How to choose a pillow: the right pillow for side, back & stomach sleepers
Hi, we’re John and Mimi. People spend weeks picking a mattress and then grab whatever pillow is on sale, and the pillow is the part that holds your head and neck all night. The good news: choosing one is simpler than it looks. It mostly comes down to how you sleep, how high the pillow is (its “loft”), and whether you sleep warm. Here’s how to match a pillow to you, with every pillow we carry and today’s prices.
General shopping advice, not medical advice. If you have ongoing neck, shoulder or back pain, ask your doctor or physical therapist what’s right for you.
The short answer
- Side sleepers: a higher, fuller pillow that fills the space between your ear and shoulder. Our Cooling Contoured Side Sleeper Shoulder Pillow (5" with a shoulder cutout) is made for this.
- Back sleepers: a medium-height pillow that supports your neck without pushing your chin toward your chest, like the Cryo-Chill (4.5" loft) or the Essentials Dual Air-Foam (4").
- Stomach sleepers: a low, thin pillow so your neck isn’t bent up. Our Low Profile Memory Foam Pillow has a 2.95" loft.
- Not sure, or you change positions? The Reactive Shredded Memory Foam Pillow lets you open the cover and take out fill until the height is right.
- Sleep hot? Look for phase change (PCM) coatings, ventilated foam and cooling covers: the Cryo-Chill and the Contoured Side Sleeper both list all three.
- Protect it from day one with a pillow protector, and wash the zip-off cover, not the foam inside.
Pick by how you sleep
| You sleep… | Look for | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| On your side | Higher loft, supportive, holds its shape under your head | Contoured Side Sleeper Shoulder Pillow, or Reactive Shredded with all the fill in |
| On your back | Medium loft that cradles the neck | Cryo-Chill, Essentials Dual Air-Foam, or Reactive Shredded with some fill removed |
| On your stomach | Low and thin | Low Profile Memory Foam (2.95") |
| All over the bed | Adjustable or moldable fill | Reactive Shredded (adjustable loft) or Essentials Memory Foam/Blend |
| Warm | PCM coating, ventilated foam, cooling cover | Cryo-Chill or Contoured Side Sleeper; Bamboo Charcoal & Cooling Gel for a cool-to-the-touch side |
| Like a soft, fluffy “hotel” pillow | Fiber fill you can scrunch and shape | Luxury Resort Pillow with Kapok & 3D Fiber |
| On a budget | Simple foam or blend | Essentials Memory Foam/Blend or Essentials Dual Air-Foam |
Loft: the number that matters most
Loft is how tall the pillow is when your head isn’t on it. The goal is simple: your head and neck should stay roughly in line with the rest of your spine, the way they are when you stand up straight. As a rule of thumb:
- Side sleepers need the most height, because the pillow has to fill the gap between the mattress and your head across the width of your shoulder. Broader shoulders usually need a bit more.
- Back sleepers need a medium height. Too tall pushes your chin toward your chest; too flat lets your head tip back.
- Stomach sleepers need the least. A thick pillow bends the neck up and back. Some stomach sleepers use a very thin pillow or none at all.
On our listings, that looks like 2.95" for the Low Profile, 4" to 4.5" for the Dual Air-Foam and Cryo-Chill, and 5" for the Contoured Side Sleeper, Reactive Shredded, Essentials Memory Foam/Blend and Luxury Resort pillows. Your mattress changes the math too: on a softer mattress your shoulder sinks in further, so a side sleeper may want a little less height than on a firm one. Our mattress firmness guide explains the feels.
Fill types, in plain English
- Molded memory foam (Copper, Bamboo Charcoal, Bamboo Charcoal & Cooling Gel, Cryo-Chill, Contoured Side Sleeper): one solid piece that conforms to your head and keeps the same shape every night. Their listings describe them as “plush yet supportive.”
- Shredded memory foam (Reactive Shredded, Essentials Memory Foam/Blend): pieces of foam you can push around and shape. The Reactive Shredded lists a “latex-like bounce-back,” and its zip-off cover lets you remove fill to your desired height.
- Air foam (Essentials Dual Air-Foam): memory foam with an air foam core, listed for better airflow.
- Kapok and fiber (Luxury Resort): 40% kapok, a natural fiber listed as softer than cotton, with 60% 3D polyester fiber that holds it in place, for a soft, fluffy feel you can shape, inside a 400 thread-count cotton cover.
If you sleep hot
A pillow sits right against your face, so it’s often the first place you feel heat. What our listings offer:
- Phase change (PCM) coating: the Cryo-Chill and the Contoured Side Sleeper. The Cryo-Chill listing describes PCM as a treatment that absorbs or releases body heat for passive temperature regulation.
