Instead of ties, tools, golf clubs or gadgets, give the gift of great sleep. Read below to learn how our simple natural pillow is a great gift for men.

Top 10 Reasons Hullo Makes a Great Gift for Men:

1. Men Love to Sleep

   Let’s face it, sleep is one thing most men can’t get enough of. Anything that can help them fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer is a gift they will remember for years to come.

2. Hullo Is Tough & Rugged

   Hullo is built to last. Our durable cotton twill cover, reinforced seams and heavyweight hidden zipper mean that with proper care, Hullo will last many years with proper care.

3. Hullo Is Simple

   Just like the man in your life, Hullo is simple; Unbleached cotton twill cover, durable zipper, and the finest buckwheat hulls we could find. Like fine wine and cheese, some of the best things in life use only a few basic ingredients.

4. Hullo Is Adjustable

   Most men like to tinker with things to get them just right. Hullo’s hidden zipper allows them the ability to add or remove hulls and adjust the pillow to their desired thickness.

5. Hullo Stays Cool

   There’s nothing worse than having to flip your pillow over and over throughout the night to keep your head cool. Hullo’s all natural filling allows air to circulate through the pillow keeping it cool all night long.

6. Hullo Has a Sensitive Side

   While being a tough and durable product, Hullo is also sensitive to touch and conforms perfectly to your head and neck. As you move throughout the night the pillow adjusts to your every move.

7. Hullo Can Relieve Neck and Back Pain

   Whether he works in construction or sits behind a computer all day, neck and back pain can make it difficult to fall and stay asleep at night. Hullo’s buckwheat hull fill conforms to the shape of your head and neck and allows for proper alignment of the spine which can reduce neck and back pain.

8. Hullo Works Great as a Wedge

   If he reads or watches TV in bed, Hullo makes a great wedge with firm support.

9. Hullo Is All Natural

   Unlike most pillows, From the 100% organic cotton twill case, to the carefully sourced buckwheat hulls, Hullo contains no chemicals or animal products.

10. Hullo is Made in U.S.A

    We support American farmers and manufacturers. Our buckwheat pillows are Made in the U.S.A. with the finest materials available.

Looking for a different sleep gift? We’ve compiled another list of 5 great sleep gifts here.

The next time you check into a hotel, ask if they have buckwheat pillows on their pillow menu.

Hotels and resorts around the world are adding pillow menus as a way to cater to individual needs and indulge their guests. This is great news for those of us who sleep on unique pillow types like buckwheat pillows. It’s a also a great opportunity for those interested in trying a new type of pillow. Hotel pillow menus are usually free of charge and include several options.

Common Pillow Types on a Typical Hotel Pillow Menu

• Aromatic Pillow: pillows infused with herbs, potpourri, oils or other aromatic ingredients that can have soothing and calming effects on the nerves and rejuvenate the senses. Some sleep inducing ingredients you may find in an aromatic pillow are hops, chamomile, valerian, skullcap, and lavender which can help promote restful sleep.
• Body Pillow: body pillows are as long as a full adult body, providing support to the head and neck at the top and to the knees and legs lower down. This type of pillow can be especially useful in providing support for those who sleep on their sides and for pregnant women.
• Buckwheat Pillow: popular throughout asia and filled with buckwheat hulls, this natural pillow conforms to the shape of your head and neck and stays cool all night. Many buckwheat pillows are designed with a zipper that allow you to add or remove hulls and adjust the pillow to your desired thickness.
• Microbead Pillow: based on traditional buckwheat pillows, these pillows are filled with over 10 million synthetic microbeads or “air beads.” The microbeads allow for air circulation which can help keep the pillow cool. Mircobead pillows are an ergonomically designed, contoured pillow with a crescent shape.
• Down or Feather Pillow: these are the most common pillows you will find at a hotel. Filled with feathers from the back, wing, and chests of geese and ducks, down pillows are typically very plush, soft and warm.
• Maternity Pillow: usually wedges or full body pillows that support the belly and lower back, while helping to align the hips, all with the goal of alleviating the stress of pregnancy.
• Memory Foam Pillow: developed by NASA as an aircraft cushion, this polyurethane foam is pressure-sensitive and molds quickly to the shape of a body pressing against it, returning to its original shape once the pressure is removed. When new, some memory foam pillows give off a distinct chemical odor so you may want to check it out before committing to sleep on one all night.
• Music or Sound Pillow: can allow users to enjoy their favorite music or sounds in optimal relaxation and comfort. High quality stereo sound comes from two virtually undetectable speakers with a plug that fits most modern audio/electronic devices. Some sound pillows come with mp3 players pre-loaded with relaxing soundscapes that can help relax the brain and body so you can easily fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.

