How To Choose the Right Pillow for You?

A friend who always complained of neck and shoulder pains whenever he woke up from sleep, bought a mattress recommended by his doctor.

Despite buying this mattress, the pains remained, so we invited his doctor to the house to find out the actual problem.

The doctor told my friend to lie on the bed with his pillow in his favorite sleeping position. My friend sleeps on his back.

The doctor discovered that his pillow was too low for his sleeping position. Once more, the doctor recommended the correct pillow loft and firmness.

As expected, his night became peaceful after getting the suggested pillow. He just needed the right one.

Like it was for this friend, picking out the right pillow is essential for your sleep quality. You could either choose to struggle every time you get in bed, or follow this article to know how to choose the right pillow for you.

In this article, we will cover:

• What to consider when choosing a pillow
• How to know if your pillow is right for you
• Pillow products for each type of sleeping position
• FAQs

What to consider when choosing a pillow

You should consider the following when surfing the internet to buy a pillow.

• Support
• Sleeping position
• Firmness option
• Pillow material

Support; 

This criterion is the most curial aspect of your search for a comfortable pillow; you don’t want to buy a pillow that doesn’t match your precise needs. 

While browsing for an excellent pillow, you must choose a product that gives you a neutral spine alignment when you sleep on it.

Also, it must support your sleeping position regarding its firmness option. This article will dive deeper into sleeping positions, and d the right firmness for you with recommended products.

Tip: to know if your current pillow passes this test, lie down in your favorite sleeping position…

Then, tell a friend to take a side photo of you to know if your spine is well aligned.

Sleeping position;

Sleeping position is another vital criterion whenever you want to buy a pillow. If you don’t know your favorite sleeping position or which category it falls under, then you’re in the right place.

Types of sleeping positions

There are side, back, stomach, and combination sleepers. These sleeping positions have subcategories you’re not aware of.

Let’s dive into each of these sleeping positions briefly.

Side sleepers

There are different types of side sleepers. However, sleeping experts recommends that you sleep on your left side because it improves the health of your vital organs. The types of side sleeping positions in this category include:

• Log position: sleeping on the side with your legs straight
• Yearner position (popular among women): sleeping on your side with your hands in front and knee slightly bent
• Fetal position: (best position for pregnant women): the same as the yearner position; however, your head is slightly bent.

These positions vary in style, but the common feature is that you’re sleeping on the side. It is good to put pillows between your legs to avoid back pain. Also, these positions are popular among women and suitable for pregnant women.

Stomach sleepers

This is another popular position. However, sleeping with a pillow under your lower stomach is good for healthy sleep. It helps you defeat snoring.

Back sleepers

In this position, you sleep with your frontal body facing up. This position prevents skin wrinkles but allows snoring. Thus, to experience a sounder sleep at night, don’t use a pillow if this is your sleeping position. The types of sleeping posts in the category include:

• Soldier position: sleeping with your back on the bed with your hands and feet straight
• Starfish position: sleeping with your back on the bed with your feet and arms slightly separated from your body.

This sleeping position is dangerous for pregnant women.

Combination sleepers

Sleeping in different positions at night or any time of the day means you’re a combination sleeper.

Firmness option

There are different types of firmness options for different kinds of sleeping positions. These firmness options are:

• Soft pillow firmness option
• Medium pillow firmness option
• Firm pillow firmness option

Before diving into more details about these firmness options, you must know that they have a loft level suitable for each sleeping position.

What is the loft level?

This refers to how high or low your pillow should be as regards your favorite sleeping position…

For side sleepers, a high loft pillow is an ideal choice for you.

For back sleepers, a medium loft pillow is good.

And for stomach sleepers, a soft loft pillow is the best.

Why is this important?

Because it prevents pains experienced after waking up and sleep interruption at night due to poor airflow and helps your spine to align correctly…

Let’s combine loft level and firmness options to suggest the best pillows to buy for your favorite sleeping position.

For back sleepers, a medium loft pillow with medium firmness is a decent choice. Pillows with memory foam are the best choice because it supports your spine and prevents sleep interruption at night.

For side sleepers, a high loft pillow (4 inches and above) with firm firmness is an excellent option for you. When you sleep with this pillow, your spine is aligned straight; thus, preventing neck and shoulder pain.

For stomach sleepers, a low loft pillow with super soft firmness is the best for your ideal night’s sleep. 

