When you live with neck pain, your bedding can make a major difference in your quality of rest. It’s important that you sleep with a pillow that helps relieve the discomfort—not contribute to it. The best pillows for neck pain offer support, keeping your upper body in proper alignment while lowering the risk of aggravating existing issues to help you wake up with fewer aches and pains. Our top pick, the Tempur-pedic Tempur Neck Pillow, offers a gentle contour and supportive memory foam to maintain its structure all night without falling flat.
The curved shape of the Tempur-Pedic Neck Pillow and comfy feel makes it our top pick among the best … [+]
In addition to personal preference, the right pillow should keep your spine in neutral alignment—meaning, your neck isn’t angled up or down from your back while you sleep. To help find the best pillows for neck pain, we consulted with four doctors who treat spinal issues and relied on our hands-on experience testing dozens of pillows. With that in mind, these are the best pillow options if you struggle with neck pain.
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Why Trust Forbes Vetted
- Mattress and sleep editors Bridget Chapman and McKenzie Dillon are certified sleep science coaches with years of experience testing and reviewing mattresses, pillows, bedding and more. Together, they oversee this guide and an ever-growing library of sleep articles, including guides on the best mattresses for back pain and the best mattresses for shoulder pain.
- Because it’s important to consult a medical professional when pain arises, we also consulted a variety of doctors and orthopedists. However, you should always seek medical advice from your primary healthcare provider to come up with solutions for relieving pain during sleep.
- Dr. Dmitiry Dvoskin, MD, New York City-based physician and dual board-certified in pain management and physical medicine and rehabilitation.
- Nicole Nagle, DPT, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Rutgers University in New Jersey.
- Nicholas Anastasio, MD, board-certified physician at Orthopedics and Joint Replacement at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD.
- Neel Anand, MD, orthopedic spine surgeon and co-director of spine trauma at Cedars-Sinai Spine Center in Los Angeles.
- Each expert provided guidance on the right loft, firmness and materials for alleviating neck pain, which we considered when curating our list.
- This guide is updated regularly to reevaluate the pillows we recommend as new options hit the market. It was last updated in November 2024 with the Avocado Green Pillow as the best sustainable pick.
How We Chose The Best Pillows For Neck Pain
- We first identified the most popular pillow brands and evaluated their products to see which options are designed for neck pain relief.
- We considered the guidance our experts gave us on the most important qualities for the best pillows for neck pain: enough support to maintain alignment with the head and neck and a high enough loft to keep your head from resting flat on the bed.
- We then dove into each pillow’s features, paying close attention to fill, loft, overall firmness, shape and trial period.
- Every pillow we recommend needs stellar reviews, both from our editors and reviewers. All of the pillows on our list have an average rating of 4 stars out of 5.
What To Look For In The Best Pillows For Neck Pain
Getting a pillow that supports your neck is crucial, according to Nagle. “At night when you lay down to sleep, you want your head to be properly supported so that your neck muscles can relax,” says Nagle. With the wrong pillow, “your neck muscles are working overtime at night and this is not going to help your neck pain,” she says. These are a few factors Nagle recommends keeping in mind as you’re shopping for pillows:
Sleep Style
Certain pillows are tailored to particular sleep styles, and that matters for your pain. Here’s what our experts recommend according to your sleeping style.
- Back sleepers: “If you are a back sleeper, your pillow should not be too thin where you are sinking into it,” Nagle says. Again, you want a pillow that delivers a neutral spinal position. If you sleep on your back, you can place a small pillow at the base of your neck for additional stability.
- Side sleepers: If you sleep on your side, you can stack and remove pillows to keep your spine neutral. “If you are a side sleeper, your pillow may need to be thicker to account for the distance between your bed and your head,” Nagle says. Note that feather and down pillows are not typically recommended for side sleepers with neck pain, as they generally don’t offer enough support overnight, and may compress too much as you sleep.
- Stomach sleepers: Stomach sleeping is generally not recommended when you have back pain, Dvoskin says. However, stomach sleepers typically feel more comfortable and supported with a low-loft pillow. Feather and down pillows can be a good option for stomach sleepers.
Loft
The right pillow should support your head and neck, meaning “your shoulders should not be on the pillow,” says Nagle. “The goal is for you to have a neutral spine, which means your head should not be placed too far forward or backward.” If your pillow is too high, it can throw your spine out of alignment and create even more pain. For those unsure about their pillow’s height, opt for an adjustable pillow, as these allow you to remove or add fill as needed.
