Gone are days when any piece of head elevation would pass for a pillow. Now, sleepers seek more than the support, comfort, and durability that most traditional down alternatives and cotton pillows offer. Latex foam pillows have gained popularity over time, and we are here for it.
Made using latex foams, a latex foam pillow assures you of comfort, breathability, pressure point relief, and allergen resistance. It is more supportive, durable, and eco-friendly than cotton and down alternative pillows.
We understand how daunting a process it is to be on a constant hunt for the best pillow. While people generally have varying pillow needs, some aspects, like comfort and support, are universal. Hence, it would be best if you surely did not settle on a pillow that offers you the bare minimum.
What Is A Latex Foam Pillow?
A latex foam pillow is a pillow containing either natural or synthetic latex foams. It is famous for its durability, contouring support, softness, and comfort, among other features.
Natural Latex
Natural latex is obtained by tapping and processing the milky sap of the rubber tree from liquid to solid form. These processes include freezing or vulcanization in the Talalay or Dunlop methods. Since natural latex is organic, the foam contains no harmful chemicals.
Natural latex comes either in natural or shredded form.
Synthetic Latex
While natural latex is organic and contains no harmful chemicals, synthetic latex, on the other hand, is artificially manufactured. To obtain it, humans manufacture two petroleum by-products, Butadiene and Styrene, to form SBR; a Styrene-Butadiene Rubber. Sometimes, manufacturers mix natural latex with synthetic ones.
Differences Between Natural And Synthetic Latex
SBR mimics most features of natural latex, such as pressure point relief and comfort. However, the quality of natural latex remains unmatched. In addition, natural latex is more supportive and durable and lasts up to twenty to twenty-five years.
Natural latex is also springier, more breathable, biodegradable, and has natural imperfections which synthetic latex does not have. It is also heavier, contains no Volatile Organic Compounds- VOCs, has no harmful chemicals, and is hypoallergenic.
However, synthetic latex is cheaper than natural latex. It is also prone to off-gassing, which could be inconvenient for sleepers sensitive to smells. This article focuses on the natural latex foam since it is the star here.
When And Why You Need A Latex Foam Pillow
If you value the following features, then a latex foam pillow is for you;
A Latex Foam Pillow Offers Responsive Support
Most soft and bulky pillows often fail to offer appropriate support to your head, neck, and shoulder. In addition, most are unresponsive and flattened over time, failing to provide spinal alignment, leading to back pains. However, this is a contrary case with latex pillows.
In addition to it being soft and bouncy, a latex pillow has a naturally responsive design. Such allows it to offer appropriate support and contouring of your head, neck, and spine. In return, you get spinal alignment and no back pain, muscle pain, or head and neck pain.
Great support reduces or eliminates snoring by contouring your head, preventing it from sinking too deep. It offers great neck positioning and opens up your airways, promoting maximum air supply and reducing the chance of snoring.
A Latex Foam Pillow Offers Unparalleled Pressure Relief
If you experience stiff neck, shoulder, and neck pain every time you wake up, your pillow could be the problem. The neck and head are among the most fragile parts of your body. Besides, any injury to your neck trickles down to your spine, causing permanent posture distortion and damaging your spinal cord.
Struggling to get a good position at night leads to poor quality sleep, affecting your health and well-being. Also, you are more likely to have a less productive day after waking up with headaches and joint pains.
Due to its responsive design and excellent contouring, a latex foam pillow cradles one's neck and cushions their head. Such also keeps your spinal cord in its natural form in your sleep, leading to healthy and pain-free sleep.
A Latex Foam Pillow Offers Quiet Sleep
Do you experience difficulty sleeping on a pillow with squeaking noises every time you move or turn? A latex pillow is soft, bouncy, and offers quiet sleep sessions. Such is ideal for sound and motion-sensitive sleepers like children and some adults since everyone in the room enjoys quietude.
A Latex Pillow Is More Durable Than Others
Raise your hand if you have bought a nice-looking pillow only for you to replace it one month later. Needing to replace your pillow often is costly and unsustainable. In addition, it speaks of the quality of the contents of your pillow.
Luckily, a natural latex pillow is durable enough to last up to four years. Its allergen-resistant composition aids in its durability by resisting molds, bacteria, or dust.
In addition, its unique structure allows a latex pillow to maintain its shape and form for longer than most pillows. It also stays firm, supportive, and comfortable since it requires low maintenance.
Due to its durability, most latex pillows cost more than other pillows, such as cotton and memory foam pillows. However, it is worth the investment.
A Latex Pillow Offers Breathability And Temperature Control
If you are a hot sleeper or night sweater, you know the inconvenience of struggling to sleep on a wet surface. It can be uncomfortable, unhygienic, and unhealthy. The cellular structure of a latex foam pillow has a temperature-control feature that offers maximum breathability and cooling to sleepers.
Also, some people live in hot areas. The high temperatures at night could lead to uncomfortable nights leading to poor sleep. Also, some people sleep in rooms that get warmer at night, something that can disrupt their sleep. A latex pillow dissipates bodily heat and cools your sleeping surface, leading to comfortable, restful nights and quality sleep.
A Latex Pillow Is Allergen-Resistant
A natural latex pillow is hypoallergenic, antimicrobial, as well as antibacterial. It naturally resists microorganisms like mold, mildew, dust mites, fungi, pollen, and allergens.
Allergens often thrive in warm environments with moisture. Luckily, latex dissipates heat and is breathable and cooling, discouraging mold growth. Such conditions also deter dust mites, making them ideal for sleepers sensitive to such allergens.
In addition, a latex pillow is ideal for sleepers with respiratory issues since it does not harbor dust. It is also easy to clean, allowing you to sleep on a clean surface. Its resistance to allergens is also the main reason latex pillows are long-lasting.
A Latex Pillow Is Eco-Friendly
Living an environmentally-sustainable lifestyle lets, you know the long-term effects of products you bring into your space. Most artificial latex pillows contain harmful chemicals, pollutants, and toxins that continuously destroy mother earth. However, natural latex is organic, hence eco-friendly.
Today, conscious shopping is one of the main ways of conserving our environment. First, a latex pillow offers an exceptional return on investment since one serves you for up to four years. Next, disposing of it is easy and guilt-free as it is biodegradable.
Also, sleeping on a latex pillow is healthy since Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are not off-gassing. In return, it frees you from the unpleasant smell of these chemicals.
What To Consider When Purchasing A Latex Pillow
When looking to buy a latex pillow, consider pillow thickness in regard to your sleeping position. For instance, back sleepers should go for low-loft pillows (four to five inches high). Side side-sleepers should choose medium-thick ones (five to seven inches high). However, stomach sleepers should go thin latex pillows about four-inch high.
Other aspects include firmness, allergen resistance, and preferred size.
Conclusion
A latex pillow should be your best pick if you need responsive support, which offers conformity and spinal alignment. It is an excellent investment for breathability, pressure relief, allergen resistance, and eco-friendliness.
Feruza is a mom and a blogger. She had a neck pain for 15 years, which made her interested in everything about pillows.
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