Choosing the perfect pillow

Over 40 percent of American adults get less than the recommended amount of sleep each night, but could finding the perfect pillow help?

Tossing and turning, aches and pains, all keeping you from a full night's sleep? Doctors recommend looking for the right pillow. But what is the right pillow?

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Make sure your pillow is not putting your forehead above your chin. Doctors say poor head position can cause breathing problems and chronic neck pain, which a good pillow can reduce by 75 percent!

Look for cooling or gel-top memory foam pillows. They can help regulate your body temperature and keep you asleep the entire night.

Wake up with lower back pain? It might be your pillow. Place a firm pillow under your hips or knees. It takes pressure off your lower back and relaxes your muscles, making sleep more comfortable.

Finally, stay away from fixed shape pillows. You change positions an average of once every hour, and doctors say you need to have a pillow that will adapt to your body.

Experts recommend changing your pillows every six to 24 months depending on use. Cotton pillowcases can also help prolong the life of your pillow by a few months.