Patent ID: 7581267

Claim:
A method of using a pillow arranged to encourage a person to sleep on a side, comprising a head support assembly to receive and support the person's head and neck, the head support assembly being connected to a thoracic support assembly which is, in turn, connected to a waist and lumbar support assembly; the head support assembly extending generally perpendicularly upwardly from the thoracic support assembly to provide a shoulder receiving area between the thoracic support assembly and the head support assembly, the head support assembly extending laterally for a predetermined distance and terminating in first and second sides; a pair of arms merging with the thoracic support assembly and extending from the head support assembly toward the waist and lumbar support assembly, the arms being spaced apart a distance, not greater than eighteen inches, sufficient to receive a sleeper's torso when on a side and an insufficient distance to receive a sleeper's torso when the sleeper is supine, a first of the arms being spaced from a first side of the head support assembly to provide a space for an arm of the sleeper; and a side ramp inclined upwardly from the thoracic support assembly to the head support assembly providing an inclined position for the sleeper's arm, the method comprising: measuring the shoulder width of the person; preparing a pillow having dimensions such that the distance between the arms is less than the shoulder width of the person and sufficient to receive the person's torso when on a side and an insufficient distance to receive the person's torso when the sleeper is supine; positioning the person, on a side between the arms, the person's shoulder width being greater than the distance between the arms, and allowing the person to go to sleep on a side.