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Buckwheat Pillows
Buckwheat pillows are becoming increasingly popular. Does one deserve to be on your bed? Let’s look at their main advantages and disadvantages. But before we do, let me describe exactly what a buckwheat pillow is.
Buckwheat is, in fact, not a wheat, but a fruit (Fagopyrum esculentum) related to rhubarb. Buckwheat hulls are what fill a buckwheat pillow. The hulls are the husks that protect the buckwheat kernel. The hulls are not just chaff but are a highly sought after product that is usually more valuable than the buckwheat kernel.
Advantages
The pillows are very supportive in that they are “solid state.” In other words, they will hold their shape and not sink in during the night, while at the same time they won’t push back as fiber or foam pillows can.
This excellent support that buckwheat pillows offer means that your neck can maintain a proper, neutral position for the whole night. It also can mean less of a need to move around at night since you won’t need to adjust yourself because the pillow has changed shape.
The ability to maintain their shape is the reason many people claim that buckwheat pillows provide relief from neck and back pain, headaches, snoring, muscle tension, TMJ syndrome, and sleeplessness.
Also, since snoring is often caused by an unnatural alignment of the neck, a buckwheat pillow with its ability to maintain proper support can reduce or eliminate snoring.
The pillows can also be adjusted for firmness and loft by adding or removing buckwheat. (Most quality buckwheat pillows come with a zipper so you can do this easily.)
Disadvantages
A possible downside to a buckwheat pillow is that it is quite firm. As a result, it may not provide the softness and cushioning that your face and ears need. Its firmness also requires you to often manually mold the pillow into the shape you want. In other words, it will not automatically contour to your head and neck as some other pillow types do, such as memory foam. See our memory foam vs latex topper.
Another disadvantage to some is that the hulls inside can make a rustling or crunching noise. This noise is not overly loud, but it may take some getting used to.
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Choosing the Right Pillow for Your Sleep Style
Your pillow choice should complement your mattress and sleeping position to create a sleep system that keeps your spine in proper alignment from head to toe. Side sleepers generally need a thicker, firmer pillow (5-7 inches of loft) to fill the space between the shoulder and ear, keeping the neck and head aligned with the spine. Back sleepers typically perform best with a medium-loft pillow (3-5 inches) that supports the natural curve of the cervical spine without pushing the head too far forward. Stomach sleepers need the thinnest pillow possible (or no pillow at all) to prevent neck hyperextension that can lead to chronic pain and stiffness. If you change positions throughout the night, an adjustable-fill pillow that allows you to customize the loft offers the most versatile solution.
How Often Should You Replace Your Pillow?
Pillows accumulate dust mites, dead skin cells, body oils, and moisture over time, creating an increasingly unhygienic sleep surface that can exacerbate allergies and respiratory issues. Most sleep experts recommend replacing pillows every 1-3 years, depending on the fill material: synthetic fiber pillows have the shortest effective lifespan (12-18 months), down and feather pillows last 2-3 years with proper care, memory foam pillows maintain their properties for 2-3 years, and latex pillows can perform well for 3-4 years. A quick freshness test: if your pillow has a persistent odor even after washing, shows visible yellow staining that penetrates through the protector, or no longer springs back when folded in half, it is time for a replacement. Investing in a quality pillow protector and washing your pillowcase weekly can extend the useful life of any pillow by reducing the accumulation of contaminants that break down materials over time.
