Wedge Pillow Articles

Finding a pillow for GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) does not have to be hard. But how do you know what kind of pillow you need?

Best pillow for GERD

The best pillow for GERD is a wedge pillow. When you sleep with your upper body inclined on a wedge pillow, it can reduce symptoms of GERD that you may experience while sleeping flat. When you lie down flat on your back, your stomach and esophagus are positioned in a way that makes it easier for stomach acid to flow into your esophagus. This can lead to burning or aching in your chest, difficulty swallowing, difficulty sleeping, etc.

Sleeping elevated on a wedge pillow for GERD will position your stomach and esophagus in a way that makes it much harder for stomach acid to enter the esophagus. The elevation of your torso utilizes gravity to keep your stomach acid where it belongs, which is in your stomach! This leads to a good night’s sleep which is essential for your body to be able to rest and heal.

GERD pillow for back sleepers

A bed wedge for GERD for back sleepers is triangular in shape and at least 7 inches tall. 7 inches is the height that most physicians recommend for combatting symptoms of GERD. However, if you have a heavier torso, you may want to try out a 10-inch wedge. When sleeping on a bed wedge for GERD, always place your regular pillow on top of the wedge. This will support your neck while you sleep at an incline.

A pillow for GERD should be made with a firm polyurethane base as its foundation. A wedge made with a firm base will not lose its shape overtime and gives your body the best support. Additionally, look for a wedge pillow whose firm base is topped with a layer of memory foam. The combination of a firm and supportive base and luscious memory foam topper is the ideal makeup of a wedge pillow for GERD.

For the most comfortable experience, you will also want to sleep with a knee wedge pillow. A knee wedge pillow helps you to not slide down your GERD wedge during the night. It also takes pressure off your low back and hips so that your entire body can relax. This gives you the best sleep and most optimal rest.

GERD pillow for side sleepers

A GERD pillow for side sleepers is made especially for those who love to sleep on their side. Side sleepers no longer have to sacrifice comfort to avoid GERD symptoms at night. Using a side sleeper wedge is the best of both worlds.

A GERD pillow for side sleepers is made with specially designed contours that support the curves of your body. The contours make sure that while you side sleep, your low back and spine maintain a neutral position. The contours also make sure your upper back and shoulders are supported.

Just like on a triangle GERD pillow, place your regular neck pillow on top of the contoured side sleeper wedge to support your neck. Sleeping elevated and on your side positions your esophagus over your stomach and uses gravity in the same way a triangle wedge does. Gravity is used to hold your stomach acid in your stomach rather than allowing stomach acid to flow back up into the esophagus.

When sleeping on a GERD pillow for side sleepers, you should also use a leg separator pillow. A leg separator pillow supports your legs so that your hips and lower back are in a resting position when you sleep. Using a leg separator pillow can help you wake up without any back or hip stiffness.

A pillow for GERD can help you sleep comfortably and avoid the tossing and turning that often comes with GERD symptoms at night. Sleeping well will help you feel better, and when you feel better, you live better.

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

If you are asking yourself how to sleep after umbilical hernia surgery, you have come to the right place. Get ready to learn more about how you can rest comfortably while your recover.

How to sleep after umbilical hernia surgery

After undergoing an umbilical hernia surgery, it is best to start off sleeping on your back. However, do not sleep flat on your back. Sleeping flat on your back makes getting into and out of bed more difficult, increases pressure on your abdomen, and can cause low back pain and stiffness.

To sleep more comfortably, elevate your upper body on a memory foam topped wedge pillow. Your wedge pillow should be between 10 and 12 inches tall. This height elevates your torso enough to decrease pressure on your abdomen. It will also help you get into and out of bed. Be sure to place your regular neck pillow on top of the wedge pillow for additional comfort.

You should also sleep with your legs elevated on a knee wedge pillow. Elevating your legs on a knee wedge pillow does several things: It helps maintain your position on the upper body wedge, it takes pressure off your spine so you don’t wake up with a stiff back, and it improves circulation.

