In one way or another, all of us have experienced the dreaded situation of finding ourselves unable to get comfortable enough to fall asleep.

In some cases, there are temporary environmental factors. We may be trying to sleep sitting up during a long flight or find ourselves on a lumpy, unfamiliar mattress at our in-law's. We might be staying in a hotel that hasn't invested in routine mattress maintenance in quite some time. For the most part, situations such as these are seemingly unavoidable—at least from time to time. When they happen to us, we must put up with them and be grateful for such sleep as we can accomplish.

When we are at home sleeping in our beds, however, our expectations should be somewhat different.

Within the privacy of our own homes, the place where we come to rest should, by and large, be the most comfortable environment possible. If it isn't, we must do whatever we can to address areas of discomfort and rectify the situation. Ensuring the best possible sleep environment is one essential but straightforward self-care step.

First, we must consider the basics. We look at environmental factors such as the temperature of the room, the lighting, and the texture and relative cleanliness of our bedding. We ask if there are any noticeable changes we can make to the arrangement of furniture in the room that would aid our sleep.

Beyond those simple steps, however, we must look at the structure of our sleep apparatus itself.

Apart from the mattress, which we will discuss in more detail at the close of this article, we must also consider our choices in pillows.

While there are many variations of the standard variety of pillows, the time may come to consider particular specialty pillows, such as the pregnancy pillows.

Who are such pillows good for?

The full answer may surprise you.

Expectant Moms

These sorts of pillows are marketed to pregnant women for a reason. Of all people, they stand to benefit the most.

According to the experts over at Sleep.org, expectant moms can enjoy benefits from specialty maternity pillows as early as the first trimester. For other women, difficulties don't arrive until later in their pregnancy journeys; however, most women who are expecting find they can benefit from a little extra help in the getting-comfortable-to-sleep department.

For stomach-sleepers, the bedtime battles can start as early as the first trimester, when sore breasts can make your usual sleeping position uncomfortable. By the second trimester, if you're still sleeping on your back, it's time to shift, since the weight of your expanding midsection can compromise your circulation. And by the third trimester, even if you naturally prefer to sleep on your left side, which is the ideal position during pregnancy, the sheer weight of your bump—combined with the increased laxity in your joints as your body prepares for childbirth—can add up to serious aches and pains.

With specially-designed pregnancy pillows, women can gain extra support for their head and neck, under their bellies, behind the small of their back, or under/between their knees.

While pregnancy pillows can't solve every pregnant woman's comfort issues, they can go a long way toward solving the most basic discomforts that rob them of restful sleep.

Beyond Expectant Moms

Apart from expectant mothers, many other sleepers find that they benefit from the added support of special maternity pillows.

One such type of sleeper would be a scoliosis sufferer. According to spine health practitioners, pillows that contour to the spaces under the head and neck can be especially helpful to those with cervical spine problems; and long, j-shaped cushions can provide excellent support to the lower body by providing lift under the legs and knees.

While such pillows were initially designed with pregnant women in mind, the sort of support offered (particularly to the cervical spine and lower back) often benefits scoliosis patients. While pregnant women with scoliosis might stand to gain the most benefit from pregnancy pillows, one does not have to be pregnant (or a woman!) to derive comfort from them.

If you have scoliosis, we cannot promise that maternity pillows will solve all your sleep problems. We can, however, recommend that you at least give them a try.

Further Considerations

If you plan to try a pregnancy pillow as a sleep aid, there are a few items you will want to consider.

First, though you will likely find good deals and bargains online, purchasing pillows over the internet robs you of critical sensory details. Even by reading descriptions and consumer reviews, you will not get a good feel for matters like relative firmness, quality of materials, and other vital details.

That's why we recommend reaching out to your community first. Talk to friends, family, loved ones, neighbors, and acquaintances. Ask them if they would be willing to share personal experiences and recommendations.

Second, take some time to scout local retailers. Not only will you have a chance to evaluate products and compare them in real life, but you may also actually stumble across an excellent local deal that allows you to take home your pillow that very day!

In any case, don't rush your purchase. Take the time you need to make a wise choice so you can benefit for years to come.

We Can Help

While we are no experts in scoliosis or pregnancy, we do pride ourselves in our mattress expertise.

Here at Nest Betting, we provide the highest quality mattresses at the best possible prices.

We want to invite you to visit one of our showrooms.

We'd enjoy getting to know you, hearing about your specific needs, and offering our expert recommendations. While we aim to be helpful, we're also aware that some people desire to weigh their options in peace. To that end, we attempt to offer non-annoying, non-pushy assistance only when you need it.

If you have questions or concerns, or if you have questions about anything you have seen in this post, please feel free to contact us at any time.

We look forward to hearing from you!