Also, an interesting tip for extra support as a stomach sleeper is to get a second pillow of the same loft and firmness under your lower abdomen.

For combination sleepers, it’s excellent to get an adjustable pillow…

Now, if you’re confused about what adjustable pillow to buy, this article will walk you through the suitable products to satisfy your needs.

Pillow material

Pillow material is essential for your taste; sometimes, you might want a pillow that gives you that slow-sink-in feel or bouncy experience.

This section will suggest top-notch materials suitable for your sleeping position and taste.

For back sleepers, a pillow with memory foam is the best the help align your spine and prevent poor air flow to your lungs. Thus, you’re bound to have a good night’s sleep… 

You’ll experience that slow-sink-in feeling…

However, latex is the best option if you want a bouncy pillow experience.

For side sleepers with sensitive skin, organic pillow materials are ideal for helping you overcome that roadblock preventing you from having the best night’s sleep experience.

Also, for side sleepers that are also hot sleepers, a pillow with shredded memory foam is suitable for a cool sleep experience.

For stomach sleepers, you need a pillow material that is super soft and foldable. Latex material is an excellent example because they are breathable and support your spine alignment.

 

How to know if your pillow is the right one for you

For side sleepers

Your head shouldn’t bend down too much because it will lead to shoulder and neck pain.

When you lie on your pillow, take a photo of your back to see if, from your head to your back lower lumbar is straight.

A 4 inches high loft firm pillow – or higher if your shoulders are broader – is an ideal choice for a side sleeper to provide balance and alignment between the head and the spine.

For back sleepers

Your head shouldn’t fall back too much or bend forward. A medium loft pillow with medium firmness balances your head and aligns your spine correctly.

For stomach sleepers

Your head shouldn’t tilt upward when you sleep on your stomach because it can cause shoulder and neck pain. A low-loft soft pillow is the best option to give you a balance of support.

For combination sleepers

Your pillow should be adjustable so your spine will always be aligned when you move about on your bed.

Pillow products for each type of sleeping position

 

Pillow products for side sleepers

Eli & Elm

This is an incredible product for side sleepers. The shape of this pillow is different.

It comes in an ergonomic shape that supports your head, neck, and back. Thus, if you are a side sleeper and experience neck pain when you wake up, this pillow is the best choice to solve that problem.

Features

• The material is made of cotton fabric.
• It contains shredded latex, which makes the pillow breathable
• It is suitable for side sleepers who are also hot sleepers
• You can adjust the pillow to your taste by removing some shredded latex. It’s adjustable
• The pillow comes with an ergonomic shape that provides the perfect balance of support for you
• Eli & Elm gives you 45 days trial period

Get your Eli & Elm pillow today

Purple harmony pillow

This is the best latex pillow if you’re looking for that bouncy experience as a side sleeper. It comes in two loft options which are standard and tall.

The standard loft option is for you if your shoulders are not very broad, while the tall loft option is for you if your shoulders are wider.

Feature

• The cover of this pillow is spandex material which helps to keep the pillow cool and breathable.
• Inside the pillow, it’s filled with vented Talalay latex which is firm enough to provide you with that balance of support on your head and spine.
• It is decent for side sleepers who are also hot sleepers
• The purple pillow provides you with 100 nights trial period
• The loft of the pillow is high and has a firm feel
• It provides you with that bouncy experience

Get your Purple Harmony Pillow today

Layla kapok

This is the best memory option if you like that slow-skin-in feel when you sleep on your side. Also, this pillow keeps you cool at night and provides an excellent balance of support for your head and spine.

Features

• The pillow material is made from kapok fiber and stretches knit cotton. This feature makes the pillow breathable and eco-friendly.
• It’s filled with shredded memory foam. Thus, you won’t complain about feeling hot when using the pillow. The shredded memory foam allows air to flow with the pillow.
• The pillow’s loft is high and has a firm feel that supports side sleepers.
• You can adjust this pillow to suit your taste
• It is a good choice for hot sleepers
• This pillow is a good choice if you experience shoulder pain as a side sleeper.
• Layla provides you with a five-year warranty.
• 120 nights of trail

Get your Layla Kapok pillow today

Coop Body Pillow

If you are a side sleeper who prefers to hug your pillow when you sleep, never feel lonely at night with a coop body pillow.

