The best pillows for neck pain help solve the woes of unhappy sleepers. These bedding must-haves allow you to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle your day—not sore, cranky and worn out. In that sense, these pillows are just as important as a sturdy mattress or a just-right down comforter: They really can have a direct impact on the quality of your life. (Our top pick is the Tempur-Pedic Tempur Neck Pillow, which follows the natural curve of your head and neck—but we’ve got plenty of other great options ahead.) Show
With its contoured shape that follows the natural curve of your spine, the Tempur-Pedic Tempur Neck ... [+] Pillow is one of the best pillows for neck pain. ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILERSScientists and doctors confirm as much. According to Nicole Nagle, DPT, an assistant professor in the department of kinesiology and health at Rutgers University, getting a pillow that will support your neck is crucial. A proper pillow keeps your head parallel with your mattress, rather than bent up or down, she points out. You’re also going to want to pass on anything that’s too flat or too puffy, as that will throw off your alignment and put you at risk for even more pain. Ready to change up your pillow situation? Ahead, find our favorite pillows for neck pain, each of which provides just the right amount of support to ease your pain and transform your nights.
Best Pillow For Neck Pain OverallA Bestselling Option With A Gentle Contour That Cradles Your HeadMOST POPULAR Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Neck PillowMaterial: Tempur foam | Firmness: Firm | Contoured: Yes Tempur-Pedic is a huge name in the sleep world, and with good reason: The company knows how to make a quality product. This ergonomic pillow has a wavy shape to follow the natural curve of your head and neck. The pillow’s Tempur material never loses its shape and is designed to help relieve pressure and support you while you sleep. Choose from three sizes—small, medium and large—to find the pillow that’s right for you and your neck. Pros:
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Best Memory Foam Pillow For Neck PainA Perfectly Shaped Pillow To Hold Your Neck In PlaceAmazon
Epabo Contour Memory Foam PillowMaterial: Memory foam | Firmness: Firm | Contoured: Yes A pillow that contours to your body—especially the neck area—can make a world of difference for anyone with chronic pain. This pillow from Epabo features a strategic ergonomic design to help support and cradle your head, neck and shoulders, allowing you to drift off into uninterrupted sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. Breathable memory foam helps keep this pillow’s shape and allows you to stay cool and sweat-free while you sleep. Pros:
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Best Cervical Pillow For Neck PainAn Ergonomic Wonder With Built-In ArmrestsAmazon Elviros Cervical Memory Foam PillowMaterial: Memory foam, viscose, polyester | Firmness: Firm | Contoured: Yes Prefer a more traditional cervical pillow to tackle your neck pain? The Elviros Cervical Memory Foam Pillow has you covered. It has a butterfly-shaped contour to perfectly support your neck while you sleep, while aligning your head with the rest of your body and spine. A slope in the center also keeps your head from drifting out of position while you sleep. Special cut-outs on the side help provide a comfortable spot for your arms to rest. Pros:
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Best Neck Pain Pillow For Side SleepersA Pillow For Extra Support, Even On Your SideAmazon Eli & Elm Side Sleeper PillowMaterial: Latex, polyester | Firmness: Plush (and adjustable) | Contoured: Yes Specially designed for side sleepers, Eli & Elm’s side sleeper pillow has a unique U-shape to support your neck and promote spinal alignment. The pillow is adjustable, so you can find the level of firmness and fill that works best for you. It’s also anti-microbial, mildew-proof and dust mite-resistant, if allergies are a concern. Happen to spill something on your pillow? The cover unzips and can be tossed in the wash. Pros:
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Best Cooling Pillow For Neck PainA Beloved Option That Prevents Night Sweats And Doesn’t Lose Its ShapeMaterial: Polyurethane foam, polyester | Firmness: Soft | Contoured: No Made from hyper-elastic polymers arranged in a smart-comfort grid, The Purple Pillow is specifically designed for head and neck support. A temperature-neutral gel grid allows for passive airflow while a moisture-wicking breeze mesh cover keeps you cool while you sleep. Thanks to its futuristic fill material, it never loses its shape and delivers consistent comfort and relief to the neck. And adjustable height boosters allow you to tailor it to your exact need. Pros:
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Best Budget Pillow For Neck PainAn Inexpensive Pillow That’s Seriously EffectiveAmazon Core Products D-Core Cervical Support PillowMaterial: Cotton, polyester | Firmness: Extra firm | Contoured: Yes Don’t let the low price fool you—this pillow has plenty of features that make it great for neck pain. Its unique D-shaped center helps cradle your head while its structured cervical roll aligns your neck while you sleep on your back. It also has a firm feel for next-level support. Choose from full and mid-size options—both fit into a standard pillow case. Pros:
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Best Pillow For Neck Pain For Stomach SleepersA Thin But Supportive OptionAmazon Bluewave Bedding Ultra Slim Gel Memory Foam PillowMaterial: Bamboo, polyester | Firmness: Firm | Contoured: No While stomach sleeping isn’t recommended when you have neck pain, you can only do so much to adjust your go-to position. The Bluewave Bedding Ultra Slim Gel Memory Foam Pillow can help. This pillow is thin and flat, making it perfect for those who like to snooze on their stomach. It’s also infused with cooling gel to shuttle away extra heat and keep you comfortable while you sleep. The whole thing is encased in a bamboo-polyester cover that wicks away moisture. Pros:
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Best Firm Pillow For Neck PainAn Adjustable Option For Those Who Can’t Decide What Thickness They Love MostNest Bedding Nest Bedding Easy Breather PillowMaterial: Shredded memory foam, latex and polyester fiber| Firmness: Firm (and adjustable) | Contoured: No Nest Bedding’s Easy Breather pillow is fully adjustable, so you can find the level of firmness that’s right for you. A nice perk: It comes overstuffed so, if your pillow preferences lean heavily on the side of extra-firm, you should be good to go right out of the box. The pillow offers up firm but soft support to mimic the feel of a down pillow, while still cradling your neck while you sleep. There’s also a contoured version that’s made specifically for side sleepers. Pros:
