What is Buckwheat?
A high-quality pillow is considered essential for a good night’s sleep. Other than reducing discomfort and muscle strain, they also help lessen problems associated with discomfort and illnesses. The health benefits of buckwheat pillows are evident, for they enable a peaceful night’s sleep. Such a pillow could provide you with ultimate support to help you with various body disorders, including everything from backaches to spinal issues, neck pains to headaches, and even general discomfort.
Buckwheat pillows are made from husks and hulls that are the natural remains of natural buckwheat. The natural material makes the pillow springy yet firm, enabling the support that can properly rest the neck and head as you sleep. The pillow’s features are also helpful for the easing of strain and tension after a spinal alignment. With the buckwheat pillow’s simple design, its benefits and drawbacks are relatively simple to establish. By reading through the quick guide below, you can better conclude whether a buckwheat pillow is a good fit for you or not.
Editor’s Choice
All men might be created equal, but buckwheat pillows are not; instead, they come in different shapes and sizes. As a result, the buckwheat pillow that is right for you might be unsuitable for the next guy. What’s more, it is possible to customize a buckwheat pillow. By simply removing or adding the buckwheat hulls to the pillow, you can vary the level of firmness to suit your needs perfectly. There will be no need to wonder what pillow setting is best for you between an extra firm, firm, or medium pillow when making a purchase.
The Buckwheat Plant
Buckwheat is a type of grain that naturally grows in Asia. Its seeds have been a stable source of feed and nutrition for human consumption for years. The seeds are also a suitable feed for domestic animals. They grow as a fruit that is found within the husk and work to protect the seed until maturity.
While the husk is inedible, it has plenty of other uses. These uses include being a durable filling option for mattresses and pillows. To date, more and more pillow manufacturing companies are opening their eyes to the various buckwheat pillow health benefits. Accordingly, many of them include buckwheat pillow options within their product catalogs. Before the husks/hulls are used, though, the seeds need to be harvested first. The husks then get cleaned and processed before being enclosed in a material casing. Cotton and silk are among the most common options for pillow casing. They can enable the readjustment of the pillow throughout its life by removing old husks before replacing them with new ones
The Benefits of Sleeping on a Buckwheat Pillow
There are many benefits associated with the use of a buckwheat pillow. While the pillows vary in terms of their use, size, and interests, there are still some positive side effects that are common amongst all pillows. Regularly using the pillow has been established to cause substantial pain relief and comfort. A few of the reasons why the above pillows could be worth your time include:
1. To Sleep Better
It is quite challenging to attain the proper posture while sleeping, and this can lead to sleep times being uncomfortable. Sleeping in the wrong posture has been known to cause all sorts of problems on the body. Some of the most common issues you are likely to have faced include waking up with a sprained neck, or without being adequately rested.
However, one of the benefits of sleeping on a buckwheat pillow is that it enables better sleep by helping to support the body’s spinal alignments. The pillow helps cradle the body into a neutral alignment. In this position, the spine bits remain in place in their ideal positions. As a result, the body experiences only minimal pressures on the various muscles, nerves, or discs that interact with the spine, and such proper support leads to superior comfort. A typical and traditional pillow is built to collapse softly under the weight of one’s head. Alternatively, they can be too thick or thin. In either of the cases above, such pillows remain unsuitable for ensuring a good night’s rest. With a buckwheat pillow, such problems can be avoided.
2. For a Greater Cooling Effect
Most other traditional pillows are poor transmitters of heat, which quickly get too hot to be comfortable. With such pillows, cases of having to wake up at night to flip it over to the cooler side. Buckwheat pillows are naturally cool, however, and a cool side can be achieved all night. Buckwheat pillows pose a cooling ability that arises from the natural features of buckwheat husks. These husks allow the warm, humid air to be transmitted from your body to escape through the pillow. You can, thus, prevent the discomfort that comes with heat build-ups.
3. Help Resolve some Migraine Issues
Migraines can arise from various bodily strains. While wrong spinal alignments cause some, they can also be caused by a lack of sufficient airway support and stain on soft tissues and pressure points. While the causes for migraines can vary with the individual, a buckwheat pillow may offer relief from such incidences. Its superior support to the body’s airways and soft tissues while also offering soft pressure on specific points in the skill and neck region. Such soft pressures help trigger the body’s relaxation by regulating blood flow to the brain and the release of endorphins.
Advantages of Buckwheat Pillows
Other than the distinct benefits of sleeping on a buckwheat pillow, there are also various advantages of using it over other options. These advantages stem from the natural material used in making the pillow. Among the most prominent benefits include:
They are Hypoallergenic and Resistivity to Dust Mite
The buckwheat husks used in making the pillows are not a food source for any parasite or other microorganisms. As such, these pillows do not attract any bugs or insects, nor do they collect allergens from the environment. For these reasons, buckwheat pillows are considered the top choice when looking for dust mite and hypoallergenic resistant pillow options. Such issues are also minimized by the pillow allowing for great aeration, and as a result, there below becomes an unsuitable habitat for such allergens and other organisms.
