Pillows for a comfortable sleep. The sleeping position is a key factor in choosing the best one pillow both for alignment of the body as well as for comfort. Fortunately for consumers, plenty of pillows are labeled for specific sleeping positions.
See Additional Factors Affecting Sleep Comfort
Using a pillow while sleeping on your back
When lying on your back, a pillow should support the natural curvature or lordosis of the cervical spine, with adequate support under the head, neck and shoulders. The height of the pillow must be lower than that of the side layers.
See Neck Pain Pillows
Placing another pillow or two under the knees further relieves any back strain. Pillows tend to flatten the lumbar curve, reducing pressure on the facet joints at the back of the spine.
See Pulled back muscles and back strain
This position is the best overall to help the back rest comfortably, and many people find that this is the only way they can sleep during a severe bout of back pain or while recovering from spinal surgery.
See Practical tips for recovering from back surgery
Using a pillow while sleeping on your side
When lying on the side, a pillow should support the head and neck so that the spine maintains a straight and natural horizontal line. Side sleepers need a thicker pillow than back sleepers.
Bending the knees and placing another pillow between the knees keeps the spine in a neutral position. When there is no support between the legs, the upper leg rotates downward, pulling on the pelvis and distorting the natural line of the spine. A firm pillow between the knees usually prevents this downward rotation better than a softer pillow.
Adding support between the knees can prevent back pain and allow the back to heal and rest better while you sleep.
See the common causes of back and neck pain
There is limited research on side sleeper pillows. A small study found the latex pillow to be the most helpful of the five types tested (contour foam, regular foam, polyester, feather, and standard latex. Study participants reported greater cervical stiffness when they woke up after the use of a feather pillow, with symptoms continuing well into the day.1
Pillows for a comfortable sleep.
Here's how to treat a stiff neck after sleep
- Cushion support and comfort
- The best pillows for different sleeping positions
- Different types of pillows
- Video on the best pillows for neck or back pain
- Using a pillow while sleeping on your stomach
Sleeping on the stomach is the most stressful position for the back and neck. Their doctors may advise patients to avoid stomach sleeping if they have certain spinal conditions or after spinal surgery.
If sleeping or resting on the stomach is preferred, the pillow should be relatively flat or the head should rest directly on the mattress so that the head and neck not to strain. In this position, it is often best to place another relatively flat pillow under the abdomen or pelvis to help the lower back maintain its natural alignment.
See Ten tips for improving posture and ergonomics
Pillows for mixed bedrooms
People with different sleeping positions should look for a pillow that has higher areas for side sleepers and lower areas for back sleepers. A pillow with a mixture of different fillers or a buckwheat hull pillow can also be helpful. Using a single all-purpose pillow is likely to result in a pillow that is too high for back sleepers and too low for side sleepers.
Orthopedic pillows offer extra neck support
Headshot by Marco Funiciello
Video of the best pillows for neck or back pain
A contoured pillow to fill the gaps under the head and neck can be helpful for people with cervical spine problems. Also called neck pillows or orthopedic pillows, this type of pillow has a deeper cavity where the head rests and extra support under the neck.
See Anatomy of the Cervical Spine
People with neck pain may prefer these pillows as they help keep the neck in alignment with the spine. Some people find these pillows uncomfortable at first, but useful in the long run.
See Neck Pain Pillows
Body pillows suit many needs. Pillows for a comfortable sleep.
A pillow as long as the body can serve many functions for people who prefer to sleep on their side. The upper part can support the head and neck, while the lower part supports the knees and feet. One style, J-shaped with space for the ear, is designed to keep the head in proper spinal alignment.
Using a body pillow is sometimes preferred over using separate pillows for the head and knees. Women who are pregnant may also appreciate the added support for the abdomen.
See Managing back pain in pregnancy
Throwing the upper leg too far into the body pillow while sleeping on the side can cause twisting of the lower back and should be avoided. The legs should remain aligned, right on top of each other, with the pillow in between
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