Do you often find yourself waking up groggy and tired, no matter how much you sleep? You may be surprised to know that the answer could lie in an unexpected culprit – your pillow! If you’re wondering if hugging a pillow while sleeping can help you get a better night’s rest, then you’ve come to the right place. In today’s blog post, we’ll cover the benefits of cuddling up with a pillow during sleep and why it might just be your best bet for finally:
Benefits of Hugging a Pillow
Hugs are known to reduce stress and have calming, comforting effects. For many people, a hug from a loved one or a gentle embrace from a soft pillow has the potential to increase the quality of sleep. Here are some of the benefits associated with hugging your pillow when you go to bed:
- Helps reduce stress and anxiety: A hug can evoke feelings of comfort and security which can help you destress and fall asleep faster.
- Provides warmth and a feeling of comfort. It can also be beneficial if you’re feeling cold at night because it provides extra warmth which is known to improve sleep quality. Ones like long cat plush can extremely help you with stress relief and have a beneficial impact on your health.
- Limits distractions: When you’re snuggling up on your side, hot water bottles or a body pillow, it offers physical support which may make it easier for your brain to disconnect from any thoughts that cause disruptions during sleep.
- Increases serotonin levels: A good night’s sleep is crucial for producing serotonin in our bodies. This is why snuggling up with your favorite blanket or pillow has the potential to release feel-good hormones that result in better moods and mental wellbeing with just one cuddle session!
Alternatives to Hugging a Pillow
In addition to traditional pillows, there are a number of unconventional alternatives that may provide comfort and help you sleep better. Below are some of the most popular options for those seeking a hug-free sleep experience.
- Side Sleepers: Side sleepers may find using a body pillow helpful in providing extra support and comfort to their bodies while sleeping. Body pillows range from smaller “half-moon” shaped pillows to full-length ones that are designed with intended uses in mind such as improved joint pain or digestion prevention.
- Back Sleepers: Back sleepers can benefit from using wedge shaped pillows in order to provide additional support for their necks and spines. Wedge shaped pillows come in either foam or inflatable varieties, both of which offer different levels of adjustability and firmness.
- Other Options: For those searching for something no so traditional, many companies offer weighted blankets which can contain anywhere from 7 – 25 lbs worth of weight, enabling users to feel more stable while sleeping without needing any kind of physical attachment like hugging a traditional pillow does.
Potential Health Benefits of Hugging a Pillow
The feeling of security that it can provide while sleeping is one of the most obvious benefits. But it’s not the only one; there are many potential health advantages to sleepers who choose to bring it close. For example, they can reduce stress and tension during sleep by providing comforting physical contact. Additionally, since they always maintain the same temperature (unlike people), they keep us warmer in cold temperatures and cooler during heat waves.
Moreover, hormones like oxytocin—also known as the “cuddle hormone”—thrive off of physical contact with some kind of object or person. Oxytocin is responsible for creating a sense of trust, comfort, and safety which can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in our bodies upon release. In practical terms, it has been linked to improved moods as well as improved performance in tests which require self-regulation and abstract thinking.
Finally, from an anatomical perspective, hugging it ensures ergonomic alignment of your spine so that you don’t suffer from stiffness or soreness in your morning routine due to misalignment throughout the night. Pillows also keep our head, neck, and shoulders in the same position while we sleep since they can respond to different body pressures or curves higher than gravity allows us to maintain alone—ensuring enhanced relaxation throughout your REM cycle!
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Hugging a Pillow
Using it to hug while sleeping can have a multitude of benefits including improved posture, reduced stress and increased relaxation. But the wrong kind or improper use could lead to pain and discomfort. Here are some tips for getting the most out of hugging a pillow in bed:
- Use it correctly – The best way to hug a pillow is to have one arm draped over top and one arm under the bottom. This provides support and pressure relief for both your head, neck and shoulders as you sleep.
- Selecting Your Pillow Size – When it comes to selecting the right size when hugging them, everyone is different. Oftentimes, thinner or smaller pillows tend to be better than larger ones since there’s less chance of them bunching up and becoming uncomfortable.
- Choose The Right Material – When choosing the material for your special hug-pillow, consider memory foam over regular foam models because memory foam has been proven in research studies to reduce shoulder pain by helping support natural alignment, comfortable temperature regulation and spinal relief. Choosing an all-natural material such feathers will also provide necessary air passageways for added breathability which helps reduce heat retention during sleep and adjusts easily according to weight distribution when hugged at night!
Conclusion
In conclusion, all types of them come with benefits, whether for comfort or the promotion of better sleep. However, each individual has their own unique needs and preferences when it comes to sleeping. It is important to choose the best pillow for you according to your sleeping style and desired level of comfort.
Before selecting a pillow type or hugging a pillow while sleeping, consider consulting with your healthcare provider for personalized advice and safe practices.
