Are you fed up with fishing behind your bed for stray pillows?
No matter how hard you try to stop it, does it keep happening night after night?
In this article, I've put my years of sleep product testing experience to work and discovered some genius ways to stop pillows from falling behind your bed.
Say goodbye to restless nights and morning neck aches as you discover the best tips and tricks to help keep your organic pillow right where it belongs - on top of your bed and not behind it!
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Far from being a design flaw, the gap between a sustainable headboard (or a wall if you don't have a headboard) and a mattress serves a practical purpose.
The headboard gap gives you room to properly maneuver your mattress and swap out dirty sheets for clean ones.
But unfortunately, it also leaves a bit of room for your pillow to slip into the gap and leave you with an uncomfortable night's sleep.
So, what can be done about it? Actually, quite a lot!
Pushing your mattress up against the headboard can reduce the gap and give your pillow a better chance of staying in place.
This is not always possible, depending on the design of your mattress foundation and whether you have an interlocking bed frame.
If you can't move your mattress closer to your headboard/wall because of the design of your existing bed frame, then maybe it's time to buy a new bed frame.
For example, adjustable bed frames allow you to elevate the head end slightly and use gravity to help prevent future pillow loss.
However, buying new products unnecessarily is not sustainable, so I'd recommend you exhaust all other options before purchasing a new bed frame.
A wedge pillow or bolster is designed to fill the gap between your mattress and headboard, preventing your pillow from slipping into the void.
Block pillows are also a good option.
Struggling to keep your pillow in place?
While it may sound far-fetched, the answer might be as simple as swapping your bedding for an organic cotton sheet set.
If your bedding is made from slick materials (such as silk sheets and satin pillowcases), try switching to organic cotton with a high thread count for grip and texture that'll help end pillow slides.
Placing an anti-slip mat under your pillows can help keep them in place.
You can buy special anti-slip mats for pillows, or you could use a rubber mat like the ones used in bathtubs.
Either way, this is an easy and wallet-friendly solution to your pillow slipping woes!
You can use a door snake (the type you use to prevent draughts from coming under a door) like a mattress wedge to fill the gap and avoid falling pillows.
Pillow straps are designed to keep your pillow in place when you move around at night.
They're beneficial if you sleep with multiple pillows, as attaching them to each other makes them less likely to fall behind your bed because they're now bigger and heavier.
The downside to this solution is that you might feel the strap on your face when you drift off to sleep.
Pillow clips are like pillow straps, except they attach to your bedding and keep your pillows in place.
They're a great option if you have one pillow and don't want to potentially sleep on pillow straps, as mentioned above.
If the bed frame is loose, it could cause the mattress to move around, contributing to your pillows slipping away.
Use a wrench or screwdriver to tighten all screws and bolts on the bed frame.
If your bed frame is damaged beyond repair, it might be time to invest in a new one.
Are your pillows missing from your bed whenever you wake up? Maybe it's time to buy bigger ones!
Your pillows will stay on your bed if they're larger than the gap.
Plus, having a large and supportive pillow can help provide better sleep quality.
If you're struggling to keep your pillows in place, using a weighted blanket might help.
Weighted blankets are designed to add extra pressure and weight to help relieve stress and promote calm sleep.
So, if you're an active sleeper, a weighted blanket might help keep you still and, in turn, prevent pillow movement.
Designed for the safest bunk beds to stop children from falling out, rail bumpers and rail guards will also do an excellent job of stopping pillows from falling from your bed.
However, they dramatically alter your bed's aesthetic, and you might not like the childish look.
This is a straightforward solution.
Simply tuck your pillow under the sheet, and it'll stay in place as you move around during sleep.
However, if using fitted sheets, they may not fit properly elsewhere on the bed.
A flat sheet set will probably be best for this solution.
If you're struggling with a low-profile mattress causing your pillows to disappear down a gap, why not use a mattress topper?
These can add between 2 and 4 inches of additional height, making the gap between the mattress and headboard smaller and reducing the chance of your pillows falling through.
If all else fails, have a few spare pillows within easy reach. That way, you always have a fresh pillow ready to use when your current one slips out of view.
Mrs. M is obsessed with pillows and cushions, so this is easy for me.
I have to remove around 20-30 pillows and cushions from the bed every night and place them on the floor before sleeping.
While it's an annoying nightly routine, at least I have plenty of spares within reach if my main pillow takes a dive behind our bed.
Using pillows to support your body is essential for good sleep posture. Pillows help keep your neck and head aligned properly, prevent neck pain, and reduce snoring.
So if your pillows are constantly slipping away, now is the time to take action and use one (or more) of these solutions to keep them in place.
Sleeping on your back is a natural and comfortable position for most people, as it helps keep your spine aligned and decreases strain in your shoulders and head.
If you sleep on your back, using pillows beneath your head, lower back, and knees could help you get a better night's rest.
If you're a side sleeper, placing a pillow between your legs can help keep your spine in its natural alignment while taking pressure off your neck and shoulders.
It's also essential to use a pillow to support the head so that it is not at an awkward angle or too low for comfort. Using two pillows might feel even better.
Sleeping on your stomach is not the best option for sleep posture, as it can cause neck and back pain.
But if you must do it, using a thin pillow under your pelvis can help ease the pressure off your lower back.
Generally, sleeping with your arm underneath the pillow is beneficial for keeping your spine in a neutral position and alleviating aches and pains throughout the body.
By positioning your limb in this way, you reduce tension on muscles and joints because it eases some of the weight off them and relieves discomfort.
A study published by the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease in 2019 reported that a supine sleep position (lying on your back with your head at body level) for more than 2hrs per night increased the risk of dementia by 3.70 times.
I find that memory foam pillows sleep hot. My favorite pillow for keeping cool is organic kapok - check my report on the best kapok pillows.
If you're a stomach sleeper, ditching your pillow might be beneficial as it allows for better spinal alignment, which is more attainable at the lower angle of the neck position.
Pillows should be replaced every 1-2 years and adequately cared for. If they become flattened or lumpy (usually easy enough to tell by eye), it's time to wave them goodbye (recycled responsibly, of course) and invest in new ones.
However, before you ditch your old lumpy pillows, check out this repair guide to see if you can breathe new life into them and save yourself a few bucks.
When it comes to keeping pillows from falling behind a bed, numerous options are available to you.
From using special clips and straps to investing in a pillow wedge, weighted blankets, rail bumpers, and guard rails, there are many ways to ensure your pillows stay firmly in place.
Additionally, using the correct pillow for your sleeping position can help you sleep better and be more comfortable overall.
With some experimentation, you should be able to find the perfect solution for keeping your pillows in place so you can get a peaceful and restful night's sleep.
Do you have an issue with pillows falling behind your bed? Do you swear by a wedge pillow? Or is bolster more your thing? Do you have an awesome solution I've missed? Drop me a line and let me know.
