand the existing types of products.
- Pastel sleeping pillow.
- Orthopedic.
- Children's.
- For pregnant women.
- Sedentary.
- Hiking.
- Decorative.
In addition to this classification, there are others. Different sizes of products are selected depending on the purpose, as well as the place of use. The nature and composition of the internal filler of the night head support also have their own nuances. Modern manufacturers offer a wide range, starting from artificial materials and ending with natural animal and plant fillers.
Dimensions
There are standard sizes of bedding. For example, in our country, pillows of 70x70 centimeters have been preserved since Soviet times. Foreign standards are somewhat different from ours - a rectangular shape of 50x70 cm. Such strict regulation of sizes is due to medical indicators, as well as the convenience of making bed linen (pillowcases).
In addition to these sizes, there are others. For example, square pillows 50x50, 60x60, and also 40x40 centimeters. The size also depends on the filler material.
For children, the size 60x40 centimeters is used. This figure applies to grown-up children, whose age exceeds 4-5 years. For smaller children, specialized products are produced that ensure the correct position of the head during sleep.
It differs from the usual one by having a slope from two edges to the center. This is how the head is fixed. The sizes of such pillows vary depending on the manufacturer. In the store you can find those made in the form of different shapes of butterflies, animals and others.
Maternity products are available in various configurations. Most often, they are 30-35 centimeters wide, while the length varies from 170 to 340 centimeters. Here, everything depends on the individual characteristics of the woman.
In addition, there are individual sizes of bedding, which depend on the brand of the manufacturer. You can find:
- 75x75;
- 50x75;
- 80x80;
- 50x60;
- 65x65;
- 50x85;
- 40x80;
- 50x100.
Orthopedic accessories are produced according to the individual characteristics of the person for whom they are intended.
Basically, the product has a hard filler, allowing it to maintain its shape unchanged under frequent loads. It is also worth noting that the shape, in turn, also depends on medical indicators. For example, on the one hand, unevenness allows you to sleep on your back or stomach, on the other - on your side.
Bed linen is not limited to the headboard length and width. Thickness is also an equally important indicator. On average, for the average person, this value should be within 14-16 centimeters. There are other indicators that fluctuate up and down. For example, broad-shouldered people require a thick pad under their head to relieve the load on the cervical spine. For thin people, on the contrary: the thickness is selected less to meet the same conditions of maintaining the natural curves of the back.
Material of manufacture
As mentioned earlier in the article, the materials used can be natural or synthetic. For easier perception of information, the characteristics of each of them are given below.
Natural
This group includes fillers of plant and animal origin. The following are used as stuffing:
- down and feathers;
- wool;
- horsehair;
- buckwheat husk;
- bamboo;
- cotton;
- silk;
- herbs;
- seaweed;
- latex.
Buckwheat
Buckwheat husk is used for medicinal purposes. Such a product will retain its shape for a long time. The massage effect has a beneficial effect on the blood circulation of the head and brain. The disadvantages of this material are the impossibility of washing, as well as the noise that occurs when turning over on its side in a dream. But the advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages. Buckwheat filling does not accumulate dust deposits, absorbs moisture well, has a pleasant aroma. The contents are breathable. This is very important, since excess moisture accumulated in it is partially removed while you are away. Buckwheat is hypoallergenic, hygienic. The well-known bed mite will not be able to settle in such filling. The service life is about two years.
The sizes of linen with buckwheat are most often made small. This is necessary in order to add as little husk as possible, and at the same time maintain the necessary density. The husk has a considerable weight, so the dimensions here are: 40x40, 40x50.
Bamboo
Bamboo fiber is gaining popularity among modern manufacturers, as well as buyers. This is not surprising, because the pillow, made using special technologies that exclude the use of chemicals and additives, is environmentally friendly. The undoubted advantages are:
- absorbent properties;
- air permeability;
- soft surface and plasticity;
- antibacterial properties;
- absence of allergens in fibers;
- long service life (up to 7 years);
- possibility of delicate washing in a machine or by hand;
- the ability to retain heat and coolness.
