Meet Maggie - the founder of ComfyComfy
What position do you sleep in? What kind of pillow do you use?
I sleep mostly on my back with a ComfyNeck medium size pillow. By recommendation of my chiropractor, I fill the ComfyNeck pillow with only 1.75 lbs of buckwheat hulls. (This is less than half the amount of filling that it comes with.) My chiropractor advised me to let my neck arch back for 20 minutes before sleep to stretch it. After that I move the hulls just enough to fill the curvature of my neck, maintaining my forehead and chin in alignment.
I use a king size Dacron fiber filled pillow under my thighs. Occasionally, if I sleep on my side, this pillow is long enough to support both my arms and legs.
Before getting up in the morning, I use the pillow to tilt my head backward to stretch my neck to increase space for 20 minutes. This has made a big difference in my neck and shoulders.
What was working in the airline industry in the 1970's like?
In the early 70's, I started working for an airline in Hong Kong. I mostly covered countries in Asia. It was exciting for a 20 year old to travel around the world. I got to experience different cuisines, visit Dubai when it was still a small fishing town, cross the famous pedestrian crossing in Tokyo, the famous Japanese Shinto Shrine in a tiny town at Narita town and taking yoga classes in Bombay. Yoga classes in India are so different from the West.
When did you make the first buckwheat pillow, and why did you make it?
In 2001 I started teaching yoga. I noticed my students either spent long days working at a computer or were recovering from a fall or automobile accidents. Neck and lower back problems were common issues. Yoga classes helped stretch and strengthen their bodies, but they also needed something to support their bodies when they were sleeping. In 2011, I started sewing buckwheat pillows to give or sell to my yoga students. It was well received and many of them were helped by ComfyComfy's first buckwheat pillows.
What is your advice to someone who can't fall asleep, or wakes up in the middle of the night?
I think having a well balanced lifestyle. Exercise, good nutritious food and meditation to quiet your mind. I keep my bedroom cold with no heat in the winter and I open my window for fresh air. I sleep on a down blanket with two flaxseed heat wraps, one for my cold feet and one for my hands and tummy. Having warm hands and feet will help you sleep like your security blanket. You stay warm and calm.