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How to Choose The Ideal Neck Pillow: Infallible Tips

Did you realize that the pillow you utilize to sleep can influence your health? Consider its material, its shape and even your weight and size to decide on probably the most suitable one.

Last update: 27 February, 2024

Getting a very good night’s sleep is crucial to your health and well-being, and the pillow you utilize has rather a lot to do with this. A neck pillow can enable you improve the standard of your sleep and forestall or relieve neck, back, and headaches. But how do you select the perfect one on your needs?

In this text, we’re going to let you know all the pieces you have to know to seek out the reply: what sorts of neck pillows there are, who should use them, and the way they differ from normal pillows. In addition, we’re going to offer you tricks to enable you make the appropriate selection when buying one.

What is a neck pillow?

A neck pillow is designed to adapt to the form and curvature of the neck, maintaining an accurate and aligned posture of the spine during sleep.

They aren’t only helpful for people who are suffering from neck pain but additionally for many who wish to improve the general quality of their sleep and forestall future discomfort.

What’s the difference between a standard pillow and a neck pillow?

The difference between a standard pillow and a neck pillow is that the previous has a flat and uniform shape, while the latter has a curved and variable shape. This implies that the traditional pillow doesn’t adapt to the contour of the neck and may cause a forced and uncomfortable posture.

What sorts of neck pillows are there?

The most typical materials for neck pillows are the next:

  • Latex: that is natural, elastic, and resistant. It adapts to the contour of the neck and offers good support.
  • Viscoelastic: an artificial material that reacts to heat and body pressure, molding its shape.
  • Fiber: soft and resistant, it may well be easily washed. It offers good conformability, but may deform with continued long-term use.

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Who should use a neck pillow?

A neck pillow is really helpful for anyone who wants to enhance their sleep and forestall or relieve neck pain. However, there are some cases through which its use is particularly indicated:

  • Back or side sleepers: these positions require greater height and support from the pillow to maintain the neck aligned with the remaining of the spine.
  • People who snore or have sleep apnea: respiratory disorders may be improved with a neck pillow that elevates the neck and facilitates the passage of air through the airways.
  • Migraine or tension headache victims: many headaches are related to poor neck posture resulting in muscle contractures.

Why is a neck pillow helpful?

Although the indications now we have already mentioned are specific, there are also some advantages of use for individuals who don’t have sleep apnea or migraines. That is, for many who don’t have any underlying disease.

Neck pillows could improve the standard of anyone’s sleep. By sleeping with proper posture, restorative sleep is facilitated, which translates into greater physical and mental performance through the next day.

It would also prevent future neck pain. By supporting the neck accurately, neck muscle tension and concomitant inflammation is prevented, which reduces the danger of contractures.

According to a 2007 study, using a neck pillow can have a positive effect on neck pain, nighttime sleep, and headaches. In that study, three sorts of pillows were compared: butterfly-shaped neck pillows, regular rectangular pillows, and roll-up pillows. The results showed that the vast majority of participants using the butterfly neck pillow reduced their neck pain, while only 41% of those using the regular pillow achieved less discomfort.

Finally, blood circulation to the brain may be improved. Keeping the neck aligned makes blood flow to the top more efficient. Therefore, disorders related to poor circulation, corresponding to dizziness and vertigo, are less prone to appear.

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The best suggestions for selecting the best neck pillow

Now that you realize what a neck pillow is, what it’s for, what types exist, and why it’s helpful to make use of one, listed below are some suggestions for selecting the best one for you:

  • Try different options: it’s best to try several neck pillows before buying one. Check which one most closely fits your neck and posture. Check out reviews on the web.
  • Consider your height and weight: this influences the dimensions and firmness of the neck pillow which might be ideal. The method to know if the pillow is the appropriate height is to see in case your head, neck, and spine form a straight line if you sleep in your side or in case your chin is parallel to the ground if you sleep in your back.
  • Consider your mattress: the kind of mattress you utilize also affects the selection. This is since the mattress influences how much your body sinks and, subsequently, how high your neck must be aligned.
  • Select the fabric you want best: each has its benefits. Viscoelastic is sort of all the time probably the most really helpful since it adapts to the contours of the neck and offers comfort and pressure relief. Fiber is light, soft, and breathable, but can deform over time.
  • Find the form that appeals to you: there are different shapes for neck pillows, corresponding to rectangular, butterfly, or cylindrical. Each one has its advantages, so it is best to select the one which suits you best in accordance with your posture.

Do you already know what your ideal pillow is?

Change your pillow every two years. It’s really helpful to achieve this if you notice that it deforms or sinks.

This time might be fulfilled if you happen to maintain your pillow properly, following the manufacturer’s instructions. In addition, it is best to wash it continuously, air it, and protect it with a canopy.

Choosing a neck pillow just isn’t so difficult if you happen to follow the following tips we gave you. But there isn’t any magic here. To reduce neck pain and get a more restful rest, you furthermore may need to have good sleep hygiene, perform exercises for the neck and spine and, in fact, seek the advice of a health skilled if the pains are persistent or intense.

A great pillow could make the difference between a superb and a lousy night’s sleep. So don’t hesitate any longer and begin having fun with the advantages of a neck pillow – your health will thanks!

All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to make sure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this text was considered reliable and of educational or scientific accuracy.


  • Persson, L. (2006). Neck pain and pillows–A blinded study of the effect of pillows on non-specific neck pain, headache and sleep. Advances in Physiotherapy8(3), 122-127. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14038190600780239
  • Shields, N., Capper, J., Polak, T., & Taylor, N. (2006). Are cervical pillows effective in reducing neck pain?. In Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE): Quality-assessed Reviews [Internet]. Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (UK). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK73379/
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