Choosing a Pillow for How You Sleep

Pillows are bought on softness and used for support, which is why so many are wrong. The property that matters is loft, and the right loft is determined by sleeping position rather than preference.

What a Pillow Is For

Keeping the head and neck in line with the spine. Too high pushes the neck up, too low lets it drop, and both produce the stiff neck people blame on the mattress.

The correct height depends on the gap between the head and the mattress, which is different in every position.

By Sleeping Position

• Side sleepers: the largest gap, so a firm high-loft pillow
• Back sleepers: a medium loft, supporting the neck curve without pushing the head forward
• Front sleepers: the smallest gap, so a very thin pillow or none
• Broad shoulders: a higher pillow than average for the same position
• Position changers: medium, since a compromise beats being wrong half the night

Down and Down-Alternative

Down is light, lofty and warm, and it compresses under weight, which means it needs regular plumping and offers less consistent support.

Down-alternative uses polyester fibre to imitate the feel. It is washable, considerably cheaper, and suits anyone with a feather allergy.

The honest comparison is that down lasts longer and feels lighter; down-alternative is easier to maintain and easier to replace. Sets of two, of the kind at lanelinen.net, suit the alternative side of that trade, since replacement is part of the plan rather than a failure.

Foam and Latex

Memory foam holds a shape and provides consistent support, which suits side sleepers particularly. It sleeps warm and cannot generally be washed.

Latex is springier, cooler and more durable, and costs more.

The Test

Lie down in your usual position and have somebody look from the front. The head should be level, with the neck continuing the line of the spine rather than angled up or down.

Ten seconds of that tells you more than any product description.

Firmness and Loft Are Different

A common confusion. Loft is height; firmness is how much it compresses under load.

A soft high-loft pillow flattens under a head and becomes a low pillow. What matters is the height it holds once you are lying on it, not the height on the shelf.

Pillow Protectors

Worth using and rarely used. A protector under the pillowcase keeps skin oils and moisture out of the fill, which is what shortens a pillow’s life and makes it unpleasant.

It also matters for anyone with a dust mite allergy, where an encasement protector is a standard recommendation.

Neck Pain

A pillow can contribute to neck and shoulder discomfort and it is rarely the whole story.

Persistent pain, numbness in the arms or hands, or waking with pain that lasts through the day warrants advice from a GP or physiotherapist rather than another pillow.

Two Is Not the Answer

Stacking pillows to gain height pushes the head forward at an angle. One pillow of the correct loft works considerably better.