Pros
Automatically contouring support, adjustable height and firmness,
no smell, won’t clump, shift, or develop hollow spots
Cons
Too heavy for some, possible noise problems
What
is a water pillow?
A water-based pillow is not simply a pillow that's filled with
water. Rather, in addition to having a water pouch which is
secured at the bottom, the pillow has a polyester fiber layer
that floats over the top. In this sense, the pillow could more
accurately be called a water / fiber hybrid pillow.
One of the most important things to know about water-based pillows
is that they have been shown in several credible studies, including
a published clinical study conducted at Johns Hopkins School
of Medicine, to reduce pain and improve quality of sleep.
Video
Review of Water Pillow
Below, the pillow is evaluated for each characteristic on a
scale of one to ten. One means the pillow does not have the
characteristic, and 10 means it fully has the characteristic.
Firm
A water pillow in most instances can be described as having
medium firmness. Even if the water pouch is fully filled, the
poly-fiber fill will keep the pillow from being overly firm
or hard.
It will tend to hold its support, resulting in a proper, neutral
position for the neck and head for the entire night. The pillow
is also firm enough so that it won’t change shape.
The ability to provide continuous support is one reason many
people claim that water pillows provide relief from neck and
back pain, headaches, snoring, muscle tension, TMJ syndrome,
and sleeplessness.
Also, since snoring is often caused by an unnatural alignment
of the neck, a water pillow with its ability to maintain proper
support can reduce or eliminate snoring.
Score: 6 out of 10
Contoured Support
Just as a waterbed automatically conforms and contours to your
body and does not push back which can result in pressure points,
a water pillow will automatically conform and contour to your
head and neck area, allowing them to fully relax.
With a water pillow, the water immediately adjusts to maintain
correct head and neck support as you move. Other types of pillows,
such as down and buckwheat, often require some amount of manual
adjustment if you change positions. In addition, the pillow's
contouring properties are helped by the fact that the pillow
is not likely to clump, shift, or develop hollow spots.
Score: 8 out of 10
Adjustable Height and
Firmness
A water pillow allows you to adjust the water level inside by
adding or removing water. This allows you to adjust the height
and firmness of the pillow to meet your own personal preferences.
The more water the pillow has, the higher and firmer it will
be and vice versa.
Water amount is adjusted by removing a small cap on the bottom
of the pillow that screws into the water bladder. My water pillow
came with a small funnel that screws into the opening and makes
filling easier. The water bladder can hold up to five quarts
of water.
You will likely have to do some experimenting with the water
level to find just the right height and firmness for yourself.
For example, I originally added too much water and kept removing
water about four times before I found the right level for me.
Interestingly, my pillow now has no more than just two quarts
in it. The point is that you don’t necessarily need a lot
of water in the bladder to get the unique benefits of a water
pillow.
Score: 8 out of 10
Good for Back Sleeping
With its contoured support, a water pillow is excellent for
back sleepers.
Score: 9 out of 10
Good for Side Sleeping
With adjustable loft or height, the pillow can be good for side
sleepers. However, your head and nose will likely sink, at least
partially, into the pillow, and this can make breathing easily
a little more difficult.
Score: 8 out of 10
Good for Stomach Sleeping
As for stomach sleeping, a water pillow is not well suited.
I like to mainly sleep on my stomach, but quickly found the
water pillow is generally too high for this. (A flatter pillow
is best for stomach sleepers.) Nevertheless, I found that it’s
still possible to find a reasonably comfortable position on
my stomach by placing my head on the edge or corner of the pillow
where there is minimal height.
Score: 3 out of 10
Quiet
The pillow is generally quiet. I sometimes hear the water moving
around inside, but it is not bothersome for me. It is important
to get the air out of the bladder (this takes some practice);
otherwise the pillow can make some truly awful noises when you
move your head on it. Think muffled whoopee cushion.
Score: 6 out of 10
Air Flow
On the top side, I found the pillow to be similar to other polyester
fiber-filled pillows. Polyester does not breathe well, and consequently
the pillow is a fairly good insulator and absorbs my body heat
resulting in a somewhat toasty and pleasant surface.
Underneath where the water bladder resides is a different story.
If I run my arm or hand under the pillow at night as I sometimes
do, the pillow and mattress temperature is a little cool from
the water. This can be an advantage on a warm night if you want
to find some coolness. However, if you are looking to find warmth
under your pillow, you will probably be disappointed.
Score: 5 out of 10
Light Weight
Even with a small amount of water in the bladder, the pillow
is heavy. My pillow weighs about eight pounds and is not even
half full.
The heavy weight can be good in some ways and bad in others.
It’s good in that the pillow will stay in place and not
move around or fall off the bed during the night. It’s
bad in that moving the pillow to, say, make the bed or put on
a pillow case is more difficult. A person with back problems
will likely need to be a little careful when handling the pillow.
Score: 1 out of 10
No Smell
My pillow has no smell and never had any off gassing, which
is a chemical smell that pillows can sometimes give off, especially
memory foam pillows.
Score: 8 out of 10
Hypoallergenic
Water pillows are hypoallergenic. However, dust mites (whose
droppings are a major source of allergies) will find the polyester
fiber part of the pillow very attractive. They will not, of
course, live in the water bladder.
Score: 8 out of 10
Durability
They are more complicated than virtually all other types of
pillows. Therefore, they may have more problems. For example,
I’m curious to know how many times the screw cap to the
water bladder can be used before it starts to break down or
leak. On the other hand, because much of the pillow is water
based, it won’t have the tendency to sag and compress as
much as other pillow types, possibly resulting in a longer life.
Score: 7 out of 10
Ease of Care
You can wash the pillow (once you’ve emptied the water
out and replaced the cap) and let it air dry. Putting it in
the dryer is not recommended. Unlike a waterbed, the water inside
the pillow does not need a water conditioner, but should be
changed at least once a year. I have not changed the water in
my pillow yet, but I will be interested to see whether or not
the water smells when I do.
Score: 7 out of 10
Price
It generally has a moderately high price.
Score: 6 out of 10
Value
The water pillow can be a good value if it lasts for a few years.
