My Pillow is a widely-advertised brand of bed pillow. The company was founded in 2004 by Michael J. Lindell. The pillows are manufactured in Chanhassen, Minnesota and became famous through the use of TV infomercials. It’s an interesting product and one which has clearly been successful in the retail market.
What is My Pillow Filled With?
My Pillow is filled with polyurethane foam. What makes it somewhat unique is that the foam is shredded into different sized pieces and shapes. Interestingly, this concept is not unlike a traditional buckwheat pillow that has been around for thousands of years. The small pieces allow the pillow to be re-shaped to conform to the body, similar to cup-shaped buckwheat hulls. Irregularly-shaped fill provides a distinct advantage over most pillow fills. Individual pieces of irregular fill grip each other which helps the pillow maintain its shape once it’s been formed to your head and neck. The ability to shape the pillow can result in more comfort and better support than many standard pillows.
My Pillow Reviews
From Amazon to YouTube, the internet is full of My Pillow Reviews which range from glowing testimonials to scathing rants.
At the time of writing, the standard My Pillow model has an average rating of 3 stars on Amazon.com. Some customers report better support, better sleep and more comfort using My Pillow. Primary complaints include reports of My Pillow falling apart, a chemical odor, bad customer service, and difficulty receiving refunds. As with buckwheat pillows, many customers report a “learning curve”: a period of time required to adjust to sleeping on a new pillow. This adjustment period is commonly reported by people who change to a new mattress or new pillow.
Benefits of My Pillow
According to their website, My Pillow has helped people with migraines, insomnia, snoring, fibromyalgia, restless leg syndrome, neck pain, TMJ, allergies and asthma. Regardless of brand, no pillow is a medical device or a guaranteed cure for these ailments. However, using the right pillow has the potential to provide more restful sleep and relief for conditions such as these. We have received many first-hand accounts from our customers who report that Hullo has been beneficial to their comfort and health.
How Much Does My Pillow Cost?
My Pillow offers a variety of sizes, with the Standard/Queen size bed pillow starting at $89.95 suggested retail price. The King size model starts at $99.95. Significant discounts can be found by shopping at Amazon or by finding My Pillow Coupon codes online.
The My Pillow Story
“Have you heard of My Pillow”, my friend asked me a year or two ago. He had seen the My Pillow infomercial. I had not heard of it, but quickly blew it off as a cheesy gimmick hawked on late-night TV. A few weeks later, my dad sent me a clipping from the New York Times — a My Pillow ad. Shortly thereafter, the Minneapolis St.Paul newspaper, the Star Tribune, featured more than one story about this company and its founder, Michael Lindell. Being a founder of a new pillow company, also in Minnesota, I found his story fascinating. Since then I’ve read about his former crack cocaine addiction and years of struggle getting My Pillow off the ground.
Suddenly, My Pillow no longer struck me as a corny gimmick; It was a genuinely interesting business story. It also was intriguing tale of an interesting guy and his journey to pillow-fueled success. Lindell’s dedication and his company were an inspiration.
Lindell had a personal interest in a quality pillow due to painful neck injuries; not only from the car crash he survived but also accidents both motorcycling and sky diving! While I’ve never struggled with crack addiction or jumped out of an airplane, I did see parallels between Lindell and myself. Here was a man, a Minnesotan, attempting to market a product he believed in. Like me, he started experimenting with different pillow fills and sewing the pillows on his own. He knew he was on to something when his family fought over “My Pillow.” He now had a product and a brand name.
Turned away by retailers, he tried selling his product in mall kiosks, fairs and trade shows. Determined to make My Pillow a success, he sold four bars he owned in Minnesota for $500,000. He quickly spent this half a millon trying to market his product and went broke. His wife left him and he lost his home — he battled crack and alcohol addiction. Things were rough.
What really launched My Pillow on a successful trajectory was the original infomercial my friend had seen. Production of the informercial cost half a million dollars. Interestingly, most of this was funded by My Pillow employees who were willing to risk their hard-earned money for the cut of the potential profits. Clearly, Lindell and his employees believed in their product. The gamble paid off — they hit the jackpot with marketing via infomercials. With their newfound strategy, My Pillow is currently selling over $10 million in in pillows per month!
*Edit 3/10/16* We’ve received several angry emails from disgruntled My Pillow customers. Put your pitchforks away! We are not and have never been affiliated with My Pillow.
