11 Health And Beauty Benefits Of Using A Japanese Pillow

11 Health And Beauty Benefits Of Using A Japanese Pillow

Did you know that if you’re sleeping in an uncomfortable position or depriving yourself of sleep, all your efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle and exercise regularly won’t give you the results you want to achieve? 

Sleep will let the body repair damaged tissues and muscles as well as replenish lost energy so that you’ll be prepared to do tasks throughout the day. Aside from your mattress, the pillow you’re using will also affect your sleep quality. The pillow you’re using may affect your capability to sleep and the comfort your body will feel when sleeping. 

For you to sleep peacefully, it’s crucial that you choose the right type of pillow. Today, there are plenty of designs and sizes available and this makes choosing the right one more difficult. If you can’t decide which one you should get you may want to consider Japanese pillows. In fact, it’s one of the most popular options these days because of its health and beauty benefits. 

To help you decide whether it’s a good option or not, here’s a comprehensive list of benefits that you may reap when you use this kind of pillow. 

1. Maintain Good Temperature

To make sure that you’re getting enough sleep every night, you’ll need to take into account various things. Besides having a high-quality and comfortable mattress, your room’s temperature will also affect your ability to stay and even fall asleep. Irrespective of how tired you are, sometimes, getting some shut-eye is quite challenging when you feel cold or warm. 

If you usually get up in the middle of the night due to extreme coldness or humidity, using Japanese pillows can help. This type of pillow is breathable. It also works well when it comes to controlling the temperature while you’re sleeping since the material used allows maximum air movement and circulation. In fact, you’re less likely to experience this when you’re using a regular pillow since its material will make you feel sticky and hot as you sleep on them. 

If you want to take your Japanese pillows up a notch, you can actually place them in the freezer for a couple of hours and during bedtime, put them back in the pillowcases. The buckwheat hull stays cool for hours to keep the head cool while you’re sleeping. 

On the other hand, you can also place a Japanese pillow in the microwave before you sleep so that your head will feel warm particularly when you’re trying to sleep on chilly nights. 

2. Relieves Pains and Aches 

Pains in the upper body, especially in the shoulders, head, and neck, may be caused by various conditions. Some of the most common problems are lumbar and cervical misalignment. If you’re currently using pillows that don’t properly support you in these areas, your body is forced to adapt to unnatural curvatures and positions while you’re sleeping. Actually, this is the main cause of tiredness and pain when you wake up the next day. 

When you’ve decided to use a Japanese pillow, its malleability may help in easing the stiffness of the muscles and this makes a great option to relieve neck pain. 

Nevertheless, aside from this pillow, you may also want to invest in a microwaveable heating pad. This heating pad may also help in releasing pains and aches, which will surely give you a good night’s sleep. 

3. Achieve Better Skin 

Sleeping can offer a lot of benefits. But sleeping on the wrong pillow may contribute to different signs of aging such as wrinkles and fine lines. Continuous pressure on delicate tissues and the skin of the face may result in sleep wrinkles that may get worse as days pass by.  

Good thing, Japanese pillows are built to keep both the neck and head in alignment. You can surely benefit from this whether you’re a back sleeper or a side sleeper. The right sleeping position will get rid of the pressure from your skin and face. This will then hinder the damages and wrinkles that sleeping can make.  

4. Lessens Snoring 

If the person next to you is sleeping loudly or has snoring issues, you may have a hard time sleeping or you will have interrupted sleep. It’s said that loud snoring is associated with sleep apnea and will lessen the levels of oxygen in the blood. 

For sleep deprivation, you may experience health problems and lose your focus. The vibrational sounds escaping from the nose are because of the soft tissues that block the airways of the sleeper. Please note that the severity will depend on how narrow the pathways would go. 

One good way Japanese pillows can do is that help lessens unnecessary snoring. Compared to foam pillows, they don’t sink and lower the head. Further, the hulls will compress one another in order to keep the head elevated which may help in reducing the blockage in the nasal passage. 

5. Get Rid of Dust Mites

If you’re not changing your sheets and pillowcases on a regular basis, they’ll become a breeding ground for allergens and dust mites. If you have allergies, you’ll surely find them irritating. Most of the time, dust mites survive in environments like humid and damp conditions. What’s more, they feed on moisture and dead skin cells of the body. 

When you switch to a Japanese pillow, you’ll be able to relieve your allergies. Due to the enhanced flow of air inside this pillow, it’s not as humid as standard pillows. As a result, the buckwheat hull can’t make the same kind of conditions for allergens and dust mites to survive. 

6. Japanese Pillows Can Be Adjusted 

Another great advantage of using Japanese pillows is that you can add or remove hulls to meet your comfort needs. A person’s body is built differently and the same goes for a pillow. So, the ability to alter the pillow to fit one’s needs is a plus. 