Features

• It’s soft and breathable.
• It’s suitable for hot sleepers.
• You can adjust it to your taste.

Get your Body pillow today.

 

Pillow products for back sleepers

Bear pillow

The bear pillow gives you that slow-sink-in feeling when you lie on it. It also provides good back support to align your spine, giving you a good night’s sleep.

Features

• The pillow material is made of cooling fabric and a yarn cover, which keeps you relaxed throughout the night.
• It is a medium loft with medium firmness
• It’s filled with memory foam
• The pillow material is breathable and allows airflow

Get your bear pillow today

TEMPUR-Cloud

This pillow is suitable for back sleepers who are hot sleepers—the materials used in making this pillow provide that cooling feature. Thus, you won’t experience heat at night, and your sleep won’t be interrupted.

Features

• It is made of 100% cotton proprietary TEMPUR material. This material makes the pillow breathable.
• It‘s a suitable pillow for hot sleepers.
• It comes with memory foam which gives you that slow-sink-in experience
• It’s a medium loft with medium firmness. This feature provides support between your head and back so that your head doesn’t fall backward or tilt upward

Get your TEMPUR-Cloud pillow now

Pillow product for stomach sleepers

Saatva latex

This is an organic pillow, the best for stomach sleepers. This pillow is suitable for all sleeping positions because it’s adjustable.

For back sleepers, remove the pillow inside to give you that low-loft soft feel.

Features

• It’s eco-friendly for stomach sleepers that love eco-friendly products
• The pillow material is an organic cotton cover that is soft and breathable
• It contains shredded latex, which allows airflow and prevents a hot sleeping experience
• It’s adjustable with its pillow-in-pillow design with micro denser fiber.

Get your Saatva Latex pillow now.

Birch Eco-Rest

Birch Eco-Rest is an organic and eco-friendly pillow. It’s healthy and breathable for stomach sleepers. It also provides excellent support to balance your neck and spine.

Features

• The pillow material is made of organic cotton cover
• It’s eco-friendly
• It also comes with a recycled polyester fill which gives a soft and moldable feel.
• It’s breathable and has cooling features for hot sleepers.

Get your Birch Eco-Rest pillow today

Pillow product for combination sleepers

Finally, we’ve arrived at the products suitable for combination sleepers…

Here, you should get a pillow that can adjust to your taste and comfort.

Good pillow products for combo sleepers

Eli & Elm

This is an incredible product for combo sleepers. The shape of this pillow is different…

It comes in an ergonomic shape that supports your head, neck, and back. Thus, if you’re a combo sleeper, this pillow is ideal because it supports all your movement on the bed.

Features

• The material is made of cotton fabric.
• It contains shredded latex, which makes the pillow breathable
• It is suitable for combo sleepers who are also hot sleepers
• You can adjust the pillow to your taste by removing some shredded latex. It’s adjustable
• The pillow comes with an ergonomic shape that provides a perfect balance of support for you
• Eli & Elm gives you 45 days trial period

Get your Eli & Elm pillow today

Layla kapok

This is the best memory option if you like that slow-skin feel when sleeping in different positions. Also, this pillow keeps you cool at night and provides an excellent balance of support for your head, back, and shoulders.

Features

• The pillow material is made from kapok fiber and stretches knit cotton. This feature makes the pillow breathable and eco-friendly.
• It’s filled with shredded memory foam. Thus, you won’t complain about feeling hot when using the pillow. The shredded memory foam allows air to flow with the pillow.
• You can adjust this pillow to suit your taste as a combo sleeper
• It is a good choice for hot sleepers
• Layla provides you with a five-year warranty
• 120 nights of trail

Get your Layla Kapok pillow today

 

FAQs

How do I know if my pillow is right for me?

You shouldn’t feel pressure on your neck and shoulders when lying on your pillow. Also, if you’re a back sleeper, you should be able to breathe freely. Click to know if your pillow has passed this criterion.

Which type of pillow is best for sleeping?

It depends on your favorite sleeping position, taste, and comfort. This article has extensively researched the right pillow for your convenience at night.

What is the best pillow for all sleeping positions?

The best pillow for all sleeping positions has an adjustable feature. This means you can remove the filling to adjust the pillow’s loft to your taste…

However, make sure the pillow gives your spine a neutral alignment.

How do I prevent back pain as a stomach sleeper?

You can prevent back pain by placing a pillow underneath your lower abdomen.