Interesting My Pillow Links
- Avoiding a Pillow Fight With New Zealand Customs – The New York Times
- MyPillow’s Effort to Relieve Olympic Shortage Falls to Red Tape – Star Tribune
- Orange County Choppers Unveils Custom MyPillow Chopper – YouTube
- MyPillow CEO Sounds Like He Needs a Nap on YouTube post – Star Tribune
- A Star-laden Cast of Rock Legends Feted MyPillow CEO’s Nuptials – Star Tribune
- My Pillow CEO’s June Bride Has Left Him Because He’s a Snooze – Star Tribune
Sources:
- My Pillow Soars After Infomercial – Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal
- My Pillow Moving 200 Jobs to Shakopee, Opening Retail Stores – Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal
- Wikipedia – My Pillow – Wikipedia
Some of the chemicals used in memory foam aren’t entirely benign.
Does Your Memory Foam Pillow or Mattress Have an Unpleasant Chemical Smell?
One of the biggest complaints by owners of memory foam pillows and mattresses is the unpleasant, and potentially unhealthy chemical smell. Memory foam is manufactured using polyurethane and several other chemicals, so it isn’t surprising that it emits a chemical odor. This “off gassing” of volatile organic compounds is a common and well-documented property of memory foam pillows and mattresses. The fumes are often compared to those experienced in a freshly painted room. If you are experiencing this odor, the good news is you may not have to endure the smell for long. The bad news is that some of the chemicals used in memory foam aren’t entirely benign.
Will the Odor Go Away?
Many memory foam mattress owners report that the off gassing period ends after a number of days. Of course there are many factors which influence this including the product, the type of foam, the sensitivity of the person, the room ventilation and more. Even if the initial odor goes away, it is natural to wonder if there are health issues related to off gassing.
Health Issues Related to Memory Foam Smell
Most people do not report any health issues resulting from their memory foam pillow or mattress. However, there are various reports of headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions resulting from the odor produced by memory foam. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you’ll want to avoid sleeping on the foam during the initial off gassing period. You can leave the pillow or mattress in a well-ventilated area for a week or two and see if that helps eliminate or reduce the odor and symptoms. If after several weeks, the issue persists, it is probably time to consider an alternative to memory foam.
Is Long-term Use of Memory Foam Healthy?
Many many people use memory foam products without reporting any side effects or related health issues. That said, there are various reports and studies which indicate that memory foam may be somewhat toxic. Reports include carcinogenic chemicals and formaldehyde gas. To manufacture memory foam, chemicals are added to polyurethane to make it more dense and viscous at the same time. Additional chemicals are required to make the polyurethane flame retardant. One of these, Pentabde (of the polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) family), was used until 2004. Pentabde is now known to be toxic to the liver, thyroid, and nervous system.(1) A study in 2000 specifically found mattress emissions to be toxic to the lungs of labratory mice.(2)
The long-term effects of memory foam and its toxicity are not fully understood, but there clearly is some reason for concern. Aproximately one-third of your life is spent in close contact to your sleeping surface, so it is important to consider you and your family’s health when selecting a pillow or mattress.
Natural Alternatives to Memory Foam Pillows
Are you interested in the support and comfort provided by memory foam, but want to avoid that chemical smell? There are several natural pillow options for those looking for a new pillow. Of course, our favorite is our buckwheat hull pillow. Besides being natural and chemical-free, buckwheat pillows are a great alternative to memory foam for a couple of other reasons.
Memory foam is not breathable and this can result in a hot and sweaty pillow. The shape and particulate nature of buckwhat hulls leaves a lot of air space in your pillow between all of the hulls. This airspace allows warm moist air to escape, leaving your pillow cool and dry.
While a memory foam pillow conforms to the shape of your head, the overall shape and thickness of the pillow is fixed, making the pillow less adaptable to your sleeping position. The fill in a stuffed pillow can be shifted and adjusted for a wider variety of shapes and sizes.
If you’ve decided against a memory foam pillow and a buckwheat pillow isn’t right for you, other natural alternatives to memory foam include pillows filled with down, cotton, wool, latex, kapok or millet hulls.
- http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/33754
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10735518
“Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine.” –Saint Thomas Aquinas
Sleeping with your arm under your head or body can result in numbness and tingling.