If you prefer sleeping on your side, higher pillows will allow you to attain the best cervical alignment. But if you’re a stomach sleeper, high pillows aren’t for you because you may end up having neck pain. To prevent any problem, you’ll need a thin lift that will allow your shoulders and neck to be on the same level. To obtain any of these effects, all you need to do when you have Japanese pillows is remove or add the hulls that come within them. 

7. Odor-Free

Compared to a synthetic pillow, with Japanese pillows, you won’t need to worry about your sensitivity to scents. Before processing, this kind of pillow has a light earthy smell. What’s more, manufacturers wash the hulls properly before using them to make pillows. Thus, the end result is a relaxing and almost non-noticeable smell. 

Also, if you want an aromatherapy effect added to your pillow, there are actually Japanese pillows explicitly for this. Aromatherapy, in case you didn’t know, can improve the quality of sleep, manage pain, and treat migraines and headaches. 

8. Free From Toxins and Chemicals 

The majority of buckwheat hulls utilized in making Japanese pillows are sourced organically. Meaning to say, these pillows have zero to minimal exposure to any types of pesticides and chemicals that are dangerous to one’s health. 

Most manufacturers usually top them with pillowcases that are also made from organic materials. With that in mind, you can sleep peacefully knowing what’s inside your pillows and what you’re being exposed to. 

9. Relieves Migraine

The reason why people are experiencing migraines isn’t even across the board. For some people, it may be because of spinal alignment, whereas for other people it may be caused by pressure points, soft tissue strain, and airway support. 

In some instances, Japanese pillows can greatly help in relieving migraines due to the support they can give to soft tissues and airways. When you’re sleeping on this kind of pillow, your head and neck obtain soft pressure. Such pressure on certain points can help you relax by initiating the regulation of blood flow through the brain. Also, it’ll help in releasing endorphins, a popular feel-good hormone. 

10. Support the Muscles

If you don’t want to deal with a sore body, you need to make sure that your muscles are relaxed while you’re sleeping. If you don’t, they may become fatigued as well as lead you to wake up in the morning with pain in your back, neck, and other body parts. As mentioned, Japanese pillows will keep your neck and head in the right position that may help in giving support to your spine. 

11. Healthier and Happier Appearance 

Lack of sleep may cause the corner of the mouth to droop. This will make you look sadder than you do after having a good night’s sleep. When you’re tired, usually your facial expression will change in a consistent and subtle way. What’s more, you tend to frown and furrow more. 

Swollen and red eyes, sagging eyelids, paler skin, and dark circles are indications that you’re exhausted. Those who don’t get enough sleep will have a dull appearance. But with Japanese pillows, you’re less likely to experience these things because as mentioned, these pillows will help you achieve a good night’s rest and sleep, thus you’ll have a healthier and happier appearance the next day. 

Things To Consider When Choosing A Japanese Pillow

Now that you have an idea about the benefits of using Japanese pillows, have you decided to get one? If yes, you need to keep in mind that not all of them are made equal. To help you find the best pillow, here are some of the most important things that you need to take into consideration. 

1. Size

Much like other kinds of pillows sold in the market, usually, Japanese pillows are sold in different sizes. So, choose the best option which you think suits you the most. If you have limited space in your space, it’s a good idea to opt for a smaller option. But if space allows you to have bigger pillows, then go for it. 

2. Price

Another important factor that you need to take into account is the price of the pillow. To avoid overspending, it’s best that you set your budget first. And then look for items that will suit your budget. Make sure not to settle for less. Always check the quality because sometimes, cheaper ones tend to have poor quality. 

3. Washer-Friendly Pillowcase

Japanese pillows are quite tedious to clean. While some types of pillows can be easily thrown in the washing machine, Japanese pillows can’t. You’ll need to remove all the hulls before you wash them. Remember, wetting your hulls will damage the quality of the pillow and hulls. 

Fortunately, some of these pillows come with a washer-friendly pillowcase. However, if you can’t find such a pillow, make sure to follow the care directions on your pillow and your pillowcase as well. 

4. Level of Firmness

The majority of Japanese pillows are firm to extremely firm. Some people like how supportive and hard the pillow feels while others find it too bulky and stiff. So, before you make a purchase make sure to check the firmness level to ensure comfort. 

5. Return Policy

Some Japanese pillows are quite costly. So, before you buy, check if you’re allowed to try it at home for a certain period of time. When the seller offers a return policy, you can return the product especially when you notice that there’s something wrong with it without any hassle. But if they don’t offer a return, it would be stressful on your part since you won’t be able to reap the above-mentioned benefits. 

Final Message

Given the points mentioned above, a Japanese pillow can offer a lot of advantages that are worth considering. While you need to make some adjustments, the rewards you can reap will improve your total well-being.

Nevertheless, with these pillows claiming health and beauty benefits such as reducing snoring as well as relieving aches and pains, a Japanese pillow is a worthy investment. 

Images: