The Benefits of Buckwheat Pillows

Supportive Qualities

• The most important quality in a pillow is that it can support the head and neck during sleep. Without this ability, you will not rest easily and may wake up with a sore or stiff neck. Buckwheat pillows often are recommend by health professionals, such as doctors of chiropractic medicine, to those suffering with snoring, migraines or neck pain because of their ability to conform to the shape of the head and neck. This quality makes buckwheat pillows ideal for any sleep type, from back and side to stomach. A zippered buckwheat pillow allows you to remove some of the hulls to customize its size.

Variety

• Unlike most standard feather and foam bed pillows, buckwheat pillows are available in a wide variety of sizes and shapes to suit different needs. They can be found as keyboard rests that help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, eye pillows, and tube-like pillows that support the back during driving or sitting at a desk. They even can be purchased with natural herbs added to the buckwheat hulls for a calming or energizing aromatherapy session.

Environmental Benefits

• Buckwheat is a naturally occurring, renewable resource. Unlike the foam materials that are petroleum-based or the genuine feather pillows made from birds, buckwheat pillows do not cause any damage to the environment or living species. And, the price of buckwheat pillows is comparable to their less nature-friendly counterparts.

Temperature

• Buckwheat hulls, even when packed together inside a pillow case, have natural occurring air space between them. As a result, buckwheat pillows do not become heated like pillows made from foam, for example, that have no air circulating capacity. Low temperatures are conducive to sleep, so buckwheat pillows allow for a more restful and peaceful night's rest than do pillows that retain heat throughout the night. The pillows can be chilled in a freezer, or for chilly nights, can be slightly heated in a microwave on low, just until they feel comfortably warm to the touch.

Manufacturing and Warnings

• Manufactures roast imported buckwheat hulls to destroy any foreign bacteria or insects that can attach themselves during the growing process, and they run the hulls through a cleaning process to remove dust, so there is little possibility of irritation. Because of the close proximity of the hulls to the face, however, some individuals with sensitive skin or an allergy to buckwheat may experience discomfort, such as itching and sneezing, and should discontinue use immediately.