Sleep is an essential aspect of every human’s health, be it mental or physical well-being. Experts recommend that you sleep for at least eight hours every night to allow your body and mind enough time to recharge. However, many factors can prevent you from hitting the 8-hour target or even getting the best out of your sleep. For one, a poor bedroom environment could have this undesired impact.

So what makes a good sleeping environment? Room temperature, furniture arrangement, and low noise are your targets for a setting conducive to a good night’s rest. The bedding materials that you use could also affect how well you sleep. A buckwheat pillow, for instance, is known for its comfort and support and can help you rest better than other traditional pillows. Wondering why that’s the case? Watch this video for more information about this amazing pillow:

Buckwheat Pillow | Custom Built in Fill Station Pillow Kiosk®

If you’re still unconvinced about investing in a buckwheat pillow, this article aims to nudge you in the right direction and why you should consider this product.

What is a buckwheat pillow?

Buckwheat pillows are designed to make your sleep as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. They make use of buckwheat hulls, which work as the pillows’ fillings. These products originated from Japan and have since become famous across other parts of the world. But what makes them different from traditional pillows? Here are nine reasons why you should invest in buckwheat pillows over traditional ones:

1. They enhance comfort

Everyone needs a comfortable space to lie down after a busy day, and a buckwheat pillow provides just that. The pillowcase is made from organic cotton, which is one of the best raw materials in the market. The cotton pillowcase is also a soft and breathable cover to enhance your sleep.

Another feature worth noting is that this pillow can be folded. As such, you can customize it to fit your needs. For instance, you can easily change the shape and design, depending on how you want to use it on your bed. This makes it ideal for resting your wrists while typing at a computer. You can also use it as a back pillow or to offer support for your neck while travelling.

2. They support proper spinal structure

As mentioned earlier, sleep is meant to help your body rest and enhance your overall health. However, using a substandard pillow to support your body will mess with your physical well-being, especially since bones and joint structure degrade as the years pass by. For one, any pillow that doesn’t adjust itself accordingly to the shape of your body will lead to poor spinal structure. 

Remember, pillows are meant to hold your head in position and ensure that the rest of your body is aligned properly. Buckwheat pillows are designed to accomplish this purpose. Apart from raising the level of your head on the mattress, they also offer perfect support for your neck. The good thing is that it can be used in all sleeping positions, and you’d still end up with a good night’s sleep.

3. They could help reduce snoring

One common problem with many people is snoring. Whether it’s coming from you or those around you, the noise is very irritating and may lead to lack of enough sleep for some people. Fortunately, this is something that can be solved easily, depending on the cause. The main reason why some people snore is because of their poor sleep posture. 

When you use a low-quality pillow, your body structure may compromise your airways, which could lead to snoring. While buckwheat pillows may not solve all your snoring problems, they’ll help with your sleep posture. As such, the airways will remain open throughout the night, which is one way of solving this problem. If you don’t experience any notable changes after investing in a quality buckwheat pillow, it might be the right time to consult a doctor for treatment of any underlying issues. 

4. They reduce the risk of neck and back pains

So far, you’ve learned about your body posture with regard to snoring and the spinal structure. But there’s something else that’s also an effect of poor sleeping posture—muscle pains.

Do you experience back or neck pains on a regular basis? There are many causes of this problem, one of which is your movement during the day and the other is how you sleep at night. (2)

Muscle pains on your neck and lower back can be quite uncomfortable and could hinder you from accomplishing your daily responsibilities. One way of alleviating this issue is by investing in quality pillows. The best pillows that will serve you perfectly in this case are those filled with buckwheat hulls.

Remember, muscles and other soft tissues are tasked with supporting your spine. Therefore, poor sleeping posture causes these muscles to work extra hard to ensure that the right position is maintained. In the long run, fatigue will start to wear down your bones, joints, and muscles; and that’s why you experience those undesired pains in the morning. Buckwheat pillows keep your sleeping posture solid throughout the night or workday, which could even help you relax more. 

5. They promote air circulation

How many times have you woken up to a pillow full of sweat? That’s one sign of poor-quality material. Apart from sweat, such pillows can impact your health negatively. The build-up of heat, coupled with a poor sleep posture, could lead to headaches, which could already mess up your day even when you haven’t started it yet.

It’s worth noting that this heat builds up primarily because of the material used to make your pillow. You’ll experience this problem, as the fillings aren’t designed to allow free air circulation. Fortunately, that’s not the case with buckwheat pillows. As mentioned, these pillows are filled with buckwheat hulls.

So how do buckwheat hulls enhance air circulation? Well, they’re triangular, slightly cupped, and smooth. These structural features create tiny air pockets between the hulls, and the good thing is that these spaces never compress even under pressure from your body weight. As such, air could circulate freely within the product. Another thing worth mentioning is that these buckwheat hulls don’t radiate heat, hence keeping you cooler throughout the night. 