After umbilical hernia surgery, sleeping with both a triangle wedge pillow and a knee wedge pillow positions your body for optimal rest and recovery.

Transitioning to side sleeping

After several weeks or months of recovery, you may be asking if it is okay to side sleep after umbilical hernia surgery. If you can side sleep with minimal or no pain, this is generally okay. However, when you sleep on your side, it is very important to make sure that your body is properly supported. This includes supporting your spine, abdomen, and hips.

If you are still experiencing pain, having difficulty getting into and out of bed, or like sleeping with a little bit of incline, you will need to transition to a contoured incline wedge pillow. The contours in a contoured incline wedge are made to support the curves of your body. This ensures your low back, hips, and shoulders are supported. It also keeps your upper body inclined which helps with acid reflux and bed transfers.

In addition to a contoured incline wedge, consider using a leg separator pillow. A leg separator pillow can be wedged under your abdomen for additional support. It can then run between your legs all the way to your feet. This makes sure your low back and hips are fully supported.

If you are ready to sleep flat and on your side, you will need a side sleeper wedge and a leg separator pillow. A side sleeper wedge is a small wedge that fits in the curve of your waist. It supports your abdomen and your low back. Combining this with a leg separator pillow supports your whole body while you sleep.

Learning how to sleep after umbilical hernia surgery is key to your recovery. Set yourself up for success so that you can get back to doing the things you love, faster!

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

An acid reflux wedge pillow for side sleepers is made just for…you guessed it! Side sleepers! If you sleep on your side and have acid reflux, there is a specific wedge made perfectly for you.

What is an acid reflux wedge pillow for side sleepers?

An acid reflux wedge pillow for side sleepers is made just for those who love to sleep on their side. A traditional reflux pillow is a triangular shape with a straight top. These triangular pillows work well to alleviate reflux symptoms for back sleepers but can be uncomfortable for side sleepers.

Instead of a straight top, an acid reflux wedge pillow for side sleepers is topped with strategically placed contours. These contours are made to specifically support the natural curves of your body. They support your back, hips, and shoulder so that when you sleep, your muscles and joints are fully at rest.

In addition to an acid reflux pillow for side sleepers, you may consider a leg separator pillow. When you sleep with the combination of a reflux pillow and a leg separator pillow, you give your upper and lower body the most support. The leg separator pillow allows your low back, hips, and knees to completely relax.

What characteristics should an acid reflux pillow for side sleepers have?

The first characteristic to look for in a wedge pillow for side sleepers is the height. Physicians generally recommend that a wedge pillow for acid reflux should be anywhere from 6-8 inches tall. This height puts your stomach and esophagus in a position where stomach acid is less likely to flow upwards to the esophagus.

Secondly, an acid reflux or GERD pillow for side sleepers should be made with a memory foam top. Memory foam will respond and conform to your individual body. It gives you more support where you need it to, and less support where you don’t need it.

Make sure your side sleeping wedge has a CertiPUR-US® certification. Foams that pass this rigorous certification are safe for you to sleep on. They are made using some of the safest and conscientious materials.

Side sleepers no longer have to sacrifice comfort in order to sleep elevated! An acid reflux wedge pillow for side sleepers offers full body comfort while relieving symptoms of acid reflux and GERD.

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

Sleeping after knee replacement surgery is an important aspect of your healing. Keep reading to learn how you can sleep comfortably and make the most out of your rehab.

Sleeping positions after knee replacement

The best sleeping position after a total knee replacement is on your back. However, you will want to avoid sleeping flat on your back for several reasons. First, sleeping flat on your back can cause muscle tension, soreness, or pain in your lower spine. Second, immediately after surgery, your knee will not be able to straighten all the way. This means you will not be able to lie completely flat and support your knee. Third, sleeping flat can allow fluid to build up in your leg overnight.

The other possible sleeping positions after knee replacement are on your stomach and on your side. Try to avoid sleeping on your stomach. Sleeping on your stomach puts a lot of stress and strain on your neck and upper back. In regards to side sleeping, its probably not going to be an option early on. Typically, sleeping on your side is pretty painful for the first couple of months after surgery.