They are Durable
When used with proper care, a buckwheat pillow will last you more than ten years, depending on the thickness and the quality of the material used. When shopping for a buckwheat pillow too, ensure you confirm that the zippers used are heavy-duty, as only these are guarantee to hold hulls for the pillow’s lifetime. The hulls themselves are prone to wear with continuous use after a couple of years. However, with an adjustable pillow, you can easily replace the used hulls by purchasing them for this reason. Being able to refresh the pillow rather than discard it makes the pillow both economical and friendly to the environment.
They are Flexible
Buckwheat pillows are also adjustable, and they give you the ability to adjust the pillows by removing or adding hulls to fit your level of comfort. The pillow’s flexibility ensures that you determine the perfect placement settings for your neck and head. The pillow’s adjustability comes in handy to suit every individual’s body. Sleeping patterns also determine how big an adjustment you might need. For side sleepers, a thicker/higher pillow is the way to go, while thinner options are more likely to benefit you if you sleep on your back or stomach. Accordingly, your preferred sleeping position will determine the final pillow settings you choose, and whether you’ll need to add or remove more husks from the pillow for optimum comfort. Be careful, however, for not all buckwheat pillows provide such flexibility.
Disadvantages of using Buckwheat Pillows
Buckwheat pillows do not come with many disadvantages. However, a low-quality pillow is one of the worst problems you can encounter, as it will not guarantee you its prolonged. Such a problem is easy to avoid, though, for proper research will reveal what buckwheat pillow is worth your time, and which one you need to disregard. Buckwheat pillows are not your typical run to the store and get one either. Rather, they are most often made by order, by a few, very specific suppliers. Some other drawbacks of the pillows include:
They have a Unique Odour
The buckwheat’s husks possess an aromatic smell that’s both calming and aromatic. This smell might be a bit stronger with a new pillow, depending on how the pillows packaging and storage options. While most customers are OK with this natural odor, some clients find it unpleasant. The smell can also be reduced to a manageable level by ensuring the pillow you purchase is made from roasted hulls.
They Make a Rustling Noise
The natural husks that make the buckwheat pillows make a slight rustling and crunching noise. While this can be irritating at first, you are certain to get used to it with time. Moreover, the noise is manageable for most sound sleepers, as it is only noticeable before the head gets rested in a firm place. The noise can become unbearable for restless sleepers, though, as it will persist with every head movement.
They are Heavier
What’s more, buckwheat is unlike feathers and other lighter materials used to make pillows. The husks that make the pillows are much heavier, which can make them weight up to 12 pounds. Accordingly, buckwheat pillows are not the typical throw pillow that you use on impulse to support your back while on the couch; gravity will ensure all the husks fall to one side of the casing. They are not for pillow fights either. Instead, their job description mostly revolves around the bed and offering you superior support to your skull, neck, and back.
They Cannot Be Washed
Buckwheat husks cannot be washed. They do not handle water well, and the strength of their hulls is often weakened. Exposure to water risks making the pillow less durable in the long run. However, the casing is easier to wash, but this should only be done according to the manufacturer’s directives.
The Top 4 Frequently Asked Questions associated with Buckwheat Pillows
- How often should you replace buckwheat pillows?
Ten years – the pillows above should last you well over a decade should you replace the husks regularly. However, durability is dependent on the quality of the enclosures used.
- Are buckwheat pillows any good for side sleepers?
Yes – buckwheat pillows are meant to cradle your neck, spine, and related muscles. Accordingly, they are one of the best options for side sleepers. Stomach and back sleepers will, however, find it less comfortable given the pillow’s rigid nature.
- What is the proper sleeping routine with a buckwheat pillow?
Buckwheat pillows are meant for your bed, and their primary function is to help your body conform to your neck’s curve while in your preferred sleeping position. To this end, the pillow should be used just as you would use a regular pillow. Place your head on the pillow, and your body on the mattress, and let the pillow to the rest of the work. As a rule of thumb, though, confirm that the pillow only supports the head and neck, not the shoulders.
- Can you microwave buckwheat hulls?
For what reason, even? You could do that, but they do not retain heat well. Plus, there’s absolutely no reason to do so either.
Conclusions
Buckwheat pillows are as unique as they are hard to find. While some of their features might take a little time to get used to, the smell and rustling noises, especially, are still plenty of benefits derived from the pillow. It will help you attain better sleeping postures and ensure you benefit from headaches and muscle strain relief. In the end, buckwheat pillows are a solid bet for healthier sleeping trends and a proper rest.
