Neck pain is the WORST. There’s no debating it. That being said, there is some debate as to the best way to deal with that neck pain. Medical research shows that neck pain can be caused by:
- Muscle strains
- Worn joints
- Nerve compression
- Injuries
- Diseases
Of these five, THREE can be directly impacted by your sleep habits (specifically your pillow choice). Strained muscles, compressed nerves, and recurring injuries all require support, stability, and alignment during sleep, and pillows designed for neck pain are some of the best ways to help address the root causes of these problems.
We put together a guide to make sure you pick out the best pillow for neck pain possible, plus help inform you on what makes certain pillows great!
Our Guide Covers:
- The Importance of Neck Support
- Shape and Design
- Sleeping Positions
- Material Quality and Safety
- Brand Reputation
Want to see our recommendations?
The Importance of Proper Neck Support
The primary purpose of a pillow is to support your head and neck while you sleep. For individuals with neck pain, this support is crucial for maintaining proper alignment and reducing strain on the neck muscles. A pillow that is too firm or too soft can exacerbate neck pain, so it’s important to find the right balance.
- What to look for: A pillow that uses quality memory foam. Memory foam provides gentle support without sacrificing your comfort.
- What to avoid: Pillows that are too thin, thick, or aren’t designed to specifically cradle your neck.
Shape and Design
When it comes to pillows for neck pain, shape and design play a significant role. Contoured pillows, for example, are specially shaped to provide support to the natural curve of your neck. This can help alleviate pressure points and reduce the risk of waking up with a stiff neck. Other features, such as “winged” designs that provide support for your arms while allowing you to move around comfortably, can also be beneficial.
- What to look for: Pillows that are shaped in a way that supports the neck and head, keeping it in proper alignment. Often, these are labeled as “orthopedic” or “contoured” pillows.
- What to avoid: Pillows that don’t have a design element specifically for neck support. Old-school, traditional pillows may be extremely cheap, but that’s often at the cost of your sleep.
Versatility for Different Sleeping Positions
The most popular sleeping position in the world is the side-sleeper, but consider your preferred sleeping position when choosing a pillow. Whether you sleep on your back, side, or stomach, the pillow should provide adequate support and maintain proper alignment of your spine. Look for pillows that are suitable for all sleeping positions to ensure maximum comfort and support throughout the night.
- What to look for: Pillows that are designed for side and combination sleepers.
- What to avoid: Traditional pillow designs that aren’t tailored to combination sleepers. These pillows ultimately result in neck pain, especially for side and stomach sleepers.
Material Quality
The quality of the pillow’s materials can also impact its effectiveness in relieving neck pain. Memory foam pillows are known for their ability to contour to the shape of your head and neck, providing personalized support. Additionally, look for pillows made from certified materials that are free from harmful chemicals and allergens.
- What to look for: Ideally, a pillow should be CertiPUR-US Certified, which makes sure it’s free from lead, mercury, and formaldehyde. Your head is going to be on this thing for eight hours a day! Also, an allergen-free cooling cover can keep you breathing easy and cool. Most brands offer this.
- What to avoid: Non-certified foams and cheap knockoff pillows. You can’t guarantee what you are laying your head on!
Brand Reputation and Return Policies
When purchasing a pillow for neck pain, it’s important to consider the reputation of the brand and their return policies. A reputable brand with positive customer reviews is more likely to offer high-quality products. Additionally, look for brands that offer generous return policies, as this allows you to try the pillow and return it if it doesn’t meet your expectations.
- What to look for: Reviews, Reviews, Reviews! Make sure a pillow has REAL people talking about it. Also, it can be tough to find the perfect pillow, so a fantastic return policy (or even a long-term trial) is ideal.
- What to avoid: Companies that are clearly ripoffs or even major brands that aren’t super clear about their return policies and trials. Don’t be stuck paying a shipping bill!
Our Recommendations
There are a lot of pillows out there, but not all of them are great for neck pain and headaches. Here are some of our favorites, plus a little on why:
We picked the Dosaze Contoured Orthopedic Pillow as our Overall Best for a few reasons (the competition was tough).
This pillow is great if you are a back, side, combination back and side, or stomach sleeper. Because the center of the pillow is a different height (lower) than the sides, you can sleep in the center as a back or stomach sleeper (who usually require lower heights) or on the edges of the pillow (which are higher) as a side sleeper. If you are a combination back and side sleeper, you can sleep on the edges of the pillow when side sleeping or roll to the center of the pillow when sleeping on your back. You cannot do this on the Sutera pillow (due to the “wings”).
It also provides the perfect combination of comfort and support – the foam isn’t too firm, nor is it too soft. I would describe it as firm enough to support my head (so my neck stays aligned and my head doesn’t sink too much into the pillow) but also soft enough so that my ears do not hurt when I use it.
This pillow distinguishes itself from other pillows for neck pain in four ways: (1) the quality of the materials, (2) the innovative shape, (3) the fact that it works for all sleepers, and (4) the customer experience.
