HIV meds gave me lipodystrophy—extra fat accumulated on my upper back between my shoulder blades (my doc calls this little bundle of fat a lipoma). This causes me extra discomfort in an area where I already store stress. My solution? I settle down on a Tempur-pedic pillow, shaped to cradle your neck and provide support. It’s made of weird and wonderful foam stuff originally designed for NASA. Body heat makes it conform to your shape (Tempur-pedic, get it?), taking pressure off (or putting it on) specific body parts. It helps me snooze soundly. The pillow’s pricey (about $100), but worth it. I got mine from Brookstones, the fabulous emporium where you can sit in a $3,000 massaging chair and try out gadgets. (You can also find it at www.tempurpedic.com.)

 —Beth Hastie, Boston