When it comes to optimizing your sleep comfort and support, your mattress isn’t the only thing that matters. It’s your pillow’s job to take the weight off your head and shoulders while providing the plush cushioning you crave after a long day. As with mattress shopping, choosing the right pillow requires careful consideration of your sleep position, firmness preferences, and the pros and cons of common materials. In this guide, we’ll dive deep into what features make the ideal pillow for your unique sleep needs.
What Makes a Pillow "Right" for You?
The right pillow is about so much more than just comfort. Your pillow plays a crucial role in supporting your head, neck, and shoulders to maintain neutral spine alignment and relieve pressure.
The spine naturally has a gentle “S” curve, sloping slightly forward at the upper back (kyphotic curve) and slightly outward at the neck and lower back (lordotic curves). Neutral spinal alignment maintains these subtle curves, without improper exaggeration or stress. Aside from comfort, your pillow’s purpose is to work with your mattress to promote this alignment.
Pillow Characteristics That Matter
Pillows possess a handful of characteristics that determine how they work, and mixing and matching these characteristics can help you find the best pillow for you.
Loft
When pillow manufacturers talk about loft, they’re referring to a pillow’s thickness and/or height. Pillow loft can vary widely, but typically falls between two and six inches. Proper pillow height is key to supporting your spine; a pillow that’s too thick may strain your neck by forcing it to curve too far, while a too-thin pillow may flatten natural curves.
Firmness
For pillows, firmness is defined by how much the pillow compresses under your weight and how much resistance it provides. Options range from soft to extra firm, and this characteristic works hand in hand with loft to provide the optimal support for neutral spine alignment.
Moldability
Moldability is about how easily your pillow changes shape when you press, fold, scrunch, or otherwise reposition it—and how well it holds that new shape to support your head and neck.
Cooling
You’ve probably heard the expression, “Cool as the flip side of your pillow,” right? The filling and cover materials you choose for your pillow determine how cool it feels. By intentionally seeking breathable or heat-dissipating options, you can find the best cooling pillow for you.
Pillow Materials: Understanding Your Options
Now that you have a better idea of what qualities to look for in a pillow, you can assess your material options. Some of the most common pillow types include:
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Memory foam pillows are made with a comfort material that conforms to your body for contoured support. They’re known for their slow response and dense feel. You’ll often see cooling materials added to memory foam pillows to offset heat retention. For example, our Cooling Gel Grid Pillow features a gel grid and cool-touch cover.
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Shredded memory foam pillows feel like a hybrid between a slab memory foam pillow and a conventional filled pillow. The loose, shredded foam adds breathability and moldability.
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Latex pillows are a natural alternative to memory foam pillows. They have a more responsive, “springier” feel and offer gentle contouring rather than conforming.
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Down, feather, and blended pillows are filled with down (the soft, fluffy feathers found on the underside of ducks and geese), stiffer exterior feathers, or a combination of the two. Down and feather pillows don’t provide as much structure as their foam counterparts, but have a cloud-like feel and great moldability.
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Down alternative pillows are filled with fluffy, hypoallergenic synthetic fibers that imitate the feel of down.
Sleep Position and Pillow Selection
With these material options in mind, sleep position should be your top consideration for choosing a pillow. This is because the way you sleep dictates the loft and support you need from your pillow.
Best Pillow for Side Sleepers: High Loft & Support
Side sleepers should look for a pillow with high loft (roughly 5 to 6 inches tall), and a firmer core to prevent their head from collapsing and disrupting spinal alignment. They should also seek out a pillow that provides shoulder gap support and plenty of pressure relief. An additional knee pillow is optional but can promote alignment by preventing hip rotation.
Best Pillow for Back Sleepers: Balanced Support
The best pillow for back sleepers doesn’t push the head too far forward or let it sink too far back—in other words, it’s right in the middle. Around 4 inches tall is the sweet spot for back sleepers, as this will fill the natural curve of the neck without elevating the head excessively. When it comes to feel, medium to medium-firm firmness typically works best, providing enough support to prevent the head from sinking too deeply while still offering pressure relief for the neck and shoulders.
Best Pillow for Stomach Sleepers: Minimal Interference
Stomach sleepers benefit most from low-loft pillows (under 3 inches tall) with soft fill that prevent excessive lumbar arching and neck strain. We also recommend a pillow made with breathable fibers and a cool cover, since stomach sleepers spend the night with their faces pressed into the pillow’s surface.
Best Pillow for Combination Sleepers: Adaptable Solutions
For sleepers who tend to switch positions throughout the night, a pillow with adjustable loft and medium, moldable fill is the gold standard.
Pillow Buying Guide
| Ideal Height | Ideal Firmness | Recommended Materials | |
| Side Sleepers | 5 to 6 inches | Medium-firm to firm | Memory foam, latex, shredded foam |
| Back Sleepers | 4 inches | Medium to medium-firm | Memory foam, latex, shredded foam, down and feather blends |
| Stomach Sleepers | Up to 3 inches | Soft | Down, down and feather blends, down alternative, shredded foam |
Finding (and Maintaining) Your Match
Now that you understand what your options include and what factors to consider, you’re ready to choose your perfect pillow.
Once you’ve found your match, taking a few simple steps can help you prolong the life of your pillow. Experts recommend washing your pillow (if possible) every three to six months, and carefully following the laundry instructions for your specific pillow type.
To keep your pillow fresh between washings, consider a cover that will help prevent stains while protecting you from exposure to allergens.
You’ll know it’s time to replace your pillow when it starts to feel flat, lumpy, otherwise uncomfortable, or if you find yourself waking up with a stiff neck. Until then, may you and your pillow sleep very happily together!
Disclaimer: Bear does not provide medical advice. All resources on the Bear blog, including this article, are informational only and do not replace professional medical counsel. Talk to your doctor about any health, mental health, or sleep-related issues.