- quality materials – the foam in this pillow is CertiPUR-US certified (unlike many other pillows, including Sutera). The cover is also made of bamboo, unlike other pillows, which tend to use 100% polyester or other scratchy materials. This memory foam has the perfect ILD (indentation load deflection). The foam is not too firm, nor is it too soft.
- Innovative shape—This pillow’s innovative contour is amazing. It does wonders to align your neck and back and keeps your neck in place throughout the night. This reduces neck pain, tension headaches, and even alleviates snoring and sleep apnea (because your airways won’t get blocked). Other pillows have tried to copy this shape, but I found this one to be the best, by far.
- Actually works for all sleepers – the shape of this pillow is ideal for two reasons: (1) it aligns your head and neck and keeps it in place and (2) if you are a combination sleeper (and sleep on your back and side), you can sleep on the edge of the pillow (which is higher) when you side sleep and you can roll into the middle of the pillow (into the contour) when you sleep on your back. Stomach sleepers (who usually stay on their stomachs) can sleep in the contour.
- customer experience – I had the best experience purchasing this pillow. The Dosaze team was incredibly responsive when my pillow got lost in the mail, and sent me one free of charge. They also offer a 60 day sleep trial and 3-year-warranty.
This pillow is seriously a case of you get what you pay for – with high quality materials, an innovative shape, and incredible customer service and experience, this pillow is the best option if you want to alleviate neck pain.
And don’t take our word for it; other review sites have come to the same conclusion that the Dosaze pillow is the best pillow for neck pain. You can even check out the Dosaze pillow reviews on the site itself, if you don’t believe us.
You can see that this pillow is great for side and back sleepers. For back sleepers, it is perfect to sleep with your head in the contour. For side sleepers, it is great to sleep on the edges of the pillow – it will fill your shoulder gap and ensure that you sleep in perfect alignment all night long. If you are a combination sleeper, you can roll from on side to the middle and to the other side.
UPDATE (3 months later!): We’ve tested for 8 months now, and it is still the best one. We’re still overall impressed with the overall quality and durability of this pillow.
Best known for their mattresses, the Swedish company also has a great array of foam pillow products. It is ergonomically-sound and made with memory foam in order to give you solid support when you’re on your side or back. Additionally, the pillow is contoured in order to curve naturally around your head, neck, and shoulders to prevent any unnecessary stress or pressure on pivotal joints. While the polyester outer layer can be removed and machine washed, it’s important to note that this product does have an odd time fitting into pillowcases.
This is a great pillow produced by a well-known company. You can tell by feeling the memory foam that it is high quality. This is a great pillow for side sleepers, but it isn’t as good for combination back and side sleepers. The primary reason for this is that the contour is merely a single “wave” – this wave doesn’t prevent your head from moving side to side as a back or combination sleeper, and so it doesn’t align your neck as well as other contoured memory foam pillows.
If you’re looking for a trusted name in the industry, this is a good option. However, we feel as though there are other, better designed pillows in the market. This company specializes in mattresses, and while their pillow offering is good, it isn’t the best available, especially for the price.
As you can see, this pillow was relatively aligned when I slept on my side, but it was too high when I slept on my back. This pillow has a “contour” which can be helpful, but because it is one consistent height throughout the pillow, it actually isn’t best for combination sleepers who require different heights when sleeping in different positions.
This graphite-infused memory foam pillow is a combination of memory foam and latex foam pillow – you can definitely feel the quality of the fill when you sleep on it. The pillow has a good level of firmness – it isn’t too firm, and it is not too soft. It definitely provides enough support for your head.
The pillow also sleeps relatively cool – the graphite infused memory foam and the latex foam are generally cooler than most memory foams. It is overall a good pillow, but we had two primary issues with this pillow.
- Price / Value – this pillow is expensive, there is simply no other way to put it. While the fill is good quality, we would have also expected a higher quality cover (than just cotton) for a pillow of this price. It is significantly more expensive than others on the market. We think the quality of this pillow justifies some price increase, but definitely not this large of a price increase
- No specific neck pain reduction features – this is a great overall pillow, but it doesn’t do too much too help reduce neck pain. It is not adjustable and does not have an innovative shape or design to help reduce neck pain, and you can tell by sleeping on this pillow. It definitely does not help reduce neck pain as much as other pillows do, but it is a high-quality pillow nonetheless.
How To Decide Which Pillow Is Best For You
Deciding on the perfect pillow for neck pain relief is a personal journey for everyone. As you explore your options, think about what matters most to you:
- Shape: Is this truly shaped for neck pain?
- Design: What kind of sleeper am I? Do I need something simple or a pillow designed for combination sleepers?
- Material: High-quality materials are a little bit pricier, but you want to ensure you are sleeping safely.
- Brand reputation: The only way to get a product you trust is to go with a brand that people have good experiences with. Anything else is a risk.
By choosing a pillow that feels just right, you can wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day!