The next time you make a reservation online or check-in to a hotel look for a pillow menu. If you want a pillow that’s not synthetic or animal fill, don’t be afraid to ask for an all natural alternative. When available, we recommend a quality buckwheat pillow.

How much sleep do you need for good health? According to the Mayo Clinic and Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler, it depends primarily on your age. There are also external factors that can affect the amount of sleep a person needs including pregnancy, previous sleep deprivation and quality of sleep. Here are some general guidelines:

Surprisingly while sleep patterns may change and naps might be required, as adults age the total amount of sleep required for good health is the same for young adults and the elderly.

“Although some people claim to feel rested on just a few hours of sleep a night, research shows that people who sleep so little over many nights don’t perform as well on complex mental tasks as do people who get closer to seven hours of sleep a night.”

It’s important to remember that the quality of sleep you get is just as important as the amount of sleep you get. If you’re having trouble getting a good nights rest we suggest you read our Tips for Achieving Restful Sleep. You can find additional useful information in this post.

“If people were meant to pop out of bed, we’d all sleep in toasters.”
-Author unknown

When you first open the zipper of your pillow to access the pillow filling, you’ll notice the buckwheat hulls are light and airy. The thought of adjusting the hulls without making a mess can be intimidating but the process is really quite easy and when done properly the risk of spills can be minimized. Here’s how to adjust the fill of your buckwheat pillow in 3 easy steps:

What you need:
– Cup
– Storage bag (1 gallon ziplock bags work well)

Step 1: Set your pillow down with the zipper facing up, so the pillow filling does not spill.

Step 2: Open the zipper and carefully scoop hulls into a storage bag.

Step 3: After every ½ gallon close the zipper, and plump the pillow filling with your hands testing for the desired thickness. The amount of pillow filling determines the thickness of your pillow. Adjust the filling to personal preference or to accommodate your sleeping position.

Buckwheat pillows are a great pillow for neck pain. In order to maintain proper spinal alignment while sleeping and avoid neck pain, side sleepers will generally have a more full pillow and may only need to remove up to 1 gallon, if any hulls. Back sleepers vary and stomach sleepers may need to remove 2-5 gallons of buckwheat hulls from their pillow.

Looking for ways to help you sleep better? According to a recent study by the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School yoga is a multicomponent practice that is known to be effective in reducing sleep-wake periods during the night. The study showed significant statistically significant improvements in the areas of:

• Sleep efficiency
• Total sleep time
• Total wake time
• Sleep onset latency (the amount of time it takes to fall asleep)
• Wake time after sleep onset

The benefits of yoga include improved strength, flexibility, breathing and stress reduction.

The effects of yoga on sleep cycles and the subconscious mind are less well known and this study begins to shed some light on the subject.

Many people use pillows for yoga, meditation and other relaxation practices. A buckwheat pillow makes an excellent meditation cushion or a pillow for yoga because the all natural buckwheat hulls are breathable while providing firm support.

Sleep Expert Michael Breus, PhD, ABSM blogs about the subject as it relates to insomnia on the WebMD – Sleep Well blog.

“We sleep one third of our lives away.”
–Albert Einstein

Chamomile flower

According to The CDC, about one-third of adults report having difficulty sleeping at any one time.

Here are few suggestions for getting a good night’s rest:

Drink a Cup of Chamomile Tea

Have a cup of non-caffeinated tea before bed. Chamomile tea is a low cost and natural solution that has helped millions of people with a variety of sleep disorders as well as anxiety and panic attacks.

Make a Must-dos List

While you’re sipping your tea, make a must-do list for the next day. This is different from a to-do list where things can can get bumped to the next day if they don’t get done. A must-do lists only those most important tasks that must be accomplished the next day. If something is keeping you awake at night writing your tasks can help free them from your thoughts so you can get a good night’s sleep.

