Revolutionary pillow design promises to reduce headaches and dementia risk

Entrepreneur Vessi Jalkanen unveils sleep innovation despite personal tragedy at HOLOLIFE Summit 2025

In a poignant moment at the HOLOLIFE Summit 2025 Europe in Tallinn, designer and preventive health expert Vessi Jalkanen presented a revolutionary pillow design, just days after a devastating fire destroyed his factory.

"Thursday morning, I was woken up to see when my factory and my company burned down. Seven thousand cubic meters of spaces—and everything just burned down," Jalkanen told the audience. "I thought I couldn't make it here. But then, along the day, we made the decision that we would come."

The science behind the Salli Pillow

The Salli Pillow, as Jalkanen introduced it, addresses a fundamental flaw in conventional pillow design—one that could have significant health implications. Traditional pillows, especially those marketed as "ergonomic," often apply pressure to crucial blood vessels and lymph nodes in the neck.

"We should not be pressing the neck vessels," Jalkanen explained. "Now I know we also should not be pressing the neck lymph nodes, which branch into the brain and clean it up during the night when we have deep sleep."

According to Jalkanen, these conventional "ergonomic" pillows that support the neck are "dangerous rubbish" that can potentially cause headaches in the short term and contribute to dementia in the long run by restricting blood flow to the brain.

Optimizing sleep positions for better health

The innovation extends beyond just the pillow itself to an entire sleep system. Jalkanen advocates for a combination of side and back sleeping positions, facilitated by a wider bed and supporting side pillows.

"Side sleeping together with back sleeping—so you have three sleeping positions—is the smart way to go," he said, demonstrating how the Salli Pillow system allows users to move fluidly between positions without the discomfort that often prevents movement during sleep.

A key component of the system is the recommendation for wider beds—140cm instead of the standard 80cm—to allow for natural movement during sleep. This, Jalkanen argued, prevents the circulation issues and pressure sores that can develop from remaining in one position for too long.

The physiological basis for the design

During his presentation, Jalkanen highlighted the critical physiological reasons behind his design philosophy.

"Twenty-five percent of all blood circulation from the heart goes to the head. Even if the head is only ten percent of the body weight, it requires twenty-five percent of the circulation. The brain is vital," he explained.

Perhaps most compelling was his explanation of the lymphatic system's role in brain health. The lymph nodes in the neck have vessels that extend into the brain, responsible for clearing out metabolic waste during deep sleep—a process that can be compromised by conventional pillows.

"If this process is restricted, memory illnesses develop quickly," Jalkanen warned, linking proper sleep ergonomics directly to cognitive health.

Rethinking sleep habits

Some of Jalkanen's recommendations challenged conventional wisdom about sleep. He discouraged stomach sleeping entirely, citing the compression of lymph nodes and inevitable neck strain. He also controversially suggested that couples might sleep better in separate beds.

"Me and my wife discovered a few years ago that we both sleep better in different rooms," he shared. "You can have hugging, kissing, sex, and all the closeness in the evening, but when you sleep—do it alone unless you have small children."

Contrary to what some sleep trackers might suggest, Jalkanen asserted that changing positions frequently during the night—25 to 50 times—is actually healthy. "Any tissue we put weight on statically loses circulation," he explained, noting that the body naturally shifts position to revive tissues with poor circulation.

A wider movement toward sleep optimization

The Salli Pillow presentation at the HOLOLIFE Summit reflects a growing interest in sleep optimization within the biohacker community and beyond. With his emphasis on natural fibers, darkness, minimal clothing, and proper ergonomics, Jalkanen positioned his innovation within a holistic approach to sleep health.

Despite the personal tragedy that nearly prevented his attendance, Jalkanen's passion for his work and the biohacker community was evident throughout his presentation.

"The biohacker community has become very important and dear to me," he concluded. "There are lots and lots of friends in the biohacking community who understand us, value us when we cooperate with them with the best of our hearts."

Frequently asked questions

What problem does the Salli Pillow address?

Vessi Jalkanen argued that conventional pillows, especially those marketed as ergonomic, apply pressure to the blood vessels and lymph nodes of the neck. His design is built around not pressing either, and around allowing movement between sleeping positions.

Why does neck circulation matter so much?

Jalkanen told the Tallinn audience that twenty-five percent of all blood circulation from the heart goes to the head, even though the head is only about ten percent of body weight. On that arithmetic, anything pressing on the neck is worth taking seriously.

Which sleeping positions did he recommend?

A combination of side and back sleeping, supported by a wider bed and side pillows, so a sleeper can move between three positions through the night. He discouraged stomach sleeping entirely, citing compression of the lymph nodes and inevitable neck strain.

About the event

This recap is part of the HOLOLIFE Summit 2025 Europe series, recorded in Tallinn on 14 and 15 June 2025. Read the summary of the whole event or join the next edition, HOLOLIFE Summit 2026 Amsterdam, on 14 and 15 November 2026.