If you're constantly waking up with a hurting back, it's time to reconsider your sleep habits. Placing a pillow between their legs while sleeping on their side is one sleeping posture that many people claim helps them relieve pain.

A knee pillow is a small, soft pillow that you place between your knees while you sleep. It’s designed to help keep your body in a comfortable position, especially if you sleep on your side.

Placing a pillow between your legs keeps your pelvis stable and prevents your spine from moving at night. Maintaining proper posture can relieve stress on the tissues in your back and potentially reduce pain caused by a herniated disc or sciatica.

Sleeping with pillow between legs may appear unusual at first, but it is a technique that many people swear by. A simple knee pillow can improve your life in a variety of ways, including spinal alignment and circulation.

In this blog, we’ll dive into how you can sleep with a knee pillow and what are the benefits of placing a pillow between your legs.

Benefits of Using a Knee Pillow

Using a knee pillow can make a big difference in how you feel when you wake up. Here’s why:

Reduces Back Pain

Yes, sleeping with a pillow between your legs can help relieve lower back pain. Keeping a pillow between your legs straightens your spine and pelvis, making you less prone to experience pain. A pillow between your legs will also relieve stress on your pressure points, increasing your comfort and reducing discomfort.

So, it is true that placing a pillow between legs every night improves your sleep quality and reduces pain. However, you can improve your sleep even more by using a specialist lower back pillow, which is designed to deliver a more pleasant sleep than standard pillows.

Eases Hip Pain

A knee pillow can help someone with hip problems by keeping their hips in alignment. This decreases tension on the hip joints and may relieve pain.

Knee pillows, which are smaller than conventional pillows and intended specifically to sit between the legs or knees, can keep the hips or pelvis from twisting throughout the night. Maintaining symmetrical spinal posture when sleeping can assist relieve back pressure and may alleviate symptoms of certain types of acute and chronic pain.

Improves Circulation

Placing a pillow between your knees can help increase blood flow. This is very useful for people who have leg pain or numbness. Placing a pillow between your legs encourages blood flow through the vena cava, the principal vein that delivers blood to the heart and back.

Helps with Sleep Quality

A knee pillow can help you sleep better as it keeps your body in a more comfortable and aligned position. You are less likely to wake up from discomfort or pain.

Knee pillows can help you sleep more comfortably by alleviating strain on your knees and other joints. They can also assist you keep a decent posture throughout the night. Side sleepers, pregnant women, and persons suffering from back or hip pain are more likely to benefit from their use.

Benefits to Sleeping With a Pillow Under Your Knees

Placing a knee pillow between your legs is important if you sleep on your side but when you sleep on your back, it becomes a little tricky to use it. You can use a half moon pillow if you sleep on your back to get the same benefits. Using a pillow under your knees can help alleviate pain, enhance comfort, and improve overall sleep quality.

For people who suffer from lower back pain, sleeping with a pillow under your knees can provide significant relief. This position helps to maintain the natural curve of the spine by reducing pressure on the lower back. For back sleepers, this posture helps to flatten the lower back and prevents excessive arching, which could otherwise strain the spine.

Benefits of sleeping with pillow between legs while pregnant

Many pregnant women find a knee pillow between legs during pregnancy very comfortable and it helps them get better sleep at night. They offer additional support and alleviate pressure on the hips and lower back.

This position maximizes blood supply to the uterus while minimizing pressure on the liver. Women who experience hip or back pain during pregnancy may find relief by placing a pillow or two between their knees or bending their knees while sleeping. Many pregnant women also use a full body pregnancy pillow to provide optimum support to the tummy and back.

How to Use a Knee Pillow

Using a knee pillow is simple:

  1. Choose the Right Pillow: When looking out for a knee pillow, pick one that feels comfortable for you. There are many options available in the market with different shapes and sizes. Most are shaped like a wedge or a contoured pad.
  2. Position the Pillow: The position you place the pillow is very important, follow these guidelines to place it properly. Lie down on your side, which is usually the best position for this pillow. Place the knee pillow between your knees. It should rest comfortably against your legs without too much pressure.
  3. Adjust for Comfort: If you are feeling extra strain on your legs or bed when using the knee pillow, that means the pillow placement is wrong. Make sure the pillow keeps your knees aligned. You shouldn’t feel any extra strain on your legs or back. Adjust the pillow if needed until you feel comfortable.
  4. Sleep Well: Once the pillow is in place, relax and go to sleep. The pillow will help keep your body in a good position all night. If at night, while changing position the pillow moves from its position, it is okay, just adjust it a little and go back to sleep.

What to Consider When Choosing a Knee or Leg Pillow

Now that you know all the benefits of using a knee pillow, it is important to know what all factors to consider while choosing the perfect knee pillow for yourself.

Here is what you should consider:

Material

Memory foam is one of the most popular options for knee pillow as it contours according to the shape of your body and provides you excellent support. Also, those who get hot at night can go for a gel infused memory foam pillow as it prevents overheating during night and keeps you cool.

Firmness

You should choose a knee pillow that is not too soft or not too firm as in both cases it will not provide you the best comfort. Always choose a pillow that is soft yet supportive, the perfect balance between these two is very important. 

Shape

Knee pillow comes in different shapes and sizes. It is important to consider your sleeping position while choosing the perfect knee pillow for yourself.

  • For Back Sleepers: If you sleep on your bak, a half moon shaped or cylindrical shaped pillow is the right choice for you as the contour knee pillow will not be a suitable choice for this position. You can place the half moon pillow under your knees to relieve pressure on the lower back.
  • For Side Sleepers: If you sleep on your side, the hourglass shaped pillow could be the perfect choice as it is designed to fit around your legs, helping to align the knees and hips. Look for a pillow that fits snugly between your knees, keeping the spine aligned.

Maintenance

Look out for a knee pillow that is easy to clean and maintain. Choose a leg pillow that comes with a removable, washable cover as it makes it easy to keep it clean.

Conclusion

A knee pillow is a simple and effective tool to improve your sleep and overall comfort. It helps keep your body aligned, reduces pain, and can lead to better, more restful sleep. If you struggle with back or hip pain, or if you’re pregnant, giving a knee pillow a try could be a great choice.

If you want to try a knee pillow for yourself, Sleepsia Leg Pillow is a very great option. It is made up of 100% memory foam that can mold itself according to the shape of your legs. It relieves pressure and pain and you get relief for the knee, thigh and lower back.