- Cooling covers: the Cryo-Chill and Reactive Shredded (59% recycled polyester, 41% cooling nylon) and the Contoured Side Sleeper (cooling nylon blend).
- Ventilated foam: the Cryo-Chill, Contoured Side Sleeper, Copper and Bamboo Charcoal pillows.
- A cool side: the Bamboo Charcoal & Cooling Gel pillow is two-sided, with a cool-to-the-touch gel top on one side and bamboo charcoal on the other.
The mattress matters even more than the pillow; see gel memory foam vs. hybrid for hot sleepers.
Queen or king pillow?
Most people use queen pillows on a full or queen bed and king pillows on a king or cal king, so two pillows span the width of the bed. The size is about width, not height: the Luxury Resort is 30" wide in queen and 36" in king, both 5" tall. Several of our pillows (the Contoured Side Sleeper, Low Profile, Essentials Memory Foam/Blend and Dual Air-Foam) come in one size only. Setting up a guest house or rental? Most pillow pages also offer case packs of 6 to 12.
Pillows on an adjustable base
When the head of an adjustable base is raised, the base does the propping that a stack of pillows used to do, so one pillow at your normal height is usually all you need. The SBKDT2 and e7 Lumbar bases go a step further with a pillow tilt for reading or watching TV; see our adjustable bed for reading and watching TV guide.
Keeping a pillow clean
- Washable zip-off covers are listed on the Copper, Bamboo Charcoal, Bamboo Charcoal & Cooling Gel, Contoured Side Sleeper and Luxury Resort pillows (machine washable), and the Cryo-Chill, Reactive Shredded and Low Profile list a zip-off cover for washing.
- Wash the cover, not the foam. The care instructions on the Contoured Side Sleeper and Luxury Resort covers: machine wash cold on gentle with like colors, non-chlorine bleach only when needed, tumble dry low, don’t iron or dry clean.
- Add a pillow protector. Both of ours list protection against liquid spills, dust mites, allergens and pet dander, without a crinkly sound. The Bamboo Viscose protector is waterproof and zippered.
Same idea for the mattress: our mattress protector guide and how to clean a mattress cover the rest of the bed.
When is it time for a new pillow?
There’s no exact date. Common signs: it stays flat or lumpy, you keep folding it in half to get enough height, or you wake up wishing it were higher or lower. Most of our pillows carry a 3-year limited warranty; per their listings, the pillow is guaranteed to return to its original shape or be replaced, and damage from improper care isn’t covered. Check each product page for its warranty.
Prices today
Every pillow we carry, read live from our catalog. A dash means that size isn’t offered or is sold out today.
| Pillow | Best for | Listed size | Model code | Queen / one size | King |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooling Contoured Side Sleeper Shoulder Pillow | Side sleepers; shoulder cutout, cooling cover | 22" × 16" × 5" (one size) | PS-SL |
$60 | — |
| Reactive Shredded Memory Foam (adjustable loft) | Side or combination sleepers; remove fill to set the height | 5" loft | PSHLL-Q |
$77 | $77 |
| Essentials Memory Foam/Blend | Budget pick; shredded foam you can shape | 29" × 19" × 5" | PES-Q |
$38 | — |
| Cryo-Chill Phase Change | Hot sleepers; PCM coating and cooling cover | 4.5" loft | PGEL-Q |
$75 | $79 |
| Essentials Dual Air-Foam | Back sleepers on a budget; air foam | 28" × 16" × 4" | PEAIR-Q |
$49 | — |
| Low Profile Memory Foam | Stomach and back sleepers | 2.95" loft; queen 24" × 16" | P3V-ST |
$65 | — |
| Luxury Resort Kapok & 3D Fiber | Soft, fluffy, shapable feel | Queen 30" × 20" × 5"; king 36" × 20" × 5" | PKA-Q |
$67 | $72 |
| Ventilated Copper Infused Memory Foam | Molded foam, ventilated for airflow | Not listed | PC328-Q |
$65 | $67 |
| Ventilated Bamboo Charcoal Memory Foam | Molded foam; moisture and odor absorbing | Not listed | PBD328-Q |
$63 | $65 |
| Bamboo Charcoal & Cooling Gel (two-sided) | Gel side to sleep cool, charcoal side for freshness | Not listed | PBDGEL-Q |
$70 | $70 |
Pillow protectors and pillowcases:
| Item | What it lists | Model code | Queen | King |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamboo Viscose Pillow Protector | Waterproof, zippered, washable; 85% viscose from bamboo, 15% spandex | PILPROB1-Q |
$41 | $41 |
| Terry Cloth Pillow Protector | Liquid-spill protection; 80% cotton, 20% polyester | PILPROC1-Q |
$35 | — |
| Bamboo Cotton Luxury Pillowcase (set of 2) | 240 thread count; 60% viscose from bamboo, 40% cotton; 4 colors | PILCASGY-Q |
$45 | $49 |
Prices are today’s prices, read live from our catalog, with free FedEx shipping included. Most pillow listings say delivery within 3–5 business days.
