Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission
Much to the chagrin of my chiropractor, dermatologist, and Miguel, my deep tissue massage guy, I’m a stomach sleeper. I know, I know. I can’t help it! The life-long comfort of sleeping on my belly with one leg tucked up like a frog’s is slowly revealing its consequences though. My neck, hips, and back have all had it. And don’t even get me started on the idea that I’m inducing wrinkles by smushing my face into a pillow each night…
Experts in This Article
I’ve tried to convert myself to a back sleeper to no avail. The next best thing is side sleeping, which I have been able to trick my body into doing, but only with a little help. The key? A body pillow, like the new, aptly-named Cuddler ($199) from Bearaby.
You know Bearaby—it’s the brand that created everyone’s favorite weighted blanket, the cozy Cotton Napper ($199) that swaps a solid quilt for chunky, breathable knit. Now they’ve released the Cuddler just in time to relieve my neck and hip pains, and whatever is causing your morning aches too. And just like the Napper isn’t your average weighted blanket, Cuddler is far from your average body pillow.
Bearaby, The Cuddler — $199.00
Snuggle up for a sore-free sleep.
Thanks to its squishy, breathable, and sustainable Melofoam™ material, Cuddler contours to your body shape for head-to-toe support, so you can position it however you need to melt away your individual aches and pains. What the what is Melofoam™, you’re wondering? It’s an all-natural, plant-based rubber foam that’s made from organic hevea trees in Sri Lanka, tapped then steamed into an airy, bone-cradling foam. Each pillow comes with a white organic cotton cover, which is both removable and machine-washable. (Additional covers in the brand’s classic colors are also available, so you can match Cuddler to your Napper, if you so please.) Bearaby never uses harmful chemicals or pesticides, so you can drift off into dreamland knowing you’re cuddled up to a clean product.
Chiropractor Grant Radermacher, DC, of Brookfield, Wisconsin-based Ascent Chiropractic says the Cuddler’s flexibility is what makes it a standout. “When it comes to body pillows, the goal is figuring out what your body needs to keep your neck, back, and pelvis supported in a neutral position while you sleep,” he says. “So the ideal body pillow is one that can be molded to support your specific body and preferred sleeping position, like the Bearaby Cuddler.”
If you’re a stomach sleeper like me, or suffer from a screaming neck or back each morning, Dr. Radermacher says a bendy body pillow like this is your best friend. “Sleeping on your stomach is generally the worst position for those with back pain because it puts your lumbar spine into extension,” he says. “Stomach sleeping also forces you to turn your head to one side in order to breathe, putting a ton of stress on the muscles, ligaments, and discs in your cervical spine. So if you’re suffering from back or neck pain, a body pillow can help keep you on your back or side and prevent you from rolling over onto your stomach.”
Pregnancy can also place extra pressure on your hips, lower back, and knees. (As if growing an entire mini human in your body wasn’t enough…) “An adjustable body pillow can help by giving extra support and relieving painful pressure points, without having to use individual pillows positioned just right,” says Dr. Radermacher. He recommends that his pregnant patients adopt the “Big Spoon” configuration, meaning you wrap yourself around Cuddler and hug it close. Sounds dreamy, TBH.
Or if hip pain is your main concern. Then Dr. Radermacher suggests positioning the Cuddler between your knees—like in Bearaby’s “Half Spoon” and “Little Spoon” website illustrations—to keep them lined up on top of each other. That reduces the strain on the hips that tends to come with sleeping on your side.
The final, and maybe our favorite, benefit to Cuddler: it’s a spooning partner that doesn’t snore. Heaven! Whatever type of sleeper or snuggler you may be, having the Cuddler by your side (literally) ensures you better nights of sleep and pain-free mornings ahead. Get your body around one of these flexible bad boys ASAP—you certainly won’t regret it.
Want to be the first to hear about the latest (and greatest) SHOP product drops, custom collections, discounts, and more? Sign up to have the intel delivered straight to your inbox.
Sign Up for Our Daily Newsletter
Get all the latest in wellness, trends, food, fitness, beauty, and more delivered right to your inbox.
Got it, you've been added to our email list.
