What pillow is best for neck pain?

If you have neck pain or stiffness, especially when you wake up in the morning, a possible cause or contributing factor could be your pillow.

Check your current pillow for the three S’s:

1. Size (height)
2. Substance (material)
3. Shape

Size: What pillow height is best for neck pain?

A 2023 study gave participants long-term relief of neck pain by adjusting their pillow heights for optimal spinal alignment in side-sleeping and back-sleeping positions.1

grid of photos showing a man laying in bed with pillows that are too low, too high, and just right

When sleeping on your side, the center of your head should be in line with your neck and close to parallel to the bed. When sleeping on your back, there should be a slight (10-15 degrees) incline of your head compared to your neck and the bed.

Most of us alternate between side-sleeping and back-sleeping several times throughout the night. Try finding a pillow height that will work for both positions.

Substance: What pillow material is best for neck pain?

Does your pillow maintain its height when you lay down your head?

The average human head weighs about 10 pounds. Put a plated weight or a gallon jug of water on your pillow, and see what happens.

side by side comparison of a 10-pound weight resting on a polyester pillow vs. a memory foam pillow

A typical polyester-filled pillow (left picture) won't maintain its height, while a memory foam pillow (right picture) will maintain its height. The perfect pillow is a balance of softness and support!

A pillow made of memory foam is ideal because it can:

keep most of its height with weight
recoil back to its original height without weight
maintain this over months and years of use

Shape: What pillow design is best for neck pain?

Is your neck wider than your head? For most people, it isn’t!

But a traditional pillow shape is thicker in the middle than the edges, which lacks support for the neck.

Dr. Kuehl holding up 2 pillows next to his face. One pillow is thicker in the middle and the other pillow is thicker at the edges.

Contoured pillows are shaped to the anatomy of your head and neck — thicker under the neck to provide it with more support.

Summary: What pillow should you buy for neck pain?

If you have neck pain and your current pillow is lacking in size, substance, or shape, it may be worth investing in a new one. A contoured, memory foam pillow about 7–11cm in height is recommended for most people.2

Here are a couple of my recommendations and why:

UTTU Sandwich Pillow: its height is adjustable by adding/removing a middle layer of foam, or turning it around. This can be helpful if you don't know your ideal height and want to experiment or if you're transitioning from no/low pillows.
Dosaze Orthopedic Pillow: a unique contoured design that has higher sides than the middle for ideal spinal alignment while sleeping on your side or back. Also comes in a "King" size with more height for taller individuals.

Keep in mind that a pillow change might take time to adapt to, and you may have to give it a try for several days or weeks to notice a difference.

If you're experiencing chronic neck pain or stiffness, and it doesn't go away with a better pillow, you likely need a personalized evaluation and treatment to find and fix your problem.

If you're in the Rochester, NY area, you can get safe, effective, and lasting relief for chronic neck pain and stiffness with No Crack Chiropractic. Book your first session today.

References

1 - Yamada, S., Hoshi, T., Toda, M., Tsuge, T., Matsudaira, K., & Oka, H. (2023). Changes in neck pain and somatic symptoms before and after the adjustment of the Pillow Height. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 35(2), 106–113. https://doi.org/10.1589/jpts.35.106

2 - Radwan, A., Ashton, N., Gates, T., Kilmer, A., & VanFleet, M. (2021). Effect of different pillow designs on promoting sleep comfort, quality, & spinal alignment: A systematic review. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 42, 101269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2020.101269

Disclaimers: This information is for educational purposes only and does not replace diagnosis, treatment, or advice from a licensed healthcare professional. Links to products may be affiliation links where I receive a small commission on each sale at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Report abuse