Written by Julia Forbes, Sleep Advisor Product Tester
A morning that starts with neck pain can lead to a day that is a pain in the neck.
Waking up with an ache or crick in your neck happens to everyone, but luckily, there are ways to make these times fewer and further between. Neck pain is often a result of poor posture, muscle strain, or bending over your desk. However, it may also be from an unsuspecting source—your pillow.
A supportive pillow can significantly improve neck pain.1 We selected the 8 best pillows for neck pain, evaluating their overall feel, materials, maintenance, and even warranty to curb the problem and help you sleep better.
8 Best Pillows for Neck Pain
- Saatva Memory Foam Pillow – Best Overall Pillow for Neck Pain
- Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Neck Pillow – Best Firm Pillow for Neck Pain
- Coop Sleep Goods The Eden Pillow – Best Memory Foam Pillow for Neck Pain
- Lagoon Fox Pillow – Best Soft Pillow for Neck Pain
- Cozy Earth Silk Pillow – Best Luxury Pillow for Neck Pain
- Luxome LAYR Pillow – Best Customizable Pillow for Neck Pain
- The Marlow Pillow – Best Cooling Pillow for Neck Pain
- Helix Down & Feather Pillow – Best King-Size Pillow for Neck Pain
My Video Review of The Best Pillows for Neck Pain
Sleep Advisor’s Testing Methodology
At Sleep Advisor, our product reviews are based on findings from in-person tests that allow us to have a genuine understanding of how the pillow feels and performs. We pull our information from a database of over 100 tested mattresses and sleep accessories.
For this roundup, we prioritized features that are especially important for the best pillows for neck pain. We paid special attention to components such as pillow thickness, support elements, material, and cooling features.
Best Neck Pain Pillows
Saatva Memory Foam Pillow – Best Overall Pillow for Neck Pain
Ensuring your neck’s posture is straight while lying down is crucial when dealing with neck pain. Saatva understood this and delivered the Saatva Memory Foam Pillow.
Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Neck Pillow – Best Firm Pillow for Neck Pain
TEMPUR-Neck Pillow
A firm pillow available in multiple sizes.
Tempur-Pedic Score
3.90 / 5
Read Full ReviewNeck pain? Not on Tempur-Pedic’s watch. This pillow has a unique design that boosts the head and neck to keep both aligned to avoid neck pain. It’s specifically designed for side and back sleepers and is available in three sizes.
Coop Sleep Goods The Eden Pillow – Best Memory Foam Pillow for Neck Pain
Coop Eden Pillow
A gel-infused memory foam pillow with a hypoallergenic design
Coop Score
4.60 / 5
Sleepers looking for a great memory foam pillow will want to consider The Eden from Coop Sleep Goods. This pillow features cooling gel-infused memory foam that should minimize pressure on the neck by cradling the sleeper’s head.
Lagoon Fox Pillow – Best Soft Pillow for Neck Pain
If you’re worried a firm pillow will worsen your neck pain, fear not. The stuffing inside the Lagoon Fox is 80% memory foam and 20% polyester microfibers, which mix to create a plush yet supportive feel for sleepers with neck pain.
Cozy Earth Silk Pillow – Best Luxury Pillow for Neck Pain
Cozy Earth Silk Pillow
The pillow has a premium bamboo viscose shell that’s naturally breathable and has temperature-regulating properties.
Cozy Earth Score
4.90 / 5
If you’ve had your fair share of neck pain, you’re probably more than ready to tuck in with a luxurious, pressure-relieving pillow. For those who appreciate creature comforts as much as I do, I present you the Cozy Earth Silk Pillow.
Luxome LAYR Pillow – Best Customizable Pillow for Neck Pain
Getting your pillow “just right” can alleviate your neck pain. The Luxome LAYR is customizable. It has two sides: one with ultra-soft down alternative and the other with gel-finished shredded memory foam. This versatile 2-in-1 design is great if you can’t decide on a single pillow.
The Marlow Pillow – Best Cooling Pillow for Neck Pain
The Marlow’s versatility allows sleepers with neck pain to change the height and feel of their pillow just by unzipping (or zipping) a zipper. Finally, this is something you can do in the middle of the night without getting out of bed.
Helix Down & Feather Pillow – Best King-Size Pillow for Neck Pain
This Helix pillow is stuffed with down and feathers, providing a soft yet supportive feel to get rid of neck pain. The fill is shelled inside an organic cotton cover woven so as to be lightweight and breathable.
