Wellness 17th September 2025 by Aicha Chalouche

What’s The Hype With Body Pillows?

Comfy

via Bella Moon

Good quality sleep is absolutely crucial for both our physical and mental health. Our body does a lot of work while we sleep, and this work usually keeps us healthy and alert during the day.

Sometimes, however, the way we sleep can lead to our bodies twisting and turning in ways that end up hurting us in the long run. If you struggle to get a good night’s sleep, or often find yourself waking up feeling stiff or in pain, you might want to look into body pillows.

These comfy cushions have been popular mainly amongst pregnant women, athletes and people suffering from chronic pain conditions, however recently more and more people have been discovering the variety of ways that body pillows can help us all get the best sleep possible.

So, what exactly is a body pillow?

A body pillow is a large cushion, usually around the size of an adult body, intended to be hugged or wrapped around the body during sleep. Body pillows come in a range of shapes and sizes, and not only can they enhance your comfort while you sleep, but they also support multiple areas of your body, leading to things like better sleep posture and even pain relief.

Different types of body pillows are designed to serve individuals needs. The three most common shapes of body pillows are the I shape, the U shape and the C shape.

The I shaped pillow is intended to provide additional support to any part of the body, and its uses are more versatile than other body pillows.

U shaped pillows curve around both sides of you as you sleep, and offer total body support and extra comfort.

C shaped pillows are most commonly used by pregnant women, providing more targeted support, usually around the back and stomach.

What are the benefits of a body pillow?

Body pillows are said to improve your sleep quality in a number of ways, including pain relief, improved spinal alignment and aiding with snoring. Let’s take a look at how a body pillow could help you get some better sleep.

via Pexels

Pain relief

Body pillows can help to alleviate pain or discomfort in the body, particularly around the hip and shoulder areas, by allowing you to evenly distribute your body weight and by reducing pressure points. Because of this, body pillows are often recommended for people suffering from chronic pain or anyone recovering from an injury.

Spinal Alignment

Body pillows are almost always designed in a way that promotes proper spinal alignment while you sleep. This prevents you from bending or twisting your spine in your sleep, which can gradually lead to back issues. Body pillows are often placed between the knees to maintain alignment in the hips, pelvis and spine.

Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Snoring is caused by vibrations in the throat which often occur when your airways become partially blocked while you’re sleeping. Because body pillows promote better alignment in the head, neck and spine, they can help to keep your airways clear during sleep, which in turn will reduce snoring.

Regarding sleep apnea, body pillows should not be used as a treatment for the condition, however they can help to alleviate some symptoms, especially if you suffer from mild sleep apnea, by promoting proper sleeping positions that keep your airways clear. Body pillows can also help people with sleep apnea feel more comfortable sleeping with CPAP equipment, allowing them to get better quality sleep.

Improved Blood Circulation

Body pillows can help improve blood circulation by reducing pressure points around the body and elevating the limbs, which helps blood travel back to the heart and prevents pooling in the legs. Body pillows also release tension on blood vessels as they correct your spinal alignment and open up the hips, and this can help relieve numbness, swelling and muscle fatigue.

They Are Super Comfy!

Another massive way that boy pillows improve your quality of sleep is that they’re just really comfy in general. This sense of comfort and security that body pillows, particularly the full length ones, provide can help improve mental health by helping to reduce feelings of anxiety, stress and loneliness as you sleep. Good quality sleep is vital for our emotional regulation.

So, if you’re looking for a deeper sleep, better sleep posture, pain relief, or just a massive pillow to cosy up with in the cold, a body pillow might be worth looking into!