It’s common for people to wake up with numbness and tingling in their arm or hands. This is often due to sleeping with an arm beneath your body or head. When there is enough weight on your arm, it can compress nerves which results in numbness or tingling. This is often referred to as having one’s arm “fall asleep”.
Arm numbness is most common in side sleepers, as this position results in you lying on one arm. The median nerve, which runs the length of your arm, is compressed. Excessive compression can result in numbness.
If you’re sleeping on your side, and waking up with a numb arm, there are things you can do to help avoid the problem.
How can I avoid waking up with my arm numb?
The wrong pillow can exacerbate nerve problems in your arm.
Be aware of your sleeping position. Are your head and neck being supported properly? Many people do not know that their pillow can have a significant impact on nerve compression in your arms. If your pillow is not supporting your head properly, nerve compression problems can become worse. Try using a pillow that is firm and thick enough to support your head and neck.
The firmness of your mattress also is a factor in your sleeping position and comfort. Since your body does not sink far into a firm mattress, your head is naturally higher off the surface of the bed, usually necessitating a firmer, thicker pillow.
Eliminating your arm numbness and tingling might be as simple as changing to a different pillow type, like a buckwheat pillow.
If a new pillow doesn’t resolve the issue you can try sleeping on your back. It’s not easy — I’ve tried it myself!
What should I do when I wake up with my arm numb?
Generally if you roll over to relieve the pressure, the numbness and tingling will quickly subside. Moving your hands and arm can help restore feeling in your arm after waking up. Experimenting with different pillows, mattresses and different sleeping positions can help you find relief. If you experience extreme numbness or pain, or numbness not related to sleeping on your arm, you should speak with your doctor to make sure it is not something more serious.
Contour pillows made of synthetic foam are not adjustable. They cannot accommodate every body shape and sleeping position. This is just one of several reasons why you should consider sleeping on a buckwheat pillow – the best contour pillow.
A buckwheat pillow reshapes and resizes to fit both your body and your sleeping positions.
About Contour Pillows
“Contour pillows” or support pillows are orthopedic pillows designed to keep your neck and spine in alignment while providing comfortable and healthy rest. These pillows are typically made of synthetic foam, and more recently memory foam has become popular. Memory foam pillows are made of a heat-sensitive foam which accquires the shape of the body sleeping on it.
Contour pillows can be effective at promoting comfort and restful sleep. Some claim to provide relief of various medical conditions including neck pain, sleep apena, snoring, lower back pain, and insomnia. While contour pillows can be comfortable, synthetic foam pillows do come with some disadvantages.
A typical memory foam contour pillow. Is your body really always shaped like this?
Foam Contour Pillows Are Not Adjustable
One of the biggest problems with foam and memory foam pillows is that they come in a predefined geometric shape. Foam will collapse and conform to you head somewhat, but it cannot be shaped, plumped or molded to support a wide variety of sleeping positions. Many people change positions throughout the night and a preformed foam pillow is not shaped optimally for many of these positions. You typically can not adjust the pillow thickness of a foam pillow. Depending on your body shape, the firmness of your mattress and your sleeping positions, a foam pillow may be too thick or too thin for maximum comfort and health.
High-quality buckwheat pillows generally have a zipper. A zipper enables adjustment of the amount of filling in the pillow. You can change the thickness of your pillow to be customized for maximum comfort by adding or removing buckwheat hulls. A buckwheat pillow can then be shaped to a range of shapes and sizes as you sleep to provide superior support and comfort.
Buckwheat Pillows Are Breathable
The irregular and hollow shape of buckwheat hulls creates airspace within your pillow. This airspace enables free air circulation and breathability. This results in a cool, dry pillow, for that “cool side of the pillow” effect all night long.
Buckwheat Pillows Are Made from Natural Renewable Materials
Many popular pillow types contain polyurethane or polyester foam that can emit toxins and carcinogens that aren’t good for you or our environment. There’s no sense in risking your health or filling our landfills with potentially toxic waste!
Buckwheat pillows are safe for your family and the environment. Buckwheat crops benefit little from chemical fertilizers, thus it is free of many of the contaminants that are present in other crop types. The hulls are compostable, which helps to reduce unnecessary waste in our landfills and keeps our soil healthy and nutrient rich for future generations. Additionally, buckwheat pillows contain no animal products for those interested in a vegan lifestyle.