6. They may help relieve migraine

Do you experience frequent migraines? This is one issue that could be challenging you to not accomplish your daily duties, as the pain that comes with this condition is extreme. Fortunately, there are several ways to counter this issue, so you could enjoy your day or night. But first, you should know what causes migraines may vary from person to person. Soft tissue strain, spinal alignment, pressure points, and poor airway support could all be culprits.

According to studies and reports from individual patients, a good pillow could reduce such incidences by a significant percentage. Buckwheat pillows are among the best products when it comes to alleviating migraine symptoms. For one, these pillows are designed to offer proper support to soft tissues and airways. They also provide soft pressure against specific contact points on your skull and neck. As such, you could alleviate pain in your neck and skull experience due to sufficient blood circulation to the brain. (1)

As said, there are many factors that can lead to migraine. Therefore, don’t use a buckwheat pillow as the final treatment, especially if you still feel the same even after the changes. Make sure to consult a medical expert as soon as possible. 

7. They don’t attract bugs

One disadvantage of many traditional pillows is that they’re made from materials that can be considered as food to small insects. For instance, those filled with wool, feathers, or similar materials tend to harbor bugs and other unpleasant insects. This can be quite irritating and may also lead to health problems.

Buckwheat pillows are filled with buckwheat hulls, which are resistant to bed bugs. As said, these pillows also promote proper air circulation which help in heat regulation. Apart from making your sleep comfortable, regulated heat and proper air circulation make this environment inconducive for dust mites. 

Another advantage of buckwheat hull pillows is that they’re hypoallergenic. This means there’s very little chance you could develop any allergic reactions when using buckwheat hull pillows. However, that’s not to say that they’re ideal for everyone, since some people are sensitive to certain plants. Nonetheless, there are very few reports pointing toward allergies stemming from a reaction to the buckwheat hulls, which means you should be fine with your new bedroom addition.

8. They’re durable

There are many factors that anyone should consider when buying their home products. One feature you should prioritize over others is durability. You’d want to invest in something that could serve you for as many months or years, if possible. Unfortunately, that’s not the case with most traditional pillows. Most of these items are designed to serve the user for a limited time before they reach their end of life.

So what makes buckwheat pillows last longer than traditional ones? It comes down to the quality of materials used to make them. For one, the external material used to hold buckwheat hulls in place is thick enough to resist wear and tear, at least for about 10 years, depending on your usage. 

Of course, with time, buckwheat hulls do succumb to wear and tear. Unlike some traditional pillows, though, you could replace the buckwheat hulls when you feel that they no longer serve their purpose. You’ll just need to buy a bag of buckwheat hulls, open the zipper, and replace the worn-out fillings.

In the long run, you’ll not only enjoy the comfort of your pillow for several years, but also save on frequent purchases. Remember, traditional pillows only last about three years, which is almost a third of the time you’ll get with a good buckwheat pillow. So if you’re looking for economical ways to upgrade your bedroom, buckwheat pillows should be part of your plans.

9. They’re eco-friendly

Here’s one thing that not many people consider when purchasing their sleeping implements—eco-friendliness. Considering the current state of affairs when it comes to pollution, it’s very important to choose products made from natural and renewable materials. Buckwheat pillows fall under that category, which makes them environment friendly.

Remember, buckwheat hulls are the outer shells of the buckwheat plant’s seeds, and they’re spotless before being used as pillow fillings. Just like any other plant by-product, buckwheat hulls don’t pose any harm to the surrounding. The outer material holding these fillings in place is made of 100% cotton, which is also friendly to the environment.

Cons of buckwheat pillows

While buckwheat pillows have several advantages, there are a few cons that you’d want to keep in mind. For one, it might take you some time to get used to them, especially if you’ve been using traditional pillows for a long time. The natural odor of buckwheat hulls, for instance, is something many people could struggle to cope with in the initial days. Also, these hulls tend to create a crunching sound, which could be quite distracting for first-time users.

Another drawback of buckwheat pillows is the fact that they aren’t washable. Soaking them in water will only ruin the strength of the buckwheat hulls, which could affect its durability. You can, however, clean the pillowcases. In fact, the manufacturer recommends that you do so as regularly as possible to avoid bacteria buildup.

Conclusion

Buckwheat pillows have been around for a long time, but they’ve gained more popularity in recent years. Are you still using traditional pillows to support your neck and spine while sleeping? One disadvantage of traditional pillows is that they don’t last long, but the same can’t be said about buckwheat pillows. Another reason you might want to invest in buckwheat hull pillows is because of the comfort they provide for every relevant part of your body. As such, they reduce cases of sleep apnea, back pain, and migraines. 

Furthermore, buckwheat pillows also promote proper air circulation, which is quite important, especially for those people who are prone to sweating at night. And don’t forget that the materials used to make these pillows are natural and renewable, which makes these products environment friendly. All in all, it’s important to note that these pillows have a few drawbacks that you might want to consider before making your purchase. However, all its benefits outweigh the disadvantages in the long run.

References

1. “The Best Pillows For People With Migraine”, Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/migraine-pillow#pillow-types
2. “Best Pillows For Back Pain”, Source: https://www.webmd.com/back-pain/best-pillows-back-pain