Foam Pillow

Foam pillows have made their presence all over sleep stores. Are foam pillows a sleep fad or a sleep solution? What are the up and down sides of a foam pillow? In developing the Totillow we considered all materials and early on eliminated the concept of making a foam pillow.

Foam Pillow Issues:

• The sleeper cannot adjust the quantity of material.
• Foam is a heavy material and inconvenient for travel.
• Foam gets hot. This is the number one compliant regarding foam mattresses. Foam traps heat and the most commonly used foam is Visco elastic foam. Visco elastic foam is much denser than conventional foam and thus accumulates more heat.
• Foam reduces movement causing temperature build-up. Looking at bedding as an example, Tempur-Pedic Swedish foam mattresses reduce tossing and turning by up to 90%. Reduced movement in a pillow that naturally builds up temperature makes the use of form a cause for concern.
• Foam "molds" increase all contact surface area. This may seem good but given the absorption of body heat this turns out to be a very poor material for a pillow.
• You cannot tilt the angel of a foam pillow to conform to the fit of the curve of the neck.
• There's no ability to bunch-up a foam pillow for various sleep positions (especially when sleeping on the stomach).
• There are a variety of foam pillow material concerns such as:
  • Foam retains manufacturing odors
  • Flame retardants
  • Chemical treatments
• Foam breaks down over time. A foam pillow will not hold up to use. This has been shown in foam mattresses. Even high density visco foam wears down more quickly for larger individuals then with lighter ones.