Buckwheat Pillows Have the Highest Satisfaction Rating
The all-natural, adjustable and cool comfort of a buckwheat pillow is the best alternative to traditional contour pillows. Many people do not give their choice of pillow a second thought and as a result, they are likely missing out on better rest.
You can read our buckwheat pillow reviews for an idea of how much people love their buckwheat pillows.
Read More: “That Weird-Looking Neck Support Pillow”
We were happy to get a little publicity this week. Paul Lundgren of perfectduluthday.com and Barbara Reyelts of Northland’s News Center present the Hullo buckwheat pillow on the program “Northland Voices”.
Thanks Paul and Barbara!
Waking up with a sore or stiff neck? This is very common and is usually related to sleeping with your neck in the wrong position. If your neck is bent at an unnatural angle and you sleep that way for several hours, it is quite likely you will feel it in the morning.
The best pillows for neck pain can help eliminate discomfort, as well as increase the quality of your sleep by supporting your head and neck consistently at the appropriate height throughout the night.
My head and neck need support? Pillows exist for a reason.
A pillow fit for a king. Tutanhkamun’s (“King Tut”) headrest illustrates the firm origins of the modern pillow – Softer doesn’t always mean better.
For thousands of years, people have used pillows for head support while sleeping. Some of the earliest pillows were made out of completely solid materials like porcelain, wood or stone. Softer materials certainly existed, so why where these pillows so hard? While the thought of a solid pillow may sound uncomfortable, you may be surprised to discover that a rock-hard pillow is more comfortable than no pillow at all.
Have you ever tried to sleep without a pillow? Most people find this incredibly uncomfortable. In fact, sleeping without a pillow on a nice bed can be more uncomfortable than sleeping on a hard floor with the proper pillow. The difference is proper support of your neck and head.
Support your head for a straight spine.
If your pillow doesn’t keep your head at the correct level, you may experience back and neck pain.
There are three primary positions in which people sleep: on one’s side, back, or stomach. Most people sleep on their side or back, while a few sleep on their stomach. Sleep experts agree that sleeping on one’s stomach is not good for your back and is a common cause of back pain and neck pain.
Regardless of which position you sleep in, the key to eliminating neck pain is to ensure that your head is supported in a neutral position. When sleeping on your back or side, you’ll want to support your head above the surface of the bed. If you do not have a pillow or if your pillow is too thin or soft, your neck will bend downward and strain your neck and back muscles along your spine. If your pillow is too thick, it will bend your head unnaturally upward, also causing strain. A pillow designed to help relieve neck pain will properly elevate your head enabling you to achieve the most comfortable and restful sleep.
It is important to note that many soft pillows will collapse over time, and will not support your head consistently throughout the night. In fact, many people find themselves using two pillows or folding their pillow in half in an attempt to support their head at the proper level.
A typical orthopedic pillow has a bulge to support the space beneath your neck.
The best pillows for neck pain support the space beneath your neck.
In addition to supporting your head at the proper level using a firm pillow of the correct thickness, support of your neck is also very important. The natural curve of your neck creates space beneath your neck, which most pillows do not properly support. Many doctors recommend rolling up a towel to fit in this space beneath your neck, while allowing a pillow to support your head. Shaped orthopedic pillows, or contour pillows for neck pain are often made of memory foam or latex. These shaped pillows feature a bulge along one edge designed to support by filling in the space beneath your neck.
Buckwheat pillows offer superior support.
A buckwheat pillow’s adjustable loft provides support that works for everyone.
It’s quite likely that any non-adjustable pillow you buy will be either too thick or thin for you. Fortunately most buckwheat pillows allow you to adjust the thickness, or loft, by adding or removing fill through a zippered opening (don’t get a buckwheat pillow without it). It doesn’t matter what size you are or what sleeping position you prefer, a buckwheat pillow can support your head at the correct elevation. You’ll be able to fine-tune the loft so that your head and neck are positioned just right.
A buckwheat pillow will conform perfectly to the shape of your head and neck, evenly supporting your body’s weight.
Most pillows cannot not support your head as completely as a buckwheat pillow does. A buckwheat pillow’s unique hull filling will accommodate the shape of your head and neck precisely. Its malleable character allows it to evenly distribute your head’s weight eliminating pain-causing pressure points. The individual buckwheat hulls’ irregular shape causes friction between them that enables the pillow to hold its shape. They’re sort of like a bean bag that doesn’t collapse on itself.