A higher pillow doesn’t necessarily help with pain. Pillows that are too tall can push your head up and cause discomfort in your neck. As a general rule, you should never choose a pillow that tilts your head and neck to an angle while you sleep—like you’re looking at a movie screen from the front row or staring straight toward the ground. To decrease your odds of neck pain, your neck should be aligned with your spine and the rest of your body. That means it should be between your shoulders in a neutral, straight position when you’re lying down.
Dvoskin says that your mattress type and your sleep position can give you an insight into the best pillow for your neck pain and how high or low it should be, too. “If you sleep on a softer mattress, you should sleep on a thinner or softer pillow,” he says. This is because you sink into the mattress more, which means the pillow doesn’t need to fill as much space to provide adequate support.
Firmness
The main goal, Nagle says, is for you to be in alignment, with your head and neck aligned with your spine. “If finding a pillow that has greater firmness is going to help you maintain that alignment, then by all means go ahead,” she says. In part, the firmness you prefer, and benefit from, depends on your sleep position. For side sleepers, a firmer pillow may be essential. For those who snooze on their stomach, a softer, more flat pillow is a better choice for proper alignment with your neck and spine.
Shape
There are several pillow shapes to choose from when selecting the right option for neck pain. Many ergonomic pillows come with a contoured shape, which has a curved edge to leave room for your shoulder. While every person is different, this is often a favorite shape for side sleepers with shoulder pain. Cervical pillows often have a butterfly-style shape, with a divot in the center for your head. These pillows have a high level of precision, limiting motion while you sleep. But a standard-shaped pillow can also be helpful, provided it gives you the ideal spinal alignment. If you’re unsure if a particular standard pillow works for you, consider one with adjustable fill to ensure you have the proper form as you sleep.
Temperature
Temperature can be difficult to control while you sleep, but some materials tend to retain less heat than others. Latex foam is known for its high breathability and can be a good choice for people who sleep hot. Down and down alternative fill can also create an airy feel, as can buckwheat. However, some memory foams can trap heat and cause you to feel warm. If you’re a hot sleeper, it’s best to choose another fill type. Keep in mind that your pillow’s cover can play a role in how cool you feel as well. Cotton, silk and bamboo rayon tend to regulate temperature and sleep cooler.
Materials
Pillows come with all different types of filling, but not every option is good for relieving neck pain. To keep your head aligned with your spine at night, we recommend looking for:
- Memory foam: It’s a viscous and supportive material that’s slow to respond to movement and pressure, kind of like a marshmallow. It’s known for being pressure-relieving and good at deadening movement.
- Latex Foam: It’s a material Dvoskin especially likes, and says, “You can get relief sleeping on a customizable latex pillow, so that you can get the right amount of support depending on your sleeping position,” he says, pointing out that latex has its own benefits, including breathability and good pressure distribution.” It’s supple, bouncy and looks like a big comfy sponge.
- Down: Stomach sleepers can benefit from a down pillow because they’re soft, pressure relieving and have a small height that promotes a straight alignment for a stomach sleeper’s back and spine.
- Buckwheat: It’s much firmer and more supportive than cotton and fiber, and it shifts under the weight of your head to perfectly conform to your shape.
- Down alternative fill: An environmentally-friendly alternative to down pillows, eco-conscious sleepers looking for a soft and low profile can consider a down alternative fill. It also tends to be hypoallergenic.
Body Type
No two bodies are alike. With that, it’s important to take into account your personal anatomy when choosing a proper pillow. If you’re a side sleeper with broad shoulders and a larger body, you may need a higher-loft pillow to keep your back in alignment as you sleep. Conversely, if you’re petite and sleep on your side, you may require a lower-loft pillow to stay aligned.
Return Policy And Trial Period
Many pillows you can buy online don’t have a great return policy backing your purchase. Some companies, including Nest and Coop Home Goods, offer the option for customers to return their pillows after they’ve tried them for a while. Others, in contrast, don’t allow returns.
Return policies may also vary depending on whether you purchase the pillow directly from the retailer’s site, versus on Amazon, so be sure to consult the company’s fine print if you want the option for an at-home trial.
Care
Care is different for every pillow, so it’s important to carefully read the product description and manufacturer’s instructions. While care is unlikely to be your top consideration when choosing a pillow for neck pain, it’s still an important factor. Some pillows can be tossed in the washer and dryer, making for incredibly easy clean-ups. However, many only allow for the cover to be removed and washed. Others are spot-clean only.
Washing your pillow incorrectly could result in lumps or damage to your pillow, and often voids the warranty. That makes it even more important to check care instructions before cleaning your pillow.