Soothes Neck And Back Pain
A big reason people start back sleeping is to relieve chronic neck pain and back pain. Since back sleeping is great for aligning your spine, it results in less muscle pain and stiffness. Compared to side and stomach sleeping, theres less strain on your neck and lumbar spine when sleeping on your back.
Snowe Down Alternative Pillow
Snowe’s down alternative offering is also a hypoallergenic pillow that is ultraplush. It’s available in three density options and comes with a washable sateen cover. According to an enthusiastic reviewer, the fill is beyond convincing in how it replicates the feel of a regular down pillow: “The alternative down used in these pillows is like magic. Maximum compression but they always puff back up. Auto-fluffing pillows!”
Snowe’s site helpfully notes that the softer version will be more comfortable for stomach sleepers, while side sleepers will often prefer something firmer for a good night’s rest. And if you’re unsure which density to select, go firmer rather than softer. Where many reviewers appreciated the height and density of these bed pillows, others noted that they may be on the thin pillow side: “Great texture, but could be a little more fully stuffed/firmer. Would prefer to use one, but find myself using two.”
What Type Of Pillow Is Most Comfortable
While there are many types of pillows to choose from, the fill is the most important aspect when it comes to comfort. Here are the key differences between the most common options:
- Down pillowstend to be the fluffiest, but a combination of down with feather may be firmer and less expensive.
- Down alternative pillowscan still feel soft and offer good support, but they’re usually made with synthetic fill so they’re more affordable than down.
- Memory foam pillowsare thicker and often firmer. You can choose from solid memory foam or memory foam clusters, which feel plusher to lie on while still offering the support of foam.
- Latex pillowsfeel similar to memory foam, but they have more of a bouncy feel with less contouring. Another difference: latex foam is typically made from rubber trees.
- Hybrid pillows mix foam and fiberfill so you get the best of both categories i.e. supportive yet plush.
How do I pick the right pillow?
After picking your favorite fill, before you get shopping for a new pillow, here’s what to keep in mind as you pick out your best pillow:
Make sure it’s the right height. There’s no one-size-fits-all pillow. According to Dr. Baxi, “Your ears should be aligned with your shoulders and your chin faced forward.” To achieve this alignment, you’ll need to factor in your body size and how you sleep. Here’s how to pick your height:
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What Back Sleepers Need
When choosing a pillow, back sleepers need something that will keep their neck aligned with their spine to avoid waking up with neck pain. They need a pillow that isnt too low to avoid hyperextension, but one that isnt too lofty that compresses the neck. It is also advisable to place a thin pillow underneath the lower back or the knees to reduce some of the pressure on your lower back as it presses into the mattress.
Related: Best mattress for back sleepers
How Often Should You Buy A New Pillow
Using a worn out pillow could inflame health conditions, since pillows can harbor allergens like dust mites, Neomi Shah, MD, associate professor of sleep medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, previously told SELF. Plus, a super old, ineffective pillow can mess with your neck and back.
Its smart to buy a new pillow every two years , according to the National Sleep Foundation. Even if your old pillow feels pretty good, its still smart to switch it out in order to avoid any negative health consequences that can creep up over time.
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What Is The Best Pillow Positioning For Back Pain
Sleep posture can exacerbate or alleviate back pain. Sleeping on your back is often considered the best positioning for back pain. This position is most likely to encourage sleepers to maintain a neutral posture, which keeps the spine aligned and reduces pressure on the lumbar region. Sleepers can use pillows strategically to relieve back pain.
Stomach sleeping is one of the worst sleeping positions for back pain, as it puts pressure on the lower back and often leads to spinal misalignment.
The following sleeping positions, along with their potential benefits and drawbacks, should be considered:
What Side Sleepers Need For A Good Nights Rest
The Pillow Cube is designed to align your head, neck, and spine so that when lying on your side, your neck doesnt bend at an awkward, uncomfortable angle, either down toward the mattress or, if a pillow is too lofty or a mattress too soft, up toward the ceiling.
If you imagine yourself lying down on your back on a mattress, you really dont need that much support, says Rebecca Robbins, PhD, an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and a scientist at the Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston. But if youre a side sleeper, imagine yourself on a mattress and think about the space between your shoulder and your head. That is several inches for anyone, she says. If you dont have enough support, its going to jeopardize your shoulder and potentially create a risk for shoulder injuries.
For this reason, steadfast side sleepers, depending on their height, the width of their shoulders, and the softness of their mattress, may benefit from a taller, loftier pillow that prevents their neck from bending at odd angles in the night . Side sleepers are going to want thicker pillows in general because they want to fill in that gap between the mattress and their head, says Rafael Pelayo, MD, a clinical professor in the Sleep Medicine Division at Stanford University in California and the author of How to Sleep: The New Science-Based Solutions for Sleeping Through the Night. The Cube fills in that space. Thats the idea behind that.
