You’ll notice that cushions are extremely firm, particularly after spending time resting. Why are pillows made of memory foam so stiff? The short answer is that memory cushions are made to conform to the contours of your head and neck to help you maintain good posture and reduce muscular tension.
The foam needs to be firm because of this. The cushion wouldn’t support your neck if it weren’t firm. So how to flatten memory foam pillow? Because cushions are temperature-sensitive, they become softer as they warm up and stiffer as they cool down. That was only a quick response, so let’s look at everything in further depth.
Why My Pillow Is Too Hard?
Before figuring out how to make memory foam pillow softer, we will give you some reasons why your memory pillows are so hard.
The substance memory foam is sluggish
Memory foam pillows aren’t hard. It conforms to the form that’s applied to it. Thus, memory foam can adjust to each person’s posture and position. You’ll feel resistance as you squeeze it. It breaks free because it becomes used to your pressure. The essential principle is that memory foam resists all efforts to modify its form. It gives up after a short time and adjusts.
You’re accustomed to standard pillows
In actuality, memory foam is not hard; it simply takes longer than a typical cushion to respond to changes in your posture. Because memory pillows also include other materials, they frequently initially seem rigid and unpleasant. You could feel the desire to return to conventional feather or cotton-filled pillows if you use them for sleeping.
When it comes to pillows, memory foam is frequently a wise choice if you wake up with neck and muscular aches. But frequently, it needs to be spent at least one week getting used to the new cushion. Your prior pillows were excessively soft, not the pillows, which is the problem.
Your muscles or posture were not adequately supported as a result of sleeping. You initially thought the foam pillow was too rigid after switching to a cushion that supports your posture as you sleep.
You’ve already given yourself a great favor by purchasing a new cushion that will improve your sleep, even though the first few nights are difficult. A sage once said: You would get used to it, so don’t worry.
When memory foam warms up, it gets softer
Because memory foam is temperature-sensitive, it also looks to be rigid. It grows softer as it gets warmer. Your cushion will feel firm when you wish to sleep while lying down on that because it’s still chilly. So how to soften memory foam pillow? Give it time to adjust your head shape and heat up a bit.
However, the pillow’s temperature-dependent rigidity is a desired side effect. The cushion will only conform to the curves of your body according to your body temperature. It does not change in its entirety.
Hardness of memory foam is an indication of quality
To some extent, memory foam must be firm and unyielding to provide your neck with the support they require while you sleep. Before it starts to conform to the contour of your body, it takes some time. However, after it has adapted, this is a wonderful feeling as it releases all the strain on your bones.
Simple: Stiff materials don’t deteriorate quickly. Products made of cheap memory foam and of poor quality are frequently softer. A cushion will last longer if it is firmer. It implies that they deform swiftly and lose usefulness shortly. If you’ve had a cheap cushion, you’ll discover that it will become permanently distorted after a few months.
Pillows made of memory foam of good quality do not distort at all. But as a result, they also need to be a bit tougher. When you cease using a firm pillow, it entirely resets its form in addition to being able to adjust to your sleeping position. It’s only a symbol of excellence.
How To Determine If A Memory Foam Pillow Is Too Firm?
As you’ve just learned, the firmness of a memory foam pillow is an indicator of quality and the desired effect. Nevertheless, there may be circumstances in which you would prefer to purchase a different (softer) cushion. Or you can even return to the typical pillows filled with cotton or feathers.
It’s simple to determine if your memory foam cushion is overly firm. Use it is all you must do! For a few weeks, use it. Make sure to develop the habit of using this type of pillow when sleeping. You can determine whether or not your neck aches have subside on your own since memory cushions are designed to reduce tension on your head and muscles.
You’ll need to choose after using a for a month. Which is better for your neck: a softer cushion that will irritate it or a firm pillow that will ease your tension? What matters more to you? You alone will determine whether the cushion is excessively firm.
