This pillow flip sleep hack can help you beat Christmas insomnia – and it takes seconds

If you love the cold side of the pillow, you’ll love this quick sleep hack

A woman wearing a pink sleep mask while resting on a pillow
(Image credit: Unsplash)

If you love flipping over your best pillow to get to the cold side, then you’re going to love this sleep hack – and it only takes a few seconds!

Christmas is the time where your normal habits and routines tend to go out the window. Rather than early nights and limited alcohol, the festive season is the exact opposite, so if you’re overindulging this Christmas – as we all are! – then you’ll likely find yourself staring at the ceiling trying to fall asleep.

If you’re struggling to nod off amongst the festivities or you tend to wake up in the night and can’t fall back asleep, this quick pillow hack could be the solution.

What is the pillow flip sleep hack?

According to sleep expert, Adeel ul-Haq from BunkBeds – and as reported by Gloucestershire Live – there’s a simple hack you can do with your pillow if you find yourself lying awake at night and struggling to get back to sleep. All you have to do is… flip over your pillow. Yes, really.

While ul-Haq was speaking in the context of falling back to sleep after a nightmare, this pillow hack can also work if you tend to wake up in the night and if you’re finding it hard to get to sleep during the festive season.

“Flipping your pillow to the other side is a powerful way to reset your mind,” says ul-Haq. It works on both physical and mental levels as the coolness of the other side of your pillow can help reset your brain and tell it to focus on relaxing. It can also help with your body temperature, as if it’s heightened from stress or panic – like waking up from a nightmare – the cold pillow can cool your body down which helps you fall asleep quicker.

ul-Haq goes on to say that “turning the pillow and combining it with deep breathing will allow you to get back to sleep and keep disruptions to a minimum.” So, if you’re woken up by a bad dream or you’re desperately trying to fall back asleep, a quick flip of the pillow – which only takes a few seconds – could do the trick.

While having the right mattress makes a huge difference to your sleep, not many people think about the importance of a good pillow. Having a lumpy or old pillow can strain the neck and even make you snore. If you think your pillow is having a negative impact on your sleep, you should replace it for a new model that’s better suited to your sleep style and body’s needs – see the 7 signs you need to replace your pillow for more details.

Bethan Girdler-Maslen
Home Editor

Beth is Home Editor for T3, looking after style, living and wellness. From the comfiest mattresses to strange things you can cook in an air fryer, Beth covers sleep, yoga, smart home, coffee machines, watches, grooming tools, fragrances, gardening and much more. If it's something that goes in your house, chances are Beth knows about it and has the latest reviews and recommendations! She's also in the know about the latest deals and discount codes from top brands and retailers.

Having always been passionate about writing, she’s written for websites, newspapers and magazines on a variety of topics, from jewellery and culture, to food and telecoms. You can find her work across numerous sites, including Wedding Ideas Magazine, Health & Wellbeing, The Bristol Post, Fashion & Style Directory, TechRadar, CreativeBloq and more. In her spare time, Beth enjoys running, reading, baking and attempting craft projects that will probably end in disaster!