Advantages of Sleeping With a Knee Pillow
For side and back sleepers, sleeping with a knee pillow can prevent body & spinal misalignment that can lead to strain on your neck, shoulders, back, legs, and knees.
Here are the main advantages of using a knee pillow:
Knee pillows can remove pressure and muscle tension from your spine. This is accomplished because a knee pillow ensures a proper linear alignment of the spine during sleep.
Knee pillows can reduce pain caused by sciatica and other back/nerve issues. In reality, a bad sleeping posture is a principal cause of triggering sciatica pain.
Knee pillows elevate your lower body. This improves blood flow in your torso and take pressure off of troublesome leg veins.
Knee pillows help you maintain a comfortable sleeping position. For many people who sleep on their side, knee pillows help hold them in place, leading to a longer & more restful sleep.
Knee pillows reduce tossing and turning at night. This prevents as many awakenings, which helps you feel more rested the following day.
How Do Knee Pillows Work?
Sleeping in the fetal position means sleeping on your side is the safest place for sleep. But only if you're able to keep the spine's natural curve, so the body stays aligned adequately during your sleep.
A knee pillow alleviates the pressure in your lower spine and hips and distributes it more evenly throughout your whole body.
In this way, by introducing a knee cushion, you minimize leg and back tension.
Moreover, as a fantastic side effect, a knee pillow also rests your hamstring muscles, improving back and leg comfort. It retains the pelvis and buttocks in their ideal position, adjusting your spine. Hence, it is going to make you feel much more relaxed than ever before.
Types of Knee Pillows
Although knee cushions look pretty much alike, they can be found in a variety of types as it follows:
1) Hourglass Knee Pillow: The most common and the most inexpensive kind of knee pillow is that shaped like an hourglass. Its design prevents your legs from slipping out during sleep. Moreover, you may either use it between your thighs or move it down to the lower legs, depending upon your needs.
2) Strap on Knee Pillow: This sort of knee pillow contains a strap that you may attach to one of your legs. That stops the cushion from moving around during the evening. Furthermore, this pillow design is typically more than the hourglass one.
3) Long Knee Pillow: Although long knee cushions could provide increased support to your lower body, they can keep you from turning during your sleep. However, these are fantastic for you if you would like to cradle your whole body together with the knees.
4) Wedge Knee Pillow: This knee pillow is shaped in a triangle shape to Bring the upper and lower portion of your thighs in a triangular position. It's highly recommended for decreasing lower back pain.
Key Features To Look For When Buying a Knee Pillow
When you're shopping for the best knee pillow, you should take into consideration the following factors:
Firmness: A pillow cushion should provide a decent amount of firmness but should not be too soft nor too firm. The ideal amount of stability will keep your knees comfortably separated while giving pain relief. For most people, medium firmness is the right choice.
Material: Manufacturers use many materials for producing knee cushions: gel, water, memory foam are the most popular. While memory foam pillows are often pricier, they are favored by most because they are hypoallergenic, they hold legs tightly and conform to your legs' shape.
Thickness: The thickness of a knee pillow is also important. A thin pillow will not do a good job maintaining a proper distance between your thighs. Four to six inches of thickness will likely provide you with the best comfort.
Durability: A knee pillow is an investment, and the best are surprisingly expensive. So you want some assurance that it will not flatten, become lumpy, or get damaged over time. Be sure that you consider the brand and read verified owner reviews before making a purchase.
Body Weight: A thicker pillow is much better suited to heavier folks, and a softer pillow is better for thin people.
Your Personal Objective: Many knee pillows are designed with a particular purpose in mind. For example, some are intended to improve your blood circulation, while others are more focused on back pain relief or leg vein protection.
Flexibility: If you want to fold the pillow between your knees, then you need search for an item with a good, flexible design. Side sleepers often like tucking or twisting their pillow. If this matches you, then select a knee pillow made from either gel foam or shredded memory foam.
5 Top-Rated Knee Pillows with Reviews
There are many choices of knee pillows today. To help with your selection, these are our top 5 current picks:
1. ComfiLife Orthopedic Knee Pillow
This hourglass-shaped pillow is made of memory foam that's recognized for its ability to retain heat, providing you both warmth and comfort at the same time.
Considering this cushion's 60 DBS density, you won't need to be extra careful with using it. You can squeeze it between your knees as close as you want and it will not go flat.
This knee pillow's sturdiness make it an excellent long-term investment, too.
PROS
- Cozy and very soft.
- Firmer than a typical pillow.
- Includes a three years guarantee
CONS
- Somewhat large.
- Not a good choice if you suffer from night sweats.
2. Abco Tech Premium Memory Foam Pillow for Side Sleepers
This knee pillow is made of a hypoallergenic foam so it's a great choice if you've got allergies.
This knee pillow uses a zippered pillowcase that is easily removed and washed, which also helps in preventing allergic reactions.
The fill is a Visco elastic memory foam which will form itself around your knees so you won't notice there is something there.
This pillow is soft and comfy but firm enough to maintain its shape. It will elevate your upper knee so that your spine is aligned, decreasing muscle tension.
PROS
- Excellent support and comfort.
- Removable zippered cover is easy to clean and breathable.
- Hourglass shape keeps the cushion in place when you roll over.
CONS
- Some people complain that the pillow compresses after a couple of hours.
- A bit small in size.
3. Cheer Comfort
Do you move around a lot at night? Are you tired of your pillow constantly sliding away from your knees?
You might want to try this knee pillow from Cheer Comfort, because it comes with a strap to hold the pillow in place.
Which means you will sleep longer, undisturbed.
Built from 100% pure memory foam, this cushion adapts to your knees' shape and will “curl” around them so you can sleep peacefully.
It won't flatten or lose its shape over time, even with prolonged use.
PROS
- Remains in place thanks to the leg strap.
- Soft and smooth to the feel.
- Earplugs are a pleasant and convenient addition.
CONS
- The zipper is a bit weak.
- The pillow is rather hefty.
4. Cushy Foam Half-Moon Wedge/Bolster Knee Pillow for Side & Back Sleepers
If you are a back sleeper who needs some vertical support for your legs, then this is a great choice.
This dual-layer bolster cushion is firm and will give your knees plenty of support all night.
This pillow is covered with a washable and breathable organic cotton cloth – a mix that will keep you cool through a hot summer night.
This knee pillow also functions as a multi-purpose pillow, ideal for pregnant women and people who recently underwent surgery.
This item is longer than your typical knee pillow, so it will provide great support for people who tend to shift around at night.
PROS
- Perfect for pregnant women & heavier people who need more support.
- The memory foam is firmer and more supportive.
- It is allergen-free and resistant to germs.
CONS
- If you are very tall (over 6′ 2″), this pillow may be too small for your legs.
- Some people complain that the foam has indentations they can feel.
5. Hermell
If you're mainly seeking a knee pillow to alleviate pain, then this wedge pillow may be the one for you.
With its “zero-gravity” alignments, it is designed to release tension from the coccyx and tailbone, relieving your leg and back pain.
This pillow is larger than your normal knee pillow, meaning it will lift your knees higher than you may be accustomed. It is, however, designed to be a comfortable fit for anybody.
No assembly is needed for this pillow, and it is easy to clean. The cotton cover can be unzipped and washed, with an easy-dry feature.
PROS
- Perfect density; not too soft, not too firm.
- Doesn't wobble, even on a foam mattress.
- Provides more lift to the knees than a normal knee pillow.
CONS
- Some folks claim it is too big to sleep comfortably.
- Not a good choice for side sleepers.
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