From Waking Up Stiff at 3AM Every Night… To Sleeping Straight Through With This Strange Butterfly-Shaped Pillow
3:07am. I know because I checked the clock. Again.
I was sitting on the edge of the bed with my hand clamped on the back of my neck, trying to rub out a knot that felt like a golf ball. My pillow was folded in half behind me, which was the only way I could get any height out of it anymore.
Behind me, my husband Dave was snoring like a leaf blower.
That was most nights for about two years.
The $600 Pillow Pile
I did what everyone does. I bought pillows. A lot of pillows.
The feather one went flat in a week. The hotel-style one was so high my neck bent sideways. The latex one was like sleeping on a yoga block. The cheap memory foam one smelled like a tyre shop and still left me stiff.
When I finally added up the receipts, I had spent over $600 on pillows. They were piled in the spare room like a pillow graveyard.
- Too soft: my head sank and my neck twisted
- Too high: my neck bent up at an angle all night
- Too hard: pressure points on my ear and jaw
- All of them: flat within a few months
What I Finally Understood
It was a conversation with a friend who had been through the same thing that changed it for me. She said something so obvious I felt silly.
A pillow's job isn't to be soft. Its job is to fill the gap between your head and the mattress, so your neck stays in a straight line with your spine.
A normal pillow is one flat shape. But you sleep on your side, your back and sometimes your stomach, and every one of those positions leaves a different gap. So all night your neck is either bent up, bent down or twisted.
And here's the bit that surprised me. When you lie on your back on a flat pillow, your head tips back, your jaw falls open and your airway narrows. That's a big reason why Dave snored so much.
The Butterfly-Shaped Pillow
She told me about the No Snore™ Orthopaedic Pillow. It looks odd at first, like a butterfly. But every curve has a job.
There's a dip in the middle for the back of your head, a raised roll along the front that fills the gap under your neck, wings on each side that stop your head rolling off, and curved cut-outs where your shoulder and arm go when you sleep on your side.
It came with a 100-night guarantee, so I ordered two. One for me, one for Dave.
The First Night
It took me a few minutes to work out where to put my head. Then I was asleep.
I woke up at 6:20. Not 3am. 6:20, when the sun came through the blinds.
My neck wasn't stiff. And for the first time in forever, Dave was lying next to me sleeping quietly on his back instead of rumbling like an old ute.
My First 30 Days
Slept through until morning. A little strange at first, then I forgot about it.
The golf-ball knot in my neck was gone by day four. No more 3am clock-watching.
Dave's snoring was noticeably quieter on his back. We both stopped needing an afternoon coffee.
I cleared out the pillow graveyard and donated the lot. I won't be needing them.
Why It Works
1Support wings
Raised sides act like gentle guard rails, keeping your head centred so you do not roll into a twisted position.
2Neck roll and head rest
The dip cradles the back of your head while the roll fills the gap under your neck and lifts your chin slightly, which keeps your airway open.
3Shoulder and arm cut-outs
Side sleepers tuck their shoulder in, so the neck stays level and you wake up without a numb arm.
4Cool, breathable cover
A quilted knit top and mesh sides let air move through, so heat does not build up under your head.
What Other Customers Say
No more stiff neck. After using this for a week, my neck pain felt a lot better. Now I look forward to going to bed. I just wish I found this pillow sooner!
Now my husband sleeps like a baby. After using it for a week, his neck felt a lot better, and he actually looks forward to going to bed.
Worth every penny. I sleep on my side, which used to make me wake up with aches every morning. This pillow has side support which keeps me in position so that I wake up feeling actually refreshed every morning.
Worth every penny. I used to suffer from upper back and neck pain, but this pillow keeps my neck in line so my whole back can stay relaxed. Now I finally wake up feeling rested.
The No Snore™ Orthopaedic Pillow Offer
- 50% off for readers of this story
- Free shipping Australia-wide
- 100-night money-back guarantee
- Removable, washable cover
- For side, back and stomach sleepers
Think About It This Way
If you're reading this at 3am with your hand on the back of your neck, I've been there. Try it for a few nights. If it's not for you, send it back.
This is an advertisement. The story above is a dramatised account based on common customer experiences, and the people pictured are models. Individual results vary. The No Snore™ Orthopaedic Pillow is a comfort and support product. It is not a treatment for any medical condition. If you have ongoing neck pain, or stop breathing or gasp during sleep, please speak to your GP.