If you’ve ever woken up with a stiff or sore neck and thought, “Man, I have to get a better pillow,” you’re not alone (trust me). Sleeping on a pillow that doesn’t offer you the right kind of support can not only dampen the quality of your slumber, but can also affect your general well-being on a day-to-day basis. But don’t worry — Sleepopolis is here to help!
With guidance from the Sleepopolis Expert Network, I rounded up 10 pillows designed to alleviate neck pain in sleepers of all styles and positions. Keep reading to check out my top pillow picks, and learn a bit more about keeping healthy sleep posture.
Disclaimer: The content on Sleepopolis is meant to informative in nature, but it shouldn’t take the place of advice or treatment from your physician or medical professional. This review is meant to be an informative guide of options for those looking to maintain healthy posture while they sleep. User experiences and needs will vary. If you experience lasting pain, soreness, or discomfort while sleeping, it’s always a good idea to seek out a healthcare professional in person.
The Best Pillows for Neck Pain
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Choosing The Right Pillow for Neck Pain
Even if you don’t deal with chronic neck pain, choosing the right pillow is crucial to maintaining healthy posture while you sleep. If you’re pretty sure your pillow is responsible for that crick in your neck, it’s time to upgrade your sleep accessories.
I’ve chosen six different pillows designed to meet the needs of a wide range of sleepers, and they all have one very important thing in common — they help you maintain a neutral spine. Now, when it comes to alleviating neck pain, neutral spine alignment is the name of the game. Essentially, this means your head, neck, and spine are all resting in line with their natural curvature, and are not craned or strained in any way. (1)
During the course of my research, I spoke with physical therapist Dr. Keith Poorbaugh of the Sleepopolis Expert Network. He told me that if your head or neck is thrown out of neutral alignment with your spine, you’re not only at greater risk of neck pain, but it’s likely to put pressure on your shoulder and lower lumbar region as well.
Dr. Poorbaugh reminded me that since every body is built differently, the same pillow and position is not going to work for every sleeper. However, he did offer some general tips for finding healthy spine alignment:
- Position — Choose a sleeping position that supports a neutral spine. This could be represented by ears in line with shoulders, or chin in line with sternum. The primary purpose of this is to support the natural C curve of the cervical spine, which will often require pillows to be fluffed up to support the mid-cervical spine.
- Stomach Sleeping — If you can, choose a side-lying position or the supine position. Avoid the prone position, as it tends to position the upper cervical spine at end-range rotation or extension.
- Every Body is Different — Neck pain problems can range from articular (joint-related), myofascial (strains, sprains, trigger points), neurogenic (nerve irritation (tension/compression) or somatosensory (loss of positional awareness). Proper pillow support isn’t the same for everybody.
- Pillow Maintenance — After 6-8 months, check in to see if your pillow is still offering you proper support. If not, replace it as soon as possible.
With neutral spine alignment in mind, let’s dig into this pillow roundup, shall we?
Final Thoughts
Well, there ya have it, folks. Those are my top pillow picks for sleepers looking to alleviate neck pain. But remember: it would be a shame for your pillow’s hard work to go to waste because you’re sleeping on the wrong mattress. So, if you think it’s time for an upgrade, check out our guide to the best mattresses.
In the meantime, let’s recap the most important points when it comes to alleviating neck pain:
- Neutral Spine Alignment — When you’re lying in bed, you should never feel like your head is being forced out of neutral alignment with your spine. Your ears should be in line with your shoulders, and your chin should be in line with your sternum.
- Loft & Support — Different sleeping positions require different lofts and levels of firmness. Side sleepers are most compatible with a lofty build and medium firm to firm level of support. Back sleepers are best suited to a medium loft and soft-medium firmness.
- Stomach Sleepers — Stomach sleepers need to make sure their pillows are low in loft and soft in feel. The lower the loft, the less likely it is that the head will be craned upward, out of alignment with the spine.
- Adjustability — Being able to adjust the level of loft and support is a good way to customize the support that’s best suited to your specific needs/body type.