Sleep on Comfortable Bedding

Comfortable bedding can have a significant impact on the quality of your sleep. Check sites like overstock.com for high quality bedding at discount or clearance prices. If you wake up with a sore neck or back or you’re regularly turning your pillow to find the cool side, you might try a buckwheat pillow.

Turn on Some White Noise

Some people find that white noise can help them get a good night’s rest. A fan, the crackle of a fireplace, the sound of rain or waves crashing on the beach. White noise helps millions of people fall asleep at night. A rotating fan works for many people. You can also buy audio CDs or mp3s or White Noise apps for your mobile device.

Don’t Oversleep

Even if you have a hard time falling asleep on a given night, don’t use that as an excuse to sleep in. Get up at your regular time and proceed through your normal daily routine. This will help ensure you get a good night’s rest the next night.

Go Out and Get Some Exercise

If you’ve been having trouble sleeping try increasing your exercise during daylight hours. Exerting energy during the day will help relax your body when it’s time to rest. Even low impact exercise like yoga has been shown to significantly improve sleep wellness.

Hullo Pillows are cut & sewn in the U.S.A.

When we set out on our mission to make the best buckwheat pillow we knew that we wanted to support American farmers and businesses. We looked far and wide for the best materials and manufacturers. There are many cheap options available oversea but we knew that the highest quality materials and the best craftsmanship were available right here in the USA.

Hullo pillows are cut, sewn and assembled in the U.S.A.

• Buckwheat Hulls: Pillow-grade buckwheat hulls are grown, milled and air-cleaned in North Dakota.
• Zipper: High-quality Dunlap zippers are manufactured in Tennessee.
• Labels: Labels are woven and printed in New York and Colorado.
• Pillow Case: The organic cotton outer fabric shell containing Hullo’s buckwheat fill is cut and sewn in Minnesota.
• Website: Designed & Developed by a team of American designer/developers.

Better Products, Better Sleep: Hullo pillows are cut, sewn and filled in the USA.

We take our pillows very seriously. For us, it was easy to spend a little extra for the quality that only American farmers, companies and craftsmen can offer. Take a close look at pillows manufactured overseas, and it’s clear that low-cost, high-volume manufacturing in China, India, and other emerging economies does not compare to the design, durability and detail that comes with not just American pillows, but all American-made products.

By purchasing our Hullo buckwheat pillow and other well-crafted Amerian products, you are supporting small business in America. Thank you!

This poor woman is having trouble sleeping due to some heavy-duty stress, while her husband dreams of nachos and cheese.

Have you laid awake at night worrying about the future when you should be sleeping? It’s a known fact that stress can modify sleep-wakefulness cycles. Sleep is critical to proper brain function – no less than air, water, and food.

Any amount of sleep deprivation will diminish mental performance, cautions Mark Mahowald, a professor of neurology at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

“One complete night of sleep deprivation is as impairing in simulated driving tests as a legally intoxicating blood-alcohol level.”

Previous work by Dr. Van Cauter, a professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, found that “metabolic and endocrine changes resulting from a significant sleep debt mimic many of the hallmarks of aging. We suspect that chronic sleep loss may not only hasten the onset but could also increase the severity of age-related ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and memory loss.”[1]

Why do some people have problems with stress and sleep?

Research suggests that the difference may be explained by the ways people cope. At Tel Aviv University, Dr. Avi Sadeh conducted a study of students. He found that those “who tended to focus on their emotions and anxiety during the high-stress period were more likely to shorten their sleep, while those who tended to ignore emotions and focus on tasks extended their sleep and shut themselves off from stress.”

The researchers recorded the sleep patterns of 36 students (aged 22 to 32) during a routine week of studies, and again during a highly stressful month. Sleep quality improved or remained the same for students who directed their focus away from their emotions, but diminished for those who fretted and brooded as a way to cope with stress.

Almost titling his paper, “If you can’t cope with it, sleep on it,” Sadeh said “sometimes sleep can help you regulate your nervousness and offer you an escape from stress, particularly when there’s nothing you can do about it.”[2]

1. Spectrum, March-April 1998
2. Psychology Today, March-April 1998