Pillow placement after TKR

When sleeping after knee replacement surgery, try elevating your legs on a contoured leg elevation pillow. The contours will cradle your legs and calves for maximal comfort. They also support your legs in a way that avoids tender spots and pressure points.

Sleeping slightly elevated also uses gravity to reduce swelling in your leg. When swelling gets out of your leg faster, you recover faster. This position is also ideal for your back muscles and spine. Sleeping on your back with your legs supported ensures that your lumbar muscles and spine stay relaxed overnight instead of stiffening up.

Immediately after surgery, you may not be able to lie on a contoured leg wedge with your knee completely straight. That's okay! You can place a small pillow or towel under the bend of your knee. Over the next several weeks and months as your knee heals, remove the pillows or towels gradually until you can sleep comfortably with your legs elevated on the contoured leg wedge.

After a knee replacement, you do want to avoid lying for prolonged periods with your knee bent. However, if you are carefully following your physical therapist’s exercise program, you are getting plenty of movement throughout the day. If this is the case, sleeping with a small pillow under the back of your knee at night is generally okay if it is needed for you to sleep. Always check with your physical therapist to see if using an additional pillow on top of the wedge is okay for you, or if they want you to try to use only the contoured wedge.

Other sleeping positions after knee replacement surgery

As your knee continues to heal, you may want to venture back into side sleeping. To do this comfortably, you must have a leg separator pillow. Otherwise, the pain of your knees on top of each other is oftentimes unbearable.

Make sure that the leg separator pillow is supportive enough to keep your top leg parallel to the bed. This takes any tension off your low back and hips. You also want to make sure that it is long enough to run from your pubic bone to past your feet. This length makes sure your leg is getting the support it needs.

Sleeping after knee replacement surgery can be difficult at first, but as your body heals and your leg is supported correctly, you will be sleeping soundly before you know it!

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

A hiatal hernia pillow can be a very important tool in managing symptoms of this condition. While having a hiatal hernia is common, symptoms can be very uncomfortable, especially when lying down flat. Let's take a look at what a hiatal hernia is, the symptoms that come with it, and how a wedge pillow can help!

What is a hiatal hernia?

A hiatal hernia occurs when the top of the stomach works its way up past the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a muscle that helps with breathing. Besides helping you breathe, it also separates the chest and abdominal cavities.

If the diaphragm becomes weak, the stomach can bulge up past the diaphragm. When a portion of the stomach is moved higher than the diaphragm, stomach acid can flow up into the esophagus and cause heart burn, chest pain, regurgitation, etc. In order to confirm whether or not you have a hiatal hernia, your physician will need to run some tests. 

Managing symptoms of a hiatal hernia

Besides using a wedge pillow for hiatal hernia, there are several simple things you can do to ease your symptoms. First is decreasing pressure on your abdomen. Decreasing pressure on the abdominal region decreases the ability of stomach acid to venture back up into the esophagus. In order to do this, try eating smaller meals and spread them throughout the day. Secondly, try to lose weight if you have a high percentage of body fat centered around your abdomen. Thirdly, avoid wearing tight fitting clothing. Finally, try to avoid eating acidic foods.

Sleeping with a hiatal hernia

If you have a hiatal hernia and sleep on your back, a wedge pillow for hiatal hernia can help you sleep more comfortably. Sleeping elevated on a hiatal hernia pillow allows gravity to help keep stomach acid in the stomach and out of the esophagus. This is important because if stomach acid gets into the esophagus, symptoms of burning and chest pain can develop.

When looking for a hiatal hernia pillow, look for one that is 6-8 inches tall. A triangle, hiatal hernia pillow is an excellent option for back sleepers. For side sleepers, a contoured wedge pillow is preferable as it conforms to the body’s natural curves and gives you maximum side-sleeping support.

Don't try to position yourself correctly by stacking multiple pillows under your torso. Stacking regular pillows often results in frustration because your pillow tower will not support your body correctly or maintain its position overnight. A wedge pillow for hiatal hernia is a much more practical and ergonomic solution.

