If you often suffer with aches in your neck, shoulders and back you might be looking for pillows to help with neck pain. When it comes to neck pain, there are many contributing factors including your mattress, the position you sleep in and your pillows.
Pillows provide essential support for your body during the night, so it comes to no surprise that an uncomfortable pillow can greatly impact your spinal health. A pillow with good support can help keep your neck in-line with the spine, helping alleviate some of the stress in your neck muscles relieving aches.
The best pillow for you will depend on your personal sleep style as well as your preferred firmness and support. In this post we’ll look at our top five pillows to help with neck pain as well as what to look for when choosing a pillow.
How to Choose Pillows to Help With Neck Pain?
For many people aches in the neck and shoulders can be a result of work related stress, poor posture or other everyday factors. For instance, sitting in front of a computer for the majority of the day or keeping a slouched position at your desk can cause your neck to strain, inevitably resulting in aches in the area.
Another factor that can impact is your sleeping posture. While most people sleep on their side, others prefer to sleep on their front or back. Each sleeping position will benefit from a different type of pillow to promote proper neck posture while sleeping.
In general, there are a few things to consider when choosing a pillow to help with neck pain:
- If you sleep on your side you should aim to get a thicker pillow to help keep your neck and spine aligned.
- For stomach sleepers a thinner pillow will be more beneficial as it prevents overextending your neck muscles.
- Back sleepers should try using a medium pillow that offers support for the neck and allows the head to rest.
What is the Best Type of Pillow for Neck Pain?
There are many different types of pillows that can be used to provide relief when you’re suffering from neck pain. Some of the ones that are widely recommended include:
- Latex Pillows - Latex is a material that offers adequate support for the whole body including your neck and head. It’s also breathable which means you won’t sweat as much during the night. On the downside, latex pillows can be on the expensive side, but they’re definitely an investment worth the money.
- Memory Foam Pillows - Memory foam also provides decent support due to its ability to perfectly mould to the contour of your body.
- Contoured Pillows - This type of pillows are designed to keep your neck and back aligned during the night, which can be beneficial for muscle pain in your neck, shoulders or back.
5 Best Pillows to Help With Neck Pain
Octaspring True Evolution Plus Pillow
The Octaspring True Evolution Plus is one of the best side sleeper pillows for neck pain. Its design features 35 of the brand’s octaspring springs that offer far more support for your head and neck compared to other models. Each spring in the core of the True Evolution Plus pillow works individually to provide precise support for a specific area of your neck preventing aches and relieving pressure in this area. This pillow also features a soft and luxurious top layer of lower density foam that allows breathability and keeps your head cool during the night.
Dormeo Memosan Anatomic Pillow
This pillow is designed with the single purpose of providing excellent support for your head and neck, which makes it the perfect pillow to help with neck pain. The memory foam core of the Memosan Anatomic Pillow follows the body’s natural contour allowing you to maintain perfect spinal alignment during the whole night. The special shape that contours the head and neck, prevents pressure points from forming, which are the most common cause of aches in the neck and shoulders area. Additionally, this pillow allows the body’s natural blood circulation to be maintained correctly through the night.
Women's Health and Men's Health | The Recover Pillow
The Recover Pillow from Women’s Health and Men’s Health is another great choice if you’re struggling with pain in your neck and shoulder area. Designed to provide optimal support for anyone who sleeps on their side or back, this pillow releases tension in your neck and helps maintain the right temperature to help you sleep better for longer.
Relyon Superior Comfort Pillow
Based on the best seller Dunlopillo Super Comfort latex pillow, but with a slightly different name, the Relyon Superior Comfort Latex Pillow is by far one of our most popular items of all time. This natural latex pillow is designed to provide excellent comfort for side sleepers as it’s one of the deeper pillows offered. Unlike memory foam that requires head to mould to shape, natural latex almost instantly adapts to the contours of your neck and head offering superior comfort throughout the night.
Mammoth Ultimate Slim Pillow
The Mammoth Ultimate Slim Pillow is designed to suit the needs of those who sleep on their front or back. It’s composed out of Medical Grade Foam to offer perfect support for your neck and back all through the night. This pillow will prevent pressure points from forming, offering relief to aches in the neck and shoulders.
Conclusion
Choosing a suitable pillow is important when trying to prevent pain in your shoulders and neck. When choosing a pillow it’s important to consider its depth, composition and shape as different sleeping positions will benefit from different types of pillows. The best pillow to help with neck pain will depend on your individual preferences and needs.