Cooling Contoured Side Sleeper Shoulder Pillow
Our pick for side sleepers: the shape is built around your shoulder instead of fighting it.
- Ergonomic shoulder cutout that fits around your arm and shoulder
- Gel-infused, ventilated memory foam with a PCM coating
- Machine washable zip-off cooling cover
- One size: 22" × 16" × 5"
- CertiPUR-US certified foam; 3-year limited warranty
From $60 (1 Pillow) · See sizes & details
Reactive Shredded Memory Foam Pillow with Adjustable Loft Height
Our pick if you’re not sure what height you need, or you sleep in more than one position.
- Adjustable height: remove shredded foam until the loft is right for you
- Reactive foam with a latex-like bounce-back
- Cooling-fiber zip-off cover for easy laundering
- 5" loft, queen or king
- CertiPUR-US certified foam; 3-year limited warranty
From $77 (Queen) · See sizes & details
Don’t forget the mattress
A great pillow can’t fix a mattress that lets your hips sink or pushes your shoulder up. If you sleep on your side, start with our best mattress for side sleepers guide; on your back or stomach, see best firm mattress for back and stomach sleepers. Switch all night? Try best mattress for combination sleepers.
Shop this guide
Pick the pillow that matches how you sleep.
- Cooling Contoured Side Sleeper Shoulder Pillow, from $60. Side sleepers: shoulder cutout and a cooling cover.
- Low Profile Memory Foam Pillow for Stomach & Back Sleepers, from $65. Stomach and back sleepers: a low 2.95" loft.
- Cryo-Chill Cooling Phase Change Memory Foam Pillow, from $75. Hot sleepers: PCM coating and a cooling zip-off cover.
Questions we hear a lot
What pillow is best for side sleepers?
Side sleepers usually need the highest, fullest pillow, so it fills the space between the mattress and your head across the width of your shoulder and keeps your neck in line with your spine. Our Cooling Contoured Side Sleeper Shoulder Pillow is 5 inches tall with a shoulder cutout, and the Reactive Shredded Memory Foam Pillow lets you remove fill to fine-tune the height.
What pillow is best for stomach sleepers?
A low, thin pillow, so your neck is not bent up and back. Our Low Profile Memory Foam Pillow for Stomach & Back Sleepers has a 2.95-inch loft. Some stomach sleepers prefer a very thin pillow or none at all.
What pillow is best for back sleepers?
A medium-height pillow that supports your neck without pushing your chin toward your chest. The Cryo-Chill Phase Change pillow (4.5-inch loft) and the Essentials Dual Air-Foam pillow (4 inches) are good places to start, and the Low Profile pillow suits back sleepers who like a flatter pillow.
What is the best pillow if I sleep hot?
Look for a phase change (PCM) coating, ventilated foam and a cooling cover. Our Cryo-Chill Phase Change pillow and Cooling Contoured Side Sleeper Shoulder Pillow list all three, and the two-sided Bamboo Charcoal & Cooling Gel pillow has a cool-to-the-touch gel side.
How do I keep a memory foam pillow clean?
Wash the zip-off cover, not the foam inside. The care instructions on our covers say machine wash cold on gentle with like colors, non-chlorine bleach only when needed, tumble dry low, and do not iron or dry clean. A pillow protector, such as our waterproof Bamboo Viscose Pillow Protector, adds protection against liquid spills, dust mites and allergens.
Still not sure?
Tell John how you sleep, your height and build, and what mattress you have, and he’ll point you to the pillow he’d pick, even if it’s the least expensive one. Text or call 805-617-6878, 6 AM to 9 PM Pacific, or use Help me choose.
Written by John & Mimi Venti, MimiJohn. Specs and features from the manufacturer’s product listings; prices update automatically. Loft and sleeping-position advice is general rule-of-thumb shopping advice. Not medical advice: if you have a health condition or ongoing pain, ask your doctor what sleep setup is right for you.