A hiatal hernia pillow is a great tool to help you manage hiatal hernia symptoms while you sleep. Whether you sleep on your back or on your side, sleeping slightly elevated is sure to help you sleep soundly. 

-Bryan Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

A wedge pillow after shoulder surgery helps you sleep. Let’s face it, recovering from any type of shoulder surgery is no small feat, and sleep in an essential component of your recovery. Without sleep, your healing could be delayed.

Why sleep is essential after surgery

Sleep is a necessary part of healing. When we sleep, our brain enters repair mode. We may be resting, but our brain is releasing hormones that promote healing and tissue repair. It tells our body to fix blood vessels and rebuild any damaged muscles. Our brain also directs our body to replenish white blood cells so we are able to fight off infection and other organisms that may be hindering our healing. Without sleep, these processes get disrupted.

How to use a wedge pillow after shoulder surgery

Immediately after any shoulder surgery, sleeping is painful for a while. Whether you are sleeping in or out of a sling, you must protect your shoulder. The best way to do this is to sleep on your back, inclined with a wedge pillow for shoulder surgery. Sleeping flat will not be comfortable for several months because it increases pressure on your shoulder. This is why you may find that a foam wedge pillow will be your best friend.

An ideal wedge pillow after shoulder surgery is one that is 12 inches tall. This amount of incline offers you enough support to alleviate the pressure you would feel in your shoulder if you were lying flat. In addition to an incline pillow, you will want to place a supportive pillow on top of the wedge, under your surgical arm. Placing a supportive pillow under your arm allows your shoulder muscles to fully relax.

Because a 12-inch bed wedge is fairly steep, it is also recommended that you sleep with a knee wedge pillow. Propping your legs on a knee wedge pillow helps prevent you from sliding down your incline wedge during the night. It also relaxes the muscles around your spine, allowing your back to fully rest overnight.

Transitioning to side sleeping

After 6-8 weeks of sleeping reclined on a wedge pillow, you may be ready to transition to sleeping on your side. At this point in recovery, most people are not ready to sleep on their surgical arm. However, a bed wedge can be used to start trying to sleep on your non-surgical arm.

Depending on your level of pain and mobility, you have two options for side sleeping. If you are still experiencing a significant amount of pain, you will want to transition to a contoured side sleeping wedge. This wedge still has a slight incline which helps alleviate any pressure you experience when lying flat. It also has unique contours that specifically alleviate shoulder pressure and pain.

When sleeping with a contoured, wedge pillow after shoulder surgery, try sleeping on your non-surgical arm first. You can also use a long and firm body pillow for additional shoulder support by resting your surgical arm on top of it. A supportive body pillow not only supports your surgical arm, but also supports your back and hips when put between your legs. 

As you continue to heal and your pain decreases, you can try sleeping on your surgical arm. A contoured, memory foam-topped wedge, will cradle and support your shoulder as you begin to sleep on it again. The combination of a contoured incline wedge and a supportive neck pillow takes pressure off of your surgical arm while you sleep.

Side sleeping after recovering from shoulder surgery 

As your healing journey progresses and you are ready to side sleep without an inclined pillow wedge, be sure you continue to care for your shoulder. Sleeping on your side without adequate support can cause wear and tear on your shoulder. Since we typically sleep 7-8 hours each night, its important to position ourselves in a way that does not cause harm.

There are three essential components to side sleeping. First is a supportive neck pillow. I recommend a contoured neck pillow because it supports the natural curve of your neck. Second is a side sleeper wedge pillow. This small wedge will support the curve of your lower spine. The combination of these two pillows supports the weight of your body so you are not “crushing” the shoulder you lie on.

Finally, use a leg separator pillow. Depending on what you find comfortable, you can rest your arm on top of the pillow or give it a “hug.” It can also be used to support your hip and back by placing it between your legs. Or, you can use it to do both at the same time!

A wedge pillow for shoulder surgery is something that will help you in your recovery. When you sleep better, you feel better and heal better!

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy