Buckwheat pillows are becoming more and more popular. Does one deserve to be in your bed? Let’s see its main advantages and disadvantages. But before I do, let me describe exactly what a buckwheat pillow is.

Buckwheat is not, in fact, a wheat, but a fruit (fagopyrum esculentum) related to rhubarb. Buckwheat hulls are what fill a buckwheat pillow. The husks are the husks that protect the buckwheat kernel. Husks are not just straw, but are a highly sought after commodity that is often more valuable than buckwheat grain.

Advantages

The pillows are very supportive as they are “solid state”. In other words, they will hold their shape and not sag overnight, while at the same time not springing back like fiber or foam pillows.

This excellent support that buckwheat pillows offer means that your neck can maintain a proper neutral position throughout the night. It can also mean less need to move at night, as you won’t need to adjust because the pillow has changed shape.

The ability to maintain its shape is the reason many people claim buckwheat pillows relieve neck and back pain, headaches, snoring, muscle tension, TMJ syndrome, and insomnia.

Also, since snoring is often caused by unnatural alignment of the neck, a buckwheat pillow with its ability to maintain proper support can reduce or eliminate snoring.

The pillows can also be adjusted for firmness and volume by adding or removing buckwheat. (Most quality buckwheat pillows come with a zipper so you can easily do this.)

Disadvantages

One possible downside to a buckwheat pillow is that it is quite firm. As a result, it may not provide the softness and cushioning that your face and ears need. Its firmness also requires that you often manually shape the pillow into the shape you want. In other words, it won’t automatically conform to your head and neck like other types of pillows, like memory foam, do.

Another con for some is that the helmets inside can make a cracking or cracking noise. This noise is not too loud, but it can take some getting used to.