Yahoo LifestyleTesters Swear This $23 Pillow Is Amazing for Neck Pain
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Testers Swear This $23 Pillow Is Amazing for Neck Pain
Waking up with pain or stiffness in your neck is the worst way to start your morning. But, the key to reducing neck pain isn’t as simple as just any new pillow – it’s all about finding the best pillow for your sleeping position. If you suffer from chronic neck pain, you should always discuss the best course of action with your physician, but your old pillow could be contributing to your stiff neck. It might be time to upgrade to a top tested style:
- Best Overall Pillow for Neck Pain: Coop Home Goods Adjustable Loft Pillow
- Best Value Pillow for Neck Pain: Home Decorators Medium/Firm Down Alternative Pillow
- Best Pillow for Side Sleepers with Neck Pain: Tempur-Pedic breeze Pro+ Advanced Cooling Pillow
- Best Pillow for Back Sleepers with Neck Pain: The Purple Pillow
- Best Pillow for Stomach Sleepers with Neck Pain: Layla Kapok Pillow
- Best Cervical Pillow for Neck Pain: Sleep Number Plush Comfort Curved Pillow
- Best Down Pillow for Neck Pain: Parachute Home Down Pillow
- Best Down Alternative Pillow for Neck Pain: L.L. Bean Down Alternative Damask Pillow
- Best Memory Foam Pillow for Neck Pain: Tuft & Needle Original Foam Pillow
- Best Latex Pillow for Neck Pain: Naturepedic Organic 2-in-1 Adjustable Latex Pillow
- Best Cooling Pillow for Neck Pain: Helix Sleep Ultra-Cool Pillow
The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab put 70 styles of pillows to the test, sending pillows to testers all over the country and evaluating each pillow in our Lab to get data on everything from comfort to durability and beyond. After analyzing over 4,000 data points, we found the best pillows to buy to reduce neck pain for all types of sleeping positions. Read on to find our top tested pillows for neck pain:
Hearst Owned - 2/14
Adjustable Loft Pillow
Coop Home Goods
amazon.com
$58.69
Neck pain from sleeping is typically caused by poor spine alignment. The Coop Home Goods pillow allows you to easily adjust the amount of fill, so you can have the perfect height to keep your neck aligned. This pillow not only received the top score in our test, but also has 40,000 rave Amazon reviews too. None of the testers reported feeling sore after sleeping, but all found the pillow comfortable and supportive. We love that both the cover and fill are machine washable, unlike most memory foam pillows!
Sleeping Position: All
Fill: Shredded memory foam
Care: Machine washable; wash cover and fill separately
Sizes: Queen and KingCoop Home Goods - 3/14
Medium/Firm Down Alternative Pillow
Home Decorators
homedepot.com
$22.97
Down alternative pillows are the perfect down substitute for not only allergy suffers and anyone looking for a more affordable option. The Home Decorators down alternative pillow is a Good Housekeeping Seal holder – we stand behind this pillow with a two year warranty. The outer fabric is made of cotton, while the polyester cluster fill mimics the feel of plush down. The jumbo size fit perfectly in a standard size pillowcase in our evaluations.
Sleeping Position: Back and stomach
Fill: Polyester
Care: Machine washable; front loading machine
Sizes: Jumbo and King.Home Decorators - 4/14
breeze Pro + Advanced Cooling Pillow
Tempur-Pedic
tempurpedic.com
$199.00
Testers rave about the supportive feel of Tempur-Pedic foam in everything from mattress toppers to pillows. The high height is perfect for side sleepers, with back sleeper testers preferring the low height. This pillow features three levels: a machine washable cover, cooling gel, and the classic TEMPUR memory foam fill. While testers found the memory foam comfortable and supportive, it did not spring back quickly in our Lab evaluations, so it's best for someone who doesn't toss and turn.
Sleeping Position: Side
Fill: Memory foam
Care: Cover is machine washable
Sizes: Standard and KingTempur-Pedic - 5/14
The Purple Pillow
Purple
purple.com
$89.00
Made of an innovative polymer grid material, the Purple Pillow is a popular pick for back sleepers from testers and online reviewers. The grid has open channels for increased airflow – testers raved about the cooling effects. The cover washed beautifully in our evaluations and was easy to put back on the fill. Testers also loved the Harmony Pillow, which features the grid technology with a latex core. Note that this pillow is much heavier than a standard pillow.
Sleeping Position: Back
Fill: Polymer grid
Care: Cover is machine washable
Sizes: StandardPurple - 6/14
Layla Kapok Pillow
Layla Sleep
laylasleep.com
$99.00
For stomach sleepers, the Layla pillow has an adjustable fill, so you can find which height keeps your neck in a neutral position. This pillow received the highest overall score from testers, with all testers giving perfect scores for comfort and support. Because the fill is a mix of Kapok, a natural fiber with a fluffy feel, and shredded memory foam, it offers a great balance between plush and supportive. Note that this pillow cannot be washed.
Sleeping Position: All
Fill: Kapok and shredded memory foam
Care: Not washable
Sizes: Queen and KingLayla - 7/14
PlushComfort Curved Pillow
Sleep Number
sleepnumber.com
$79.99
Many swear that a cervical pillow is the key to reducing neck pain. Sleep Number offers a variety of cervical pillows with different fills that were popular among testers: Comfort Fit, In Balance, and Plush Comfort. The curved Plush Comfort pillow received rave reviews from testers for being comfortable and supportive without overheating. Because of the nature of the design, cervical pillows will not fit perfectly in a pillowcase.