Bamboo filling should be frequently whipped to prevent it from clumping. Since bamboo fiber is light, the dimensions are chosen to be relatively small. 40x40 or 50x50 are quite sufficient. This will help maintain the required elasticity.
Latex
This filler has ideal orthopedic properties. It is able to keep its elastic form for up to 8 years. Very often you can hear from people the opinion that latex is synthetic. This is a fundamentally incorrect statement. Latex is obtained from the juice of a plant, which subsequently undergoes special heat treatment, foams and is poured into a certain form. Extraordinary lightness, elasticity are especially valuable characteristics of latex.
The product does not require much effort to care for. It can be washed in an automatic washing machine. Latex does not absorb foreign odors or moisture. The high price can be considered an obvious disadvantage.
Other materials
Seaweed, cotton and herbs are used as bed linen rather less often than latex or bamboo. This is due to their short service life (1-2 years). The main characteristics here are the same as those of other natural materials:
- low allergenicity;
- air permeability;
- environmental friendliness;
- affordable price.
Seaweeds also have a high content of minerals, such as iodine, zinc, manganese and others. This has a beneficial effect on the health of the human body as a whole.
Herbal products are used less frequently, and mainly as an additional element of a sleeping place. A pleasant aroma calms the nerves, promotes sound sleep.
Silk products are popular due to their unique structure. Pleasant, thin threads, which form the basis of this material, are able to cool the head on hot summer nights, and also warm on long winter evenings. The service life is from 10 to 15 years. The only disadvantage is the need for dry cleaning, as well as the price.
Animal fillers
The well-known filling of a pillowcase made of down and feathers 70x70 was previously considered the best option. Undoubtedly, such products have their advantages. High air permeability, softness, heat retention - this is how down and feathers are characterized. But there are also a number of disadvantages:
- excessive softness;
- the possibility of reproduction of bed mites;
- difficulty in care;
- strong adhesion to foreign odors;
- possibility of pen loss.
Modern manufacturers have started to treat the feather base of the pillowcase to protect it from ticks. But now people tend to buy modern products such as bamboo and latex, so the down-feather base is fading into the background.
You can often find pillows stuffed with sheep wool on the shelves. They are very useful (indicated) for people who have problems with the cervical spine. Doctors specifically prescribe such a base for osteochondrosis and rheumatism. The disadvantages include a high degree of allergenicity, the impossibility of washing, the proliferation of moths and mites, as well as a number of medical contraindications.
Synthetic base
Synthetics are becoming increasingly popular. This type of material is characterized by the absence of allergic reactions, a high degree of orthopedics, and the possibility of washing. The most common materials are:
- Hollowfiber.
- Comforel.
- Gel.
- Sintepon.
- Polystyrene foam.
- Foamed material.
Products made of holofiber are recommended for newborns. Such a base meets all international quality standards. Ease of care, durability, lightness, hygiene are the main characteristics of this filler.
Also, holofiber and comfortel have sufficient elasticity, which is especially important for small children. Service life is 5 years.
Sintepon is the predecessor of comforel. The disadvantage here is the low degree of elasticity, and as a consequence - a shorter service life (up to two years).
Polystyrene foam is ideal for stuffing pillows for pregnant women. This type of filling can also be found in products labeled "anti-stress".
The helium base of the headboard of the bed is an innovation. Such filler is especially good in the hot summer period (have a cooling effect). Massage functions of the cervical vertebrae are also performed here. The disadvantage of this option is the high price.
Foamed polyurethane foam is used for orthopedic purposes. It is distinguished by a good degree of spine support, as well as the ability to remember the anatomical curves of the body. Since this substance does not absorb moisture and odors, it does not need to be washed. It is enough to simply rinse with warm water.
Decorative pillows
In addition to functional use, soft pillows are used as decorative ornaments of the interior of the room. Various shapes, sizes, colors allow you to decorate any style of interior. Pillowcases embroidered with all sorts of patterns will decorate the old Russian design. Colored trim allows you to organically fit bed linen into the design of the living room, bedroom and even the kitchen.
"Pastel sleeping pillow". They can't write correctly, and yet they give advice.