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Best Pillows For Back Sleepers: Conclusion
We have presented you with our 7 best pillows for back sleepers along with a short guide on how to choose the pillow most suitable for you. Fundamentally, your choice should ensure that your spine is maintained in its natural alignment while you are in bed. Your head should neither be forced forward by a firm high loft pillow nor allowed to drop back into the body of a soft pillow.
- Sweet Night Pillows
Layla Kapok Best Shredded Foam Pillow
Layla is mainly known for the Layla flippable mattress, and it has implemented the same versatile idea into its pillow. The brand added a zipper so you can remove the filling on the inside, making it customizable so any sized back sleeper can adjust the loft to perfectly accommodate their needs.
The filling is made with Kapok fiber and memory foam. We think it feels airy and light, but at the same time, the memory foam provides some resistance that you dont find in most down pillows.
Thats why we think the feel reminds us of a memory foam/down feather blend. We think its comfortable.
The Layla Pillow cover is infused with copper to help draw heat away from the body, so this pillow also can help regulate temperature. Again, dont count on it to be cool-to-the-touch, but it can help.
The queen size goes for about $100, and youll have to fork out about $120 for the king size. You should keep an eye out for discounts, however, so double check their website every now and then if youre waiting for a good promotion.
Why we picked this pillow We like that this pillow has an adjustable filling, making it fully customizable. It also has cooling technology that should help regulate your temperature while youre sleeping.
- Free Shipping & Returns
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Tuft And Needle Editors Choice For Best Pillow For Back Sleepers
Its not often that you see a pillow completely made out of polyurethane foam , so we were excited to receive the Tuft & Needle Pillow.
This pillow is made with the brands CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX certified aerated T& N Adaptive Foam, which is the same stuff you can find in Tuft and Needles flagship mattress that made the brand so popular. Its dense, soft, and generally comfortable, which is why we think a lot of people enjoy it. Overall, we think most back sleepers will find it accommodating, and this might be our pick for best pillow for back sleepers with back pain.
Its also infused with graphite to help with the pillows temperature regulating abilities. We wouldnt necessarily say it sleeps cold like Purple Harmony, but it can help prevent folks from overheating during the night.
There are two sizes standard and king. Prices start at about $75 for a ~4lb standard pillow, and go up to $100 for the 7 lb king size. So, if youre a heavier back sleeper, we think the king option might provide a little more support. Tuft & Needle is known for its affordable pricing, so its not too surprising that its pillow is one of the most affordable on our list.
Why we picked this pillow Theres a lot to like about the Tuft & Needle pillow, including the price. It also comes in a couple sizes, which makes it accommodating for a large number of people. We like that its fully made from polyfoam and think it will be comfortable for pretty much any back sleeper.
The Loft Of The Pillow
The loft or thickness of a pillow is one of the most important elements for back sleepers. If a pillow is too thick or too thin, it can have a dramatic effect on your spinal alignment. There are 3 categories of pillow loft:
- Low-loft: Low loft pillows have a thickness of 3
- Medium-Loft: These pillows have a thickness of 3 5
- High-Loft: Pillows that have a thickness of more than 5
Most back sleepers prefer to use either medium-loft pillows or high-loft pillows because they keep the head and neck elevated, and help the sleeper maintain their spinal alignment and cut down on snoring. On the other hand, low-loft pillows cause your head to drop to the back of the pillow, resulting in more snoring as well as more pain.
Choosing the perfect pillow loft for yourself depends on many different factors like your body weight, the width of your shoulders, and the firmness of the mattress you are currently using.
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Best Pillow For Back Sleepers Overall: Amerisleep Comfort Classic
The Amerisleep Comfort Classic is our favorite pillow for back sleepers because it features pressure-relieving memory foam, is an ideal 6 inches thick, and has a medium-firm feel. Not only great for back sleepers, but Amerisleeps Comfort Classic is also our top recommendation overall for best pillow because its adaptable to most sleeping positions and offers superior neck support.
The Comfort Classic features CertiPUR-US® certified Bio-Pur®, a versatile, open-cell foam designed to offer better neck support than traditional memory foams. Bio-Pur® is both responsive and breathable. It adapts to your neck and movement quicker than other foams, providing reactive comfort. Plus, it includes built-in ventilated airways to prevent heat retention, making it perfect for hot sleepers.
The Comfort Classic comes with a removable cover for convenient washing. Like the Bio-Pur® inside, the cotton and polyester cover is airy and breathable to promote better airflow through the pillow.
The Amerisleep Comfort Classic comes with a 10-year warranty, helping you get a good nights sleep for years to come.
Plushbeds Goose Down Pillow
Plushbeds Goose Down pillow is a fantastic choice for back sleepers who love down pillows because it has two firmness options available. Both will be great for back sleepers depending on your body type.