What Causes Neck Pain?
According to a 2015 study, neck pain is the fourth leading cause of disability.3 However, it’s hard to pinpoint what causes neck pain since a person may experience it for many reasons. It is often triggered by a strain, trauma, arthritis, disc degeneration, or muscle inflammation. In some instances, neck pain can be due to meningitis or cancer.2
Neck pain, also called cervicalgia, is when you feel discomfort throughout your neck area.2
However, it can also happen if your mattress or pillow doesn’t fit your preferred sleeping position, body weight, or body shape.
How Is Sleep Linked to Neck Pain?
Have you ever woken up with neck pain even though you didn’t feel it the night before? This is because you may be sleeping on the wrong pillow, which can put your head and neck at an awkward angle, resulting in pain the following morning.4
Another reason might just be your sleeping position. Stomach sleeping can strain the neck because you have to rotate your head all the way to the side. Add to this a too-lofty pillow, and you will have a recipe for neck pain.
How to Choose the Right Pillow for Neck Pain
If you search for a cervical pillow to alleviate your neck pain, you will receive an overwhelming number of results. As such, it’s helpful to have a more thorough understanding of how to choose the right pillow, specifically one that will help avoid neck pain. Considering how these factor into your specific preferences, such as your sleep position, is crucial.
Materials
The fill used in pillows can vary. One of the most popular options is memory foam pillows. Memory foam’s popularity stems from the fact that it does an excellent job of conforming to the sleeper’s shape to help alleviate tension while still providing good support.5
There are therapeutic neck pillows made from solid memory foam pieces and some made from shredded memory foam. These can be great options for neck pain as they provide plenty of support and are unlikely to flatten by morning.
Another common material used in pillows is latex, which is well-liked because it’s breathable, durable, and supportive. Down, down alternatives, and feather pillows are also common, and these typically offer a more fluffy, softer feel.
View Our Full Guide: Best Latex Pillows
Shape
In addition to the material a pillow uses as fill, another variable you will want to be mindful of is the shape of the pillow itself. Curved pillows are commonly seen in this market as they can more closely contour the shape of your head and neck.
Due to the shape of your head and neck area, it can be difficult to lie comfortably on a flat surface without developing neck pain (or shoulder pain), so a thin pillow may not be in your best interest, especially if you’re a side sleeper. Using a contour-shaped pillow, such as a cervical support pillow, could solve this problem.
Cervical pillows do a nice job of filling the space between your neck and the mattress, providing the support you need throughout the night and reducing neck pain. They are considered to be among the best pillows for neck problems.
However, these types of pillows may not work as well for people who sleep on their stomachs, as they can often only be used while sleeping on the back or side. They’re also not flippable, so flipping them to get to the cold side is not an option here.
Pillow Height
Pillow height can have a huge impact on your comfort, especially if you usually wake up with neck pain.4 A pillow that’s too high can put you in an uncomfortable position, adding too much pressure and causing pain after only several hours.
One that’s too low will likely not provide enough support, causing you to wake up with a strained neck, especially if you’re a side sleeper. This can create shoulder pain, too.
Support
Support is crucial regardless of your preferred sleeping position. The amount of support you’ll get from a pillow depends on its firmness and materials. Thinner materials like feathers aren’t as supportive as memory foam.
Stomach sleepers don’t need much support, so they can do with thinner materials, but side and back sleepers need something that offers more support, like memory foam.
Firmness
Firmer pillows offer more support, but it’s not always best to go for the firmest option.6
The firmness you’ll choose depends on your preferred sleeping position. For example, if you’re a side sleeper, sleeping on a firm pillow may result in pressure buildup. Instead, you may want to try medium options that allow more cushioning while still keeping the head propped up.
People who sleep on their back may benefit more from firmer pillows since these won’t allow the head to sink too deeply, throwing the neck out of alignment.
Pressure Relief
Have you ever woken up with a painful ear? Side sleepers often experience this issue when their pillow is too firm. One way to avoid this is to consider a softer pillow that allows more sinkage and better pressure relief.
However, this may be equally important for back and stomach sleepers. A good portion of your neck is on the pillow, so you want it to contour the area and prevent pressure from building up regardless of your sleeping position.
