Samaneh Daryushi, Teimour Allahyari, Zanyar Karimi, Hamidreza Khalkhali,
Volume 13, Issue 3 (9-2025)
Objectives: Pillows play a crucial role in supporting muscles and maintaining the natural posture of the neck during sleep. The present study aimed to measure and investigate the effect of pillow shape, filling material, and sleeping posture on cervical angle and perceived comfort during sleep.
Methods: Ten participants (five males and five females) with a mean age of 26.7 years participated in this study. Each participant used four pillows (two cylindrical and two rectangular, one with wool content and the other with memory foam) for one hour (30 minutes in the supine position and 30 minutes in the lateral position). During the experiment, the cervical angle was measured using a Kinect sensor. At the end of each 30-minute session, the participants were asked to report their perceived comfort level using a visual analogue scale (VAS).
Results: Analysis of variance revealed that the cervical angle in the cylindrical wool pillow with the supine posture was significantly greater than in other conditions (P < 0.01). The smallest cervical angle was observed with the rectangular memory foam pillow in the lateral posture. Comparison of the effects of sleeping posture on cervical angle showed a significant difference between the two postures (P < 0.01). The highest perceived comfort was reported in the lateral posture using a cylindrical pillow.
Conclusion: The results indicate that pillow shape, material, and sleeping posture significantly affect cervical angle and perceived comfort. In this study, a rectangular memory foam pillow was superior in terms of angle, and a cylindrical pillow was superior in terms of comfort. Therefore, selecting an appropriate pillow based on sleeping posture may help improve comfort and maintain proper cervical posture during sleep.
