Have you ever wondered what a buckwheat pillow is or have you actually even heard of a buckwheat pillow? I’m about to show you why it might make a huge difference in the way you sleep tonight. If you’ve never heard of buckwheat pillows, you’re not the only one. It’s a traditional Japanese pillow that uses buckwheat hulls inside to provide a very firm support and actually it’s used a lot for traditional, not traditional, but for proper spinal alignment.

What is Buckwheat?

Buckwheat

Buckwheat is a flowering plant and actually buckwheat is a food source. It’s a food source for livestock, it’s a food source for humans. A lot of times hot cereal and porridge is made from buckwheat and so it is a great grain. A buckwheat hull is the hard outer layer or shell of the buckwheat, so once it’s harvested, all of those little shells can be used as filling for pillows. What a buckwheat pillow looks like once you open it up?

And these are the buckwheat hulls. They’re hard, but they’re not like what you think. They’re kind of like not flat. That’s what helps the air circulate so that it doesn’t get really heated under your neck. It promotes more of a cooling sleep. And once you open it up, you can see it’s very natural material. The thickness of a buckwheat pillow is 14 x 20 with five pounds of fill. It’s really not very thick. You’ve got the buckwheat and then a standard fiber fill.

Fiber Fill

As I lay down, it is so thin that my spinal alignment is definitely very straight. You could probably take out some buckwheat just to however you need to. Then, I’ve bunched it up and so it’s supporting my neck more. And little bit more of a straighter alignment. Your neck and spine need to be more in alignment while you’re sleeping to prevent any neck problems or something. So, that is what a lot of people get a buckwheat pillow for specifically because it is so thin that you tend to lay a lot flatter than if you had that plusher pillow. And even if your head sinks in a little bit, you’re still probably gonna be angled up a little bit more, which doesn’t give you that straight line.

How to know if your buckwheat pillow is filled correctly?

A buckwheat pulley with the correct amount of fill is moldable, but once you lie down on it the support under your neck should lock into place from the pressure from your head, and hull shouldn’t be able to move around easily anymore. A buckwheat pillow that is under-filled has loose flaps on the side even after you lie down on it. If a buckwheat pillow is under-filled then the pillow won’t be able to hold its shape, because the hulls won’t be able to lock into place, a buckwheat pillow that is overfilled is very hard and can’t be molded.

Who should be buying one of these buckwheat pillows?

I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of using buckwheat pillows, but I know that everybody has their own specific needs and very specific body types, and what a doctor might be looking for to help you avoid neck pain or muscle tightness or things like that. So you might be prescribed a buckwheat pillow or you might be looking into it on your own actually. It offers very very firm support, just keep that in mind. It is like you lay on it and it’s a little bit soft and then it’s just like firm, it’s not giving at all, where it’s gonna be a lot different than traditional pillows that you’re used to where it’s soft and fluffy. The sizes can be dramatically different than normal standard pillows. Traditional Japanese size is 14″ x 20″, so be careful if you’re ordering pillows, that you are getting a size that you are comfortable with because otherwise your standard pillow cases might now be fitting this pillow and you might be really, surprised that it is as small as it is. If you put it next to another pillow, it actually does look quite small. Another reason why people could be choosing the buckwheat pillow, and why a buckwheat hull bed pillow is the best for you is that it is made with all-natural materials and it’s really like 100% all nature. It is just the hulls of the buckwheat seeds. because they are hard and not soft, they don’t really allow dust mites to thrive and that’s a good thing, if you are looking for a very allergy-friendly pillow, this could be really good for you. Buckwheat hulls generally, or buckwheat itself, generally does not need a lot of pesticides, chemicals, fertilizers, any of that stuff to grow. By getting these hulls, from a plant that generally isn’t treated as much with chemicals as, say, cotton might be. Most of the times, well, I can’t say most of the times, but it is quite frequent that you can find organic buckwheat hulls. If they are not certified organic, then it might be grown in an organic way. You’re chances of getting a material that hasn’t been processed with a lot of unnecessary or potentially toxic chemicals is greater when you are using something like buckwheat. As I said again, the allergies is not as common of an issue. Obviously, if you’re allergic to the buckwheat plant or certain plants, then you could be having a problem, but it’s not as problematic as some people have with latex, with wool and things like that. So, that is a wrap up of the buckwheat pillow and why it might be the best natural choice for you. After I’ve tried out some natural bedding products and I want you to know exactly what they are like in all honesty and what my reviews are. Take care of yourselves.

How to use a Buckwheat Pillow

For Back Sleepers

Place your head on the pillow making sure your shoulders are on the mattress and not the pillow. Your head should not be tilted forwards or backwards when lying on the pillow. The curves of your head and neck are unique to you and should be properly supported when sleeping. buckwheat pillows easily mold to cradle the curves of your head and neck.

1. Lie down on the pillow lift your head up and create a hollow for your head to rest in, move your head around a little bit to let the hull settle around you.
2. Fluff the pillow and then lie down on it move around so that the hulls naturally fall into place to support your head and neck. If you feel discomfort anywhere just use your hands to move the hulls away from that area.
3. Create a hollow for your head before lying down on it, no matter which method you use make sure to push the hulls away from your shoulders so that they aren’t lying on the pillow.

Keep in mind that there is no one way to adjust a buckwheat pillow so play around with it until you find the perfect support for you. Supporting your whole body while sleeping is important place the pillow under your thighs when sleeping on your back, will help straighten and reduce stress on your spine helping to promote a rejuvenating and restful sleep.

For Side Sleepers

Your head should not be tilted upwards or downwards when lying on the pillow, the curves of your head and neck are unique to you and should be properly supported when sleeping. Lying on your sidepush the top of the pillow downwardstowards your shoulders and push the sideof a pillow inwards towards your face. You want to move the hull so that they fill the hollow between your shoulder and the top of your neck, if you feel discomfort anywhere for example your ear just use your hand to push the hulls away from that area. If you wake up with neck and shoulder pain your pillow may not be providing you with the support you need. Try adding more buckwheat hulls to your pillow, or using a cylindrical pillow like our comfy neck buckwheat pillow which will provide more loft for those who need more height. When sleeping on your side it’s a good idea to support your upper shoulder and arm, because without it you may feel strain in your upper shoulder and back. You should hugging a pillow between your arms will elevate your upper elbow and reduce stress on your shoulder. Lastly place the pillow between your legs to support your upper leg and to reduce strain on your hips and lower back.

FAQs

Q: Do I need to wash my hulls? A: You don’t need to wash your hulls. The pillows you know last 810 years you know they’re not edible that bugs don’t like them so you don’t get a lot of like buildup of dust mites in that. So for the most part I never wash my hulls, but people wanted to wash their hulls.