How to Keep Pillows from Falling Behind Bed?

How many times have you awakened due to your pillow sliding off behind the bed? Surely, it has happened too many times to hamper your perfectly peaceful sleep. But thankfully, you can stop this occurrence. 

In this article you will learn how to keep pillows from falling behind bed. I have faced this problem in the past, so I tried various methods to solve it. So I believe I can contribute a lot in this matter.

How To Keep Pillows From Falling Behind Bed?

In this article, we will look at a few solutions you can use to keep your pillow from falling behind the headboard, but before that, let’s check out why this happens. 


How to Keep Pillows from Falling Behind Bed?

This is primarily due to the gap that exists between your headboard and the mattress. Initially, it may seem like a design flaw; however, that is not the case. This gap is essential for removing and placing bed sheets with ease. 

The gap provides the room you require to wiggle into tight places and keep the bedspread in location. While this gap is for functional purposes, your pillow might fall into this gap if you sleep too close to the headboard. 

Why does my pillow keep falling behind the bed? 
Why does my pillow keep falling behind the bed? 

While this gap is for functional purposes in most cases, sometimes the gap exists for all the wrong reasons. 

Wrong sized mattress

If you plan on buying a mattress soon, make sure it fits your existing bed frame. If there is a size mismatch between the two, your pillow will fall through. Thankfully, it’s easy to buy mattresses based on their size as it’s often in the same size category as the bed.

For instance, a king-size bed will require a king-size mattress. However, as a rule of thumb, know the measurements to avoid any sort of hassle. 

Bed frame issue

Picking a mattress is a highly personal experience and determines the comfort. However, if your selected mattresses do not fit into your existing bed frame, you might have to change the mattress. You can modify it, though, with fillers. However, the bed must be in the correct dimension as the mattress to ensure the best support. Besides, different mattresses require different support. 

Even though there might be different reasons for your pillow sliding, we have a few options you can try to keep the pillow in place.

Customize the headboard

It’s essential to know about the different headboard types as it may be due to the headboard that your pillow keeps falling. If the use of the headboard is not ideal, chances are, your pillow will keep falling. One way out of this situation is either to use padding on the headboard or lower it to solve the problem. 

You can also opt for upholstery foam to apply padding to the headboard if the gap is tiny. Many headboards are adjustable; thus, you should check them by unscrewing the bolts and repositioning the board. In case all these options fail, simply remove the headboard and place it on the wall. 

Increase the mattress foundation

Ideally, when a mattress fits a bed frame, there should be no space left, or your pillow might fall into it. You can solve the gap problem by using a taller mattress foundation

Once you have a high foundation beneath the mattress, it will close the gap between the bed and headboard. However, do compare the heights of the foundation to understand which will work better for you. 

Try different pillowcases

Though this is a long shot, your pillowcases might be too thin for your bedsheet. This primarily applies to pillowcases made from slippery fabrics. If that is the case, you can try a less slippery material for your pillowcase. Cotton-based pillowcases that have a higher thread count work the best on slippery surfaces (if you are using a satin or silk bedsheet). 

Of course, this solution may not work to your satisfaction, but it’s worth a shot. 

Using an adjustable base with a headrest

Though this is an expensive solution, it will fix your lost pillow problems and do a lot more. An adjustable base is often a power-operated base that will allow you to recline your bed or sit up. It also allows you to put your legs on a higher level to enhance blood flow. 

Indeed it does seem like a lot of investment initially, but the benefits of this remodeling are mammoth.

Flat bottoms pillow

Let’s apply simple physics to the problem- a flat-bottomed pillow does not slide around as much and definitely does not fall easily. An ergonomic foam pillow might just be the pillow you need to have a good night’s sleep without worrying about losing it to the back of your bed. 

Bridging gap

While the solutions above will help you keep your pillow in space, there are some things you can try to bridge the gap between your mattress and headboard. 

Gap fillers

Gap fillers are commonly available in all furniture stores. These are available in many sizes and types. You simply need to know the space measurement between the headboard and the mattress and have these placed. You can also go DIY and make some out of wood. 

Pillowstops

If you don’t get gap fillers, you can also opt for pillow stops; these are also available in furniture stores. These are mostly upholstered wooden planks you can place against the headboards. You can also get there customized.


Why should you stop your pillow from falling behind the bed? 

While it is an annoying situation, is it necessary to change the situation if you don’t mind your pillow falling to the back of your bed? Deep sleepers are really not aware of what happens to their pillow once they fall asleep, so should they start caring? 

Turns out, yes. Every individual has their pillow firmness preference, which can cause serious issues if your pillow keeps falling behind your bed. If you don’t stop your pillow from falling behind, you will be pushing the pillow further and harder into the mattress, which can cause some severe neck pain and even increase your snoring. 

Even if you use a memory foam pillow, sleeping too close to the headboard might cause your pillow to slide in between your mattress and bed during the night. While it might seem minor to you now, the pain will increase over the course of time and cause some significant discomfort. 

With all the options mentioned in the piece above, your pillow will have nowhere to go but stay under your head the whole night. So, get on with the customization and changes. Cheers to a good night’s sleep! 

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