Sleeping Position
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to pillows, especially if you usually struggle with neck pain. Your preferred sleeping position is among the first things to keep in mind, and it can help you decide between the many options out there.
Side Sleepers
Side sleepers with neck pain might have the most trouble striking the perfect balance between soft and firm. You want a pillow that can relieve pressure while supporting your head so it doesn’t sink too far. For this reason, medium firmness and loft may be the best option here to avoid both neck and shoulder pain. In addition to reading about the best pillows for side sleepers, we’d suggest checking some of the adjustable pillows where you can remove some fill to find the feel that fits you the best.
Back Sleepers
Back sleepers with neck pain should look for a supportive pillow that doesn’t let the head sink too far. Memory foam tends to be the best for this level of support, and you can choose between solid foam and shredded for a little more versatility.
Loft size might come down to personal preference, but we feel like anything between 3 and 5 inches should work well for back sleeping. When it comes to firmness, medium is the safest route to get both pressure relief and neck alignment.
Stomach Sleepers
Stomach sleepers probably struggle with neck pain the most because they twist their necks throughout the night. Also, stomach sleepers need low pillows to keep their neck and spine alignment from compromising and painful positions that can be caused when these sleepers use a pillow that is too tall.
For this reason, stomach sleepers should look for a low-loft pillow so they don’t prop their heads too high. When it comes to materials, we’d suggest down, down alternative, and latex as the most popular choices. Down and down alternatives are great for stomach sleepers who want a softer, slimmer pillow, whereas latex is best for those who want a firmer feel.
Combination Sleepers
Combination sleepers with neck pain will have to think about which position they spend the most time in and buy a pillow according to that. However, those who switch through all positions are likely best off with an adjustable pillow. Medium firmness and loft are good starting points, but having the option to remove some of the fill may be good in case you need more or less support.
Upright Sleepers
Upright sleepers usually benefit from the highest loft and firmest support. They often go for a wedge pillow that supports the back and neck for both side and back sleeping. If you also need some pressure relief, a good rule of thumb is to add a softer, smaller pillow towards the top of the wedge to get both support for the back and pressure relief for your ears.
Specific Pain Points
The right kind of pillow can help relieve neck, shoulder, and back pain. Cervical neck pain is also commonly solved with a good pillow, so this piece of bedding should not be overlooked.
Neck and Shoulder Pain
People with neck and shoulder pain should look for a supportive, lofty pillow that doesn’t allow too much sinkage. You want to stay atop your pillow so that the head is aligned with the rest of the body and the spine is straight. If you’re a side sleeper, you might want to try a medium loft to ensure the neck is supported. Otherwise, most of your upper-body weight will be concentrated on the shoulders.
Neck and Back Pain
Neck and back pain almost always come from poor posture, so fixing this as soon as possible is crucial.7 Try with a medium loft and firmness to ensure your head is propped up just enough. What you want is to feel your back and neck straight when you lie on your back, which should bring instant relief. If you’re a stomach sleeper, feel free to try a lower loft to keep the neck closer to the mattress to reduce neck pain.
Cervical Neck Pain
Cervical neck pain can be a symptom of a medical condition or an injury, in which case it’s crucial the right pillow supports you.2 The exact problem you’re dealing with should dictate the loft and firmness that are likely to feel the best, but a good rule of thumb is to go for a medium loft and a firmer feel. If you’re unsure, an adjustable pillow can be an easy fix, as you can play with both the loft and firmness.
Migraines
Migraine is a disabling neurological disorder followed by several symptoms, such as headache, nausea, and sometimes even vomiting. According to a 2019 study, it’s the second leading cause of disability.8 Neck pain is also very common, so the two often go hand in hand.
The debate is still going on whether neck pain contributes to migraines as a cause, consequence, or symptom. Either way, trying to catch some sleep while having both neck pain and a migraine sounds like an impossible task, but a good pillow can up your chances.
The best place to start is a medium pillow with a loft that will keep your head aligned with the rest of the body. Memory foam and latex are both good for this, as they allow plenty of support to keep the head from sinking too deeply.
Arm Numbness
Waking up with a numb arm happens to most of us, but what if it happens too often? Several things might be the culprit, but your arm often goes numb because you tuck it under your pillow.
Most experts suggest sleep position modification, so try not to sleep on your arm first.9 Make sure you also have a good mattress and pillow that don’t create any pressure points on the arm, wrist, or hand. Medium firmness is a good place to start; you can experiment from there. If your arm numbness persists, it’s best to discuss it with your doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pillows for Neck Pain
What types of pillows are best for neck pain?