Your pillow can only convey how you are feeling to you. Just how do you lie down? Does it make you feel better? Do you believe using a standard cushion would make everything better? Make a snap judgment. The only person who must lie on that pillow is you; even if it makes you uncomfortable, you must continue doing so.
The creation of memory foam pillows is fantastic. They have assisted thousands of individuals in relieving discomfort from poor sleeping positions. You always have options because many pillows are suitable for various sleeping postures. While considering pillows, it’s also essential to think about hygiene and common concerns like whether head lice can live on pillows and sheets. However, if the pillow doesn’t help you feel comfy, decide quickly to get rid of it.
It can be sold, given to a partner or another person you admire, or both. Perhaps they’ll enjoy it, and it would make a wonderful surprise gift!
How To Flatten Memory Foam Pillow?
Various techniques eliminate the pillow’s stiffness and hardness. Here’s what you’d do if you would like to take advantage of all the benefits of the cushion but feel that it would be uncomfortable to sleep on.
Please be aware that these 4 suggestions of how to make pillows softer only work momentarily and that you need to repeat things every night before bed because we’re working with memory foam cushions, which constantly reshape.
Idea 1: Warm up to make it softer
We can soften a hard memory foam pillow with heat because it naturally adjusts to the body’s temperature. Use the simple trick if you still wonder how to plump up a memory foam pillow: Pour boiling water into a hot water bottle. Around 15 minutes before sleep, place your hot water bottle over your pillow. It will be substantially softer after 15 minutes.
Of course, you don’t have to warm your cushions with a hot water bottle. For that, you may also use a heating pad or electric blanket. Additionally, if your room has heating or heat radiators, you may position your memory foam cushion close by.
However, be careful not to directly contact any heating components since pillows are prone to catching fire. Therefore, you can consider doing some jumping jacks or any other physical activity that you feel comfortable with. It will be not familiar at first but try to warm up every time you want to sleep for.
Idea 2: Squeezing will make it softer
Before placing your head on your pillow, you can squeeze it flat. A foam cushion can be squeezed only for a brief period. After that, swiftly place your head on the pillow. You’ve effectively sped up the memory foam pillow’s process of adjusting to your position because when it expands once again, it will grow to fit the contour of your head and neck.
Idea 3: Wash it in a washing machine
You may sometimes wash your memory foam cushion in the washer. Of course, you don’t have to do it every night. Memory foam is made of cave-like structures that flex when stress is put and return to their original shape when the pressure is withdrawn. Some of the substantial foam structures are from inside your pillow.
So you were to examine memory foam material at the microscopic level. These constructions can crumble by being washed. If you wash a pillow in a washing machine, it can lose its memory effect. This advice is only helpful if you want your cushion to become less rigid and adaptable than before.
In our advice, you should only utilize memory foam cushions labeled as machine washable. Because their foam constructions stiffen once cleaned, certain non-washable pillows may even get harder when washed. With care, apply this advice.
However, if you really must get rid of the cushion and are searching for methods to soften it so you can keep using it, this information is quite helpful. It’s possible that after washing, you’ll appreciate it even more and continue using it because it’s comfier.
Idea 4: Dry your pillow inside the dryer
Because the dryer also heats the foam, it won’t degrade the memory foam’s structures as quickly as a washing machine. . Using a dryer can also be a method to fluff your pillow. For those without tennis balls, there are ways to fluff pillows in a dryer without them. The dryer is unquestionably the smarter option for effectively softening your pillow while preserving its memory effect. It’ll be warm and silky when you pull it out of the dryer after around 15 minutes.
Conclusion
You’ve just learned about how to flatten a memory foam pillow! We’ve discussed the reasons pillows seem rigid. They only oppose changes and gradually conform to your skull. It is hard because the microstructures uniformly support your neck and spine. The pillow’s remaining portion maintains its original form. But when you give it some thought, you realize that its rigidity and hardness are indicators of high quality.
