Best Sleep Apnea Pillows (2025)

The Helix Wedge Pillow is my pick for the best pillow for sleep apnea because it’s made to improve breathing and circulation. Wedge pillows elevate the upper body to help keep the airway open throughout the night, lowering the risk of obstruction and minimizing snoring. We also love this memory foam pillow’s affordable price tag, which often drops below $100 on sale. Our product testers gave the Helix Wedge Pillow a 4 out of 5 or higher in materials, value, and care. The Helix is a standout option for folks seeking an affordable, low-maintenance pillow to help combat their OSA symptoms.

What we loved most about the Helix Wedge Pillow is that it punches well above its weight for the price. Product tester Livvi DiCicco awarded the Helix pillow 4.5 and 4 stars for its price and materials, respectively. For just under $110 (and often under $100 when on sale), you get a durable pillow that caters to folks with sleep apnea. It’s also hypoallergenic and includes a layer of gel memory foam for added cushioning and comfort.

“Upon taking the Helix Wedge Pillow out of the box, I thought the memory foam felt thick, durable, and well-made,” Livvi said. “I also appreciate its reasonable price. If folks want a wedge pillow for a one-time condition like surgery, they may not want to fork over a lot of money. I think this is a good option for those sleepers.”

Livvi was also impressed with its versatility. Aside from sleeping with it, she enjoyed using this pillow to prop up her legs and remove pressure from them after a long day of activity. She also enjoyed using this pillow to work from home in her bed.

“I love using the Helix Wedge Pillow under my knees, especially after a long day of moving,” Livvi said. “ I also like turning it the ‘wrong’ way to sit up in bed and work from my laptop. It’s a godsend for working from home.”

Additionally, if you’re looking for a long-term sleep apnea pillow, you’ll appreciate its easy care instructions. The pillow itself is spot-clean only, while the cover is machine-washable. Livvi gave the Helix a 4.5 out of 5 for care because you should be able to throw the cover in the laundry with the rest of your bedding and forget about it.

However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind about the Helix Wedge Pillow. Livvi noted that it may be difficult for people to get comfortable on this pillow if they have longer torsos and shorter legs. She warned these sleepers may feel too far up on the slope to get comfortable. Livvi was also unable to get enough sinkage from this pillow to rest comfortably on her side, so this may be a better option for back sleepers overall.

If your mission is to combat potential allergens alongside sleep apnea symptoms, you’re probably already looking for organic and hypoallergenic bedding products. Fortunately, this is exactly what you get from the Avocado Organic Latex Wedge Pillow. Like other Avocado products, the wedge pillow contains GOLS-certified organic Dunlop latex and organic cotton without synthetic materials or volatile organic compounds. Our product tester Kate Meier gave it a 4 out of 5 or higher across every category, including a perfect 5-star rating for its materials, care instructions, and experience.

The materials used in the Avocado Organic Latex Wedge Pillow are hard to beat. Thankfully, they aren’t hard to wash. Kate appreciated that the pillow came with a washable cover that had handles for added portability. She gave this pillow 5-star ratings for its materials and care because she was impressed with its high-quality organic fabrics and low-maintenance instructions.

“Caring for the Avocado pillow is pretty simple,” Kate said. “All you have to do is wash the cover. There are instructions on the Avocado website on how to do so. Just remember not to put the cover in the dryer. I drape the cover over a chair, and it’s dry and ready to use within a few hours.”

Most importantly, though, Kate awarded the Avocado Organic Latex Wedge pillow a perfect 5 out of 5 for her sleep experience. She was impressed with its ability to keep her elevated while sleeping on her back and enjoyed how cool it was.

“Overall, I love this pillow for everything,” Kate said. “I’m a combo back-and-side sleeper. Some nights, I use this as my main pillow when I sleep on my back and need a gradual slope to alleviate pressure and help open up my airways. Other nights, especially if my legs are sore after a hard workout, I use it to prop my legs up while I sleep.”

The only drawbacks Kate could find about the Avocado Organic Latex Wedge Pillow were its price tag and appearance. Since the Avocado uses organic materials, it’s more expensive than most pillows at $199 before any discounts. Kate also noted that its shape made it look awkward on her made bed, so she opted to hide it in the closet when she wasn’t using it.

Side sleepers need a pillow that contours to the head and neck to prevent pressure buildup and maintain alignment. This balance is even more crucial for individuals with symptoms of sleep apnea, as proper neck support and a comfortable side-sleeping position can help keep airways open throughout the night. The Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Neck Pillow is designed with these needs in mind and offers enhanced support while gently cushioning these areas. Our product tester Matt Schickling loved this pillow for side sleeping and awarded it a 4 out of 5 or higher in the experience, materials, and care category.

During testing, Matt gave the TEMPUR-Neck Pillow 4.5 stars in the materials and experience categories. According to him, the pillow felt high-end and offered exceptional support to keep his neck in healthy alignment with the rest of his body.

“I really enjoy most things about this pillow,” Matt said. “The cover feels comfortable and high-quality, and the bump in the pillow provides support and removes neck strain to keep you properly aligned while side sleeping.”

Matt also awarded its care instructions a 4.5 out of 5. According to him, the care instructions were really simple and well laid out on the packaging. The TEMPUR-Neck features a removable, machine-washable cover so you can refresh your sleep space as often as you like. Tempur-Pedic recommends washing your cover at least once a month for optimal freshness.

The TEMPUR-Neck’s only flaws, according to Matt, were its awkward shape and price. He noted that its awkward shape made it “look like a little kid wearing his dad’s work boots,” in a traditional queen-sized pillow case.

“It is significantly smaller and has less loft than a traditional pillow,” Matt said. “I just really wish it were bigger so it would fit in a traditional pillowcase.”