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Best Unconventional Pillow For Neck PainA Well-Contoured Option For All Types Of SleepersAmazon Mediflow Water PillowMaterial: Polyester| Firmness: Adjustable | Contoured: No A pillow filled with water may seem a little unconventional, but that just might be what your neck needs. An independent study from researchers at Johns Hopkins University has even proven the effectiveness of water pillows for reducing pain in the morning. Mediflow’s water pillow is fully adjustable—just add or take out water as needed. The pillow can be on the firmer or on the softer side depending on how you fill it, and you can experiment to get that just-right feel. Pros:
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Best Adjustable Pillow For Neck PainAn Ideal Option For People With AllergiesAmazon Coop Home Goods Eden Queen PillowMaterial: Memory foam, bamboo-derived viscose rayon, polyester | Firmness: Plush (and adjustable) | Contoured: No Made to avoid the dreaded “pillow pinch”—when a pillow’s fill slides out from under your neck and support vanishes—this memory foam pillow from Coop Home Goods is a sturdy option that makes support a priority. It comes with extra fill you can add or remove for maximum comfort, and it’s also hypoallergenic and dust mite-resistant to help lower the risk you’ll wake up with a stuffy nose. Pros:
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Best Orthopedic Pillow For Neck PainAn Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow That’s Universally HelpfulAmazon Uttu Sandwich PillowMaterial: Memory foam, bamboo viscose| Firmness: Medium-firm| Contoured: Yes The gentle wave of the Uttu Sandwich Pillow helps support your neck while you sleep. Unlike some other memory foam pillows, the Uttu has adjustable heights. It’s originally filled with a high contour of 4.7 inches and 3.9 inches of low contour. If you remove the middle layer, you’ll get 3.5 inches on the high contour and 2.8 inches on the low contour. This pillow also has a cover made of 40% bamboo viscose for a cooling feel to keep you from overheating at night. It also works for side, back and stomach sleepers. Pros:
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How We Chose The Best Pillows For Neck PainTo choose the best pillows for neck pain, we did a deep-dive into dozens of the top brands on the market and rounded up their top-selling pillow models. Next, we narrowed down the field using factors like customer reviews, comfort ratings and overall value. We also spoke with a physical therapist, who confirmed the qualities we should be looking for in the best pillows for neck pain. Finally, several of our staffers shared their own personal experiences and favorite purchases, helping us to further narrow the field of top contenders. How To Select The Best Pillow For Neck Pain“At night when you lay down to sleep, you want your head to be properly supported so that your neck muscles can relax,” says Nicole Nagle, DPT. With the wrong pillow, “your neck muscles are working overtime at night and this is not going to help your neck pain,” she says. Nagle recommends keeping the following factors in mind when looking for a pillow to help ease pain:
Which Pillow Is Best For Neck Pain?There isn’t one single pillow out there that’s perfect for everyone, but the best pillow for neck pain has two main characteristics: it’s firm enough to keep your head at a neutral angle so your spine stays aligned while you sleep, but yet somehow soft enough to allow some give to help alleviate pressure points. That’s why we like the Tempur-Pedic Tempur Neck Pillow—it checks all the boxes. Memory foam and feather pillows are excellent options because they provide support, but also cradle your head to keep your spine neutral. Cervical pillows—the ones that have a depression in the center and raised edges—are also top picks. Keep in mind that the best pillow for neck pain may not feel totally comfortable at first. It can take some getting used to, so give it a little time. How Should I Sleep To Avoid Neck Pain?To avoid neck pain, it’s best to sleep on your back or your side. Your head and neck should be on your pillow, while your shoulders remain slightly below it. Your head should also be parallel to the mattress, rather than tilted at an angle. What Type Of Pillow Is Best For Side Sleepers With Neck Pain?It depends. Comfort, support and proper alignment are crucial, Nagle says, and you want to find a pillow that will meet all of those needs. We like the Eli & Elm Side Sleeper Pillow for its level of firmness and unique shape that tailors to side sleepers. Do Higher Pillows Help With Neck Pain?Not necessarily. If your pillow is too high, it can throw your spine out of alignment and create even more pain, Nagle says. Ideally, you want to look for a pillow with a medium height to help you achieve this. If you’re unsure if a particular pillow’s height is right for you, opt for an adjustable pillow. What kind of pillow is best for side sleepers with neck pain?Water pillows are “perfect for any type of sleep position and many are chiropractor-approved, as the firmness provides the support for head, neck, and spine alignment that will help individuals with chronic pain,” explains McGinn.
What kind of pillow is best for side and stomach sleepers?Firmness. Medium-firm pillows are usually best for combination sleepers because they provide the right amount of support for side and back sleepers. 4 If you often sleep on your stomach, too, you might want a softer pillow that will give you a comfortable lower loft when needed.
What helps side sleeper neck pain?If you sleep on your side, keep your spine straight by using a pillow that is higher under your neck than your head. When you are riding in a plane, train, or car, or even just reclining to watch TV, a horseshoe-shaped pillow can support your neck and prevent your head from dropping to one side if you doze.
What pillow do chiropractors recommend for neck pain?Only use a cervical pillow if you are a back sleeper – Cervical pillows are designed for back sleepers and will not be effective for side sleepers. Even back sleepers usually do better with a memory foam or hybrid pillow.
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