Lightweight to average weight back sleepers will enjoy the medium-firm option, while heavier back sleepers will want the firm option. Regardless, both will give you that plush feeling that down is known for.
This pillow comes to you in a cotton sateen shell and feels luxuriously soft. Down can be an insulator, but Plushbeds has optimized this pillow for breathability.
What Makes the Plushbeds Goose Down Pillow Stand Out?
- This pillow is full of plush down that is also supportive enough for a neutral alignment while back sleeping.
- The goose down has been responsibly sourced.
- This pillow has been optimized for breathability and temperature regulation so it wont trap heat.
Full review to come!
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Best Pillows For Side Sleepers Video
Watch our video below to learn more about our labs top picks for pillows for side sleepers.
We provide an overview about each of our picks, covering features that set each pillow apart from the competition. Further down, well take a closer look at how pillows affect side sleeping and offer a few tips for choosing a pillow based on thickness, material composition, price, and other factors.
Labor Day Sales Are Still Going On!
Labor Day is now behind us, but many companies are still offering major holiday discounts. Check our product reviews below for discount information. You can also head to our list of Labor Day deals and discounts.
What Size Pillows Are Available
As you pillow shop, you might notice that bed pillows come in several sizes. The most common are standard, queen, and king. Some brands offer other sizes such as super standard, European sizes, or unconventional sizes, such as large body pillows.
Standard, super standard, and queen pillows usually fit into standard pillowcases. King pillows need king-sized pillow cases, however. Body pillows also require their own specially sized pillow cases.
Keep reading to learn the measurements of each pillow size, as well as who tends to prefer each size the most.
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Voted #1 Memory Foam Pillow
- Promotes Spine Health Never go another day without finding your perfect level of support! The Luxury Bamboo Pillow is completely adjustable to your sleep preference. Simply unzip the casing and add or remove foam for the ultimate nightâs rest.
- No More Headaches Our Luxury Bamboo Pillows are easy to care for and fight common non-living household allergens, dead skin, and odors!
- Saving the Planet Bamboo is one of the fastest growing renewable sources on the planet and uses less water than cotton, making these pillows a great mindful option.
- CertiPur-US Certified Our pillows are made without harmful toxins and chemicals.
Epabo Contour Memory Foam Orthopedic Sleeping Pillow
- Material: memory foam, bamboo fiber cover
- Dimensions: varies, two queen and standard sizes with different heights and widths
- Best for: all sleeping positions
As one of the more affordable anti-snore pillows, this one can easily be purchased on Amazon.
Its made out of memory foam. Its contour design is meant to allow for proper alignment of the neck, shoulders, and back, and you can adjust the fill to be higher or lower depending on your preference.
Reviewers say the pillow has helped them with neck pain and is versatile whether youre a back or side sleeper.
Depending on your height, you may need more or less support. One tall reviewer, for example, said the customer service was professional, and the company even sent him extra inserts for his pillow to reach his perfect height.
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How Often Should I Buy New Pillows
Experts at the Better Sleep Council recommend swapping out your pillow approximately every three years. But if youre waking up with back, neck, or shoulder pain, or your pillow looks a little flat, you may be due for a change. On the flip side, if your pillow has retained its shape past three-ish years, you might be in the clear for a little longer.
Xtreme Comforts Memory Foam Bed Wedge
Best for a wedge pillow
This pillow has a 30-degree angle to the mattress, which allows the user to keep their torso elevated and spine supported. The high-quality memory foam will not flatten over time.
The wedge pillow allows back sleepers who snore to continue sleeping on their backs. The design keeps the neck and spine aligned, which keeps the nasal passages open so mucus can drain away from the throat.
Pros and cons
An advantage of this pillow is its wedge shape. The shape helps elevate a persons head, which can help reduce snoring. Additionally, the memory foam fill may help reduce neck and shoulder pain, as it conforms to the shape of a persons head.
However, reviewers on the products Amazon page state that the wedge shape can be uncomfortable, with people saying they found they slept on the shallowest incline or off of the pillow altogether.
Additionally, some reviewers say that it is difficult to find a wedge-shaped pillowcase.
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What Should Back Sleepers Look For In A Pillow
There are basic guidelines to follow when searching for the best pillow for back sleepers, but ultimately, finding your best pillow will take some personal reflection. In general, back sleepers need a medium or high-loft pillow that is firm enough to hold their head in line with the rest of their body.
In this section, we break down the key things back sleepers should consider before selecting a new pillow.
How To Choose A Pillow For Neck Pain
If you experience neck pain, choosing the right pillow can be a key step toward living pain-free. The right pillow will depend on your individual needs. Well walk you through the most important considerations, including how to choose the best material, shape, and thickness for your individual sleeping style.
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