At $129 before any discounts, the TEMPUR-Neck may be a bit steep for some budget shoppers, especially since it is a bit smaller than most traditional pillows.

OSA symptoms compounded with overheating at night can disrupt sleep cycles, increase restlessness, and cause more frequent awakenings. If you’re a hot sleeper, a cooling pillow can help regulate temperature and promote deeper, more consistent sleep. The Bear Contour Pillow is our top pick for the best cooling pillow for sleep apnea because it combines advanced cooling materials with a supportive design to encourage proper alignment.

The Bear Contour Pillow’s cool-to-the-touch surface and comfortable U-shape won over product tester Dan Caffrey over during testing, earning it a 4 out of 5 in the experience category. He found it particularly comfortable in the side-sleeping position, which is important because folks with sleep apnea often feel their symptoms more severely on their backs compared to their sides.

“This pillow feels great on my side,” Dan said. “Its high loft is really comfortable on the neck and spine, and the U-shape gives me a little extension that I can tuck between my shoulder and neck for pressure relief. I highly recommend the Bear Contour Pillow for side sleepers.”

Dan also gave the Bear Contour Pillow a 4 out of 5 in materials because of its high-quality construction and noticeable performance in cooling.

“I’m definitely getting some good contouring at the neck and shoulders, just like Bear advertises,” Dan said. “This pillow feels durable and supportive. I can feel its cool-to-the-touch materials through the pillowcase.”

However, the Bear Contour Pillow has a couple of drawbacks. Dan only gave it a 3.5 out of 5 in the care category because it is spot-clean only, with no cover to remove and wash separately. He also noted that the unconventional shape means it’s going to be hard to find a pillowcase for it, which can result in quicker staining from sweat and casual wear and tear.

OSA is a sleep disorder that affects everyone differently, so having a pillow you can tailor to your specific needs is a game changer. The Luxome LAYR allows you to customize the height, firmness, and feel for optimal neck support and alignment — key factors in minimizing airway obstruction during sleep. The ability to optimize your pillow’s fill is also helpful for CPAP users, as you might find it tricky to get comfortable with a face mask on. Of all the adjustable pillows we have tested so far, the LAYR is one of our favorites, earning 4.5 stars or higher in the materials, experience, and care categories.

Tester Matt Schickling tried the Luxome LAYR Customizable Pillow over the course of a few weeks and, after much tinkering, found the perfect configuration for his sleep style. He was also impressed by how many configuration options there were, which led him to give it a perfect 5 out of 5 in the experience category.

“I used the 2-inch foam insert as the base for support, and then the ‘medium’ and ‘soft’ inserts, fully stuffed, on top,” Matt said. “I did not know that this level of customization and tinkering was possible with a pillow. I absolutely love the LAYR, and will probably buy another one very soon.”

Matt particularly enjoyed the LAYR for back sleeping. In this position, his head felt cradled and supported. The LAYR’s adjustability allowed him to find the ideal loft to reduce strain on his neck and keep his head propped up just the right amount. This could be a game changer for OSA sufferers who need to maintain an open airway and proper alignment while sleeping on their backs, which is often one of the trickier positions for managing obstructive sleep apnea.

The LAYR also uses comfortable and durable components, which earned it a perfect 5 out of 5 in the materials category. Better yet, those materials are easy to care for, further garnering a near-perfect 4.5 out of 5 in the care category.

“The pillow cover and the insert covers are machine washable,” Matt said. “However, the pillow stuffing materials obviously are not. All of this is clear both on the Luxome website and in the packaging. The brand provides another case with a zipper to store the extra inserts, which was a nice touch.”

As excellent as the LAYR is, Matt still offered a couple of critiques. The first criticism was its price. The Luxome LAYR is a luxury pillow, and you get what you pay for. However, $150 for one pillow could be a deal-breaker for some shoppers. Matt also noted that the material around its zipper felt awkward in the side-sleeping position.

For folks with sleep apnea who struggle to stay on their side throughout the night, body pillows offer the support and positioning needed to breathe more easily. Side sleeping is often recommended for managing obstructive sleep apnea, as it helps keep the airway open. The Cozy Earth Bamboo Down Alternative Body Pillow encourages this position by aligning the spine, supporting the hips and shoulders, and preventing you from rolling onto your back. Tester Kate Meier loved this pillow and awarded it perfect 5 out of 5 ratings for experience and materials.

Kate gave the Cozy Earth Bamboo Down Alternative Body Pillow a perfect 5 out of 5 for materials because of its blend of high-quality bamboo fill and recycled polyester. She noted that the pillow itself had a very durable and premium feel to it. Plus, it’s hypoallergenic, which is a plus for folks with sleep apnea who also have to worry about seasonal allergies making it even harder to breathe at night.

“The pillow itself is made from bamboo, and I also purchased the Cozy Earth Bamboo pillowcase to go with it,” Kate said. “Bamboo is known for being breathable and cooling, and I find that to be mostly true with this pillow and pillowcase. It definitely doesn’t make me hotter at night.”

The next perfect 5-star rating the Bamboo Down Alternative Pillow received was in the experience category. As a side sleeper herself, Kate had no trouble sleeping through the night on this pillow.

“I’m a side sleeper so this is perfect for putting between my knees,” Kate said. “This pillow offers the perfect amount of sinkage and cushioning for sleeping on your side. It feels just like sleeping on a fluffy cloud.”

As cloud-like as the Cozy Earth pillow is, Kate noted some things to consider before buying. The first factor to consider is price. This pillow is $219, which is pricey (though worth it, if you’re looking for a luxurious feel). She also noted that the care instructions were unclear about whether the cover was washable. That said, the pillow itself is machine-washable, a big plus for those with allergies, since minimizing irritants can directly impact sleep quality.