A buckwheat pillow won’t collapse in the middle of the night.
Unfortunately most traditional soft pillows like down will slowly flatten out under the weight of your head while you sleep. This will result in an uncomfortable downward bend in your neck. Folding your pillow in half is popular solution, but this often creates the opposite problem: an upward bend in your neck.
A buckwheat pillow will stay cool.
Repeatedly flipping to the cool side of the pillow in the middle of the night isn’t the way to sleep! Down, foam and other pillow types retain body heat and can quickly become hot and uncomfortable.
Buckwheat pillows’ cooling ability is due to the breathable nature of buckwheat hull fill:
- Moisture collects on your skin and inside your pillow while you sleep. The unique shape of the individual buckwheat hulls inside the pillow allows air to flow more freely through the pillow, aiding the evaporation of that moisture. The evaporation produces a cooling effect similar to a fan’s.
- Buckwheat hull fill allows warm humid air absorbed from your body to quickly escape the pillow, preventing uncomfortable heat build-up.
An unzipped Hullo pillow reveals its buckwheat hull filling.
We’re convinced that the best pillows for neck pain relief are buckwheat pillows.
We’ve tried all the popular pillow types that purport to relieve neck pain: water pillows, contour pillows, memory foam pillows… None provide the firm, cool comfortable support that a buckwheat pillow can provide.
Consider trying Hullo™ buckwheat pillow.
If you’d like to give a buckwheat pillow a shot, please consider our product, Hullo™. Try it for 60 days and if it’s not for you, just send it back to us for a refund. We think it’s the best buckwheat pillow available, but don’t take our word for it. Check out some our customers’ reviews.
“This is the first pillow I’ve found that gives nice firm support to my neck. I used to have a sore neck throughout the day from poor position/support the night before, but ever since I started using this pillow, my routine pain has pretty much completely gone away. I’m kind of shocked myself at how big a difference it’s made, and surprised to find myself writing one of those seemingly overenthusiastic reviews, but Hullo deserves it. So worth it—the ability to precisely shape the pillow so that it supports my neck just right is something I’ll never want to give up!” –Matt, verified Hullo customer
“There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.”
–Homer, The Odyssey
When comparing buckwheat pillows there are a number of things to consider. Not all pillows are created equal and there are a few details which can make a big difference in the product that you choose. Make an informed choice when choosing your buckwheat pillow by keeping these things in mind:
This high quality Dunlap auto-locking zipper slides back into a pocket that prevents the pillow from losing any of its precious filling.
Zipper & Adjustability
Does the pillow have a zipper? A zipper is an important feature on a buckwheat pillow for a few reasons. First, it allows you to add or remove fill to adjust the pillow’s thickness to suit your personal preference. Second, a zipper allows you to remove the fill so you can wash the pillow case, keeping your pillow fresh and clean. Third, if you ever want to refresh pillow with new, springy hulls or if you’d like add aromatherapy scents to your pillow, a zipper gives you all the flexibility you need.
Certified Organic Cotton Twill
Made with Quality Materials
What kind of material is the pillow made of? How is it designed and constructed? What kind of buckwheat hulls is it filled with? The shell of Hullo is 100% certified organic cotton. Our top-quality hulls are grown and milled in the U.S.A. by American farmers. Our heavy duty zipper is made by Dunlap.
Includes Free Shipping
Buckwheat pillows are relatively heavy and bulky objects. The cost of shipping is an important factor to keep in mind when shopping for a buckwheat pillow. We ship every order for free to addresses in the contiguous United States.
Designed and Manufactured in U.S.A.
Was the case cut & sewn in the United States? Where was the buckwheat grown and milled? Make sure you are supporting American workers when you choose your pillow.
Customer Service
Is the pillow in stock and ready to ship? What is the shipping method and how long will it take to get your pillow? If you aren’t satisfied, can you return the pillow? It’s always a good idea to purchase a product that is guaranteed. Every Hullo is covered by a money-back guarantee, and we’re always available to address your questions or concerns about Hullo.
Thanks for considering Hullo, and whatever pillow you use we hope you sleep well tonight.
“Sleep is the best meditation.” –Dalai Lama