Ergonomic pillows may be one of the best options for neck pain because they have a unique shape that contours the curves. Even if your neck pain isn’t caused by an improper pillow, an ergonomic one could help alleviate some of that pain. However, this still depends on your sleeping position, pillow firmness, and height.10
What is an orthopedic pillow?
An orthopedic pillow is one that helps support better body alignment. Most pillows are designed with the thought of proper neck alignment in mind.
Some of these choices incorporated clinical data and input from spine specialists to create a pillow that can support your head, neck, and shoulders so that your sleeping posture remains straight, helping to keep your spine aligned and alleviate chronic neck pain.7
It’s likely a safe bet that the best pillows for neck pain will fall into this category.
Learn More: Best Orthopedic Pillows and Best Orthopedic Mattresses
What pillows do chiropractors recommend for neck pain?
A 2019 study showed that the use of memory foam or another open-cell foam pillow can help with chronic neck pain when combined with chiropractic therapy.11 Memory foam is known for offering good pressure relief, and if you find the right loft and firmness, you have a good chance of easing neck pain and tension.
How should I sleep to avoid neck pain?
According to Harvard Medical School, the best way to sleep to avoid neck pain is on your side or back.12 You can try different pillows that fit these sleeping positions, experimenting with materials, firmness, and height until you find what fits you the best. However, it’s best to avoid sleeping on your stomach because this puts a lot of pressure on the neck.
Related: Best Mattress for Neck Pain
Are firm or soft pillows better for neck pain?
The exact firmness and feel you’ll choose depends on your preference and sleeping position. Between firm and soft pillows, we’d suggest you steer towards firmer models that can keep the head from sinking too deeply. This way, the neck should stay aligned with the rest of the body, minimizing the chances of neck pain.
Final Word of Advice
If neck pain is keeping you up at night, we suggest you check with your doctor to ensure it’s not a sign of another medical problem. Once you get that out of the way, you can focus on getting the right pillow. A good pillow should contour and support the neck to prevent pressure and tension while keeping everything aligned to mitigate pain.
If you’re unsure, consider an adjustable pillow with different loft and firmness options. We invite you to explore our picks for the best pillows of 2024 here.
Tell Us About Your Experience with Neck Pain
Julia Forbes
Sleep Advisor Product Tester
About Author
Julia is a product tester at Sleep Advisor, specializing in testing out mattresses and sleep accessories – she’s in the right line of work, because she loves to sleep.
Stomach Sleeper
References:
- Chun-Yiu, Johnson Pang., et al. “The effects of pillow designs on neck pain, waking symptoms, neck disability, sleep quality and spinal alignment in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis”. National Library of Medicine. 2021.
- “Neck Pain”. Cleveland Clinic. Last modified December 9, 2022.
- Cohen, Steven P. “Epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of neck pain”. National Library of Medicine. 2015.
- Yamada MD PhD, Shuori., et al. “Changes in neck pain and somatic symptoms before and after the adjustment of the pillow height”. Journal of Physical Therapy Science. 2024.
- Bohringer DO, Katherine., Cuda MD, Amanda., Maurer DO, Douglas. “What pillow types are best for neck pain?”. Evidence-Based Practice. 2016.
- “Is your pillow hurting your health?”. Harvard Health. 2021.
- “Good Sleeping Posture Helps Your Back”. University of Rochester Medical Center. Webpage accessed April 27, 2024.
- Steiner, T.J. et al. “Migraine remains second among the world’s causes of disability, and first among young women: findings from GBD2019”. Springer Link. December 2, 2020.
- Roth Bettlach, Carrie L., et al. “Preferences in Sleep Position Correlate With Nighttime Paresthesias in Healthy People Without Carpal Tunnel Syndrome”. National Library of Medicine. March 2019.
- Radwan, Ahmed., et al. “Effect of different pillow designs on promoting sleep comfort, quality, & spinal alignment: A systematic review”. European Journal of Integrative Medicine. 2021.
- Soal, Laura J., et al. “Changes in chronic neck pain following the introduction of a visco-elastic polyurethane foam pillow and/or chiropractic treatment”. National Library of Medicine. 2019.
- “Say “good night” to neck pain”. Harvard Health. 2022.