Sleeping Position: All
Fill: Polyester
Care: Machine washable; front loading machine
Sizes: Standard and KingSleep Number - 8/14
Down Pillow
Parachute Home
parachutehome.com
$89.00
Our top-performing down pillow, Parachute’s down pillow is easy to wash, fits seamlessly in a pillowcase, and keeps its shape after use. We tested the medium density, but they also offer soft and firm styles too. If you’re a side sleeper, they offer a side sleeper down pillow, designed to keep your neck aligned when sleeping on your side. Testers gave this pillow one of the highest scores overall with every tester reporting that they liked this pillow and would continue to use it.
Sleeping Position: Back and stomach
Fill: Down
Care: Machine washable.
Sizes: Standard and KingParachute - 9/14
Down-Alternative Damask Pillow
L.L. Bean
llbean.com
$59.95
This pillow from L.L. Bean is filled with PrimaLoft polyester, a popular down alternative material. Available in soft, medium and firm pillow densities, there’s an online guide on which firmness is best for you. The pillow washed well in a commercial size machine with no shrinkage and minimal change in appearance. We loved how the pillow kept its shape and fit in a pillowcase. Note that this pillow has a higher height than other styles – better suited for a taller person.
Sleeping Position: All, depending on firmness level
Fill: Polyester
Care: Machine washable. Front loading commercial machine.
Sizes: Standard, Queen, and King.L.L. Bean - 10/14
Original Foam Pillow
Tuft & Needle
tuftandneedle.com
$67.50
Solid memory foam pillows are popular because they cradle your head and neck for support and pressure relief. The Tuft & Needle memory foam pillow received top marks from side, back, and stomach sleeper testers. The cover is machine washable with no change in appearance in our evaluations. Overheating is a common complaint with memory foam pillows, but all of the testers said this pillow kept them cool. Plus, it’s a fraction of the price of other tested memory foam styles.
Sleeping Position: All
Fill: Memory foam
Care: Cover is machine washable
Sizes: Standard and KingTuft&Needle - 11/14
Organic 2-in-1 Adjustable Latex Pillow
naturepedic
naturepedic.com
$99.00
For a plush feel with added support, shredded latex pillows are a great compromise between memory foam and down. This pillow from Naturepedic features an organic cotton cover with shredded organic latex fill. The pillow is actually reversible for either a smooth or quilted side. We love that the fill is adjustable to find the perfect height for your sleeping position. Testers loved the supportive feel, but wish the pillow fit better in a standard pillowcase.
Sleeping Position: All
Fill: Shredded organic latex
Care: Cover is machine washable
Sizes: Standard, Queen and KingNaturepedic - 12/14
Ultra-Cool Pillow
Helix Sleep
helixsleep.com
$115.00
If you tend to overheat at night, this pillow from Helix Sleep has a cool to the touch feel that testers loved. One tester even brought the pillow with her on vacation because she couldn't be without it! This pillow was a top performer in our Lab evaluations for fitting perfectly in a standard pillowcase, experiencing no shrinkage after washing, and keeping its shape. Some testers commented that the pillow fabric was a bit noisy when they moved around while sleeping.
Sleeping Position: All
Fill: Polyester
Care: Machine washable
Sizes: Standard and KingHelix Sleep - 13/14
How to choose the right pillow for neck pain:
Making sure your pillow keeps your neck in a neutral position is the best way to prevent neck pain. When shopping, it's helpful to look for pillows designed for your sleeping position. Here's what to look for:
- Side sleepers need a thicker pillow to “keep their ears in line with their shoulders” to prevent their neck from extending in either direction when sleeping on their side, according to Dr. Jaspal R. Singh M.D., co-director of the Center for Comprehensive Spine Care at Weill Cornell Medicine.
- Back sleepers should opt for a medium thick pillow that still provides support to keep their neck aligned and prevent the neck from arching forward.
- Stomach sleepers should choose a thinner pillow to keep the neck in a neutral position. Placing a pillow under your shoulder can help keep your spine aligned too.
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What type of pillow material is best for neck pain?
Pillows of all fill types can help reduce neck pain. Each type of pillow fill will have different characteristics that are important to know before purchasing.
- Down: For the ultimate fluffy pillow, all down pillows are the way to go. For a lower price, look for pillows that are part down and part feathers.
- Down alternative: If you have a down allergy or want a more affordable option, down alternative pillows are typically filled with polyester fiber that has a similar feel to down at a fraction of the cost.
- Memory foam: Pillows made with memory foam are available in two different styles: solid or shredded. Solid memory foam pillows are designed to give you that super supportive feel as your head sinks into the pillow, but the fill cannot move. Shredded memory foam pillows still give you the supportive feel, but the fill can be moved around for a plusher feel.
- Latex: Latex has a squishy feel similar to memory foam, but it bounces back much quicker. Like memory foam, latex pillows can either feature solid or shredded latex.
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We lab-tested 70 pillows to find which ones will actually stop neck pain.
