Neck pain is a common and sometimes debilitating condition that can affect many aspects of your life, including your sleep. The high number of people suffering from chronic neck pain is why, in recent years, Americans have seen an increasing number of pillows that claim to reduce neck pain and improve sleep quality.
On average, we sleep for about a third of our lifetime. That means the time spent selecting the right mattress, pillow, and blankets is a valuable investment in your future.
If you suffer from chronic neck pain, selecting the correct pillow can make a rapid and profound difference in how your neck feels after a good night’s sleep. Here are some of the best pillows to help with neck pain.
1. Coop Home Goods Premium Adjustable Loft Cross-Cut Hypoallergenic Certipur Memory Foam Pillow
Adjustable memory foam filling, a two-way stretch inner liner, and a soft outer cover made of bamboo make this pillow stand out from its competition.
Coop Home Goods is a family-owned small business that openly promotes people over products. Their memory foam pillow is adjustable: you can remove the foam inserts to achieve your optimal neutral spine position and relieve chronic neck pain. This feature makes this pillow a great option for people who want to experiment with different firmness levels to find their ideal comfort level. Although this pillow has a higher-than-average price, it comes with a no risk, 30-day money-back guarantee.
The pillow’s soft bamboo outer covering is not only durable and comfortable, it is also hypoallergenic and environmentally sustainable. The pillow is machine washable, allowing for years of relief from neck pain.
Highlights: premium, hypoallergenic materials, adjustable firmness, small business
Stats:
- Material: Memory foam blend filling with a soft bamboo-derived case
- Hypoallergenic and dust mite-resistant: Yes
- Lifespan and warranty: Lifespan is estimated at approximately 5 years. The company also offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee
- Special features: 100-night sleep trial
2. WonderSleep Premium Adjustable Loft Shredded Hypoallergenic Memory Foam for Home & Hotel Collection
Coming in second on the list, primarily because of its limited warranty, is the Wondersleep Premium Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow. This pillow boasts many of the same features as the Coop Home Goods memory foam pillow, including memory foam filling and a soft outer cover made of bamboo.
The memory foam filling molds to the natural curve of your neck, allowing your neck muscles to relax fully at night and leading to decreased neck pain the next day. You can adjust the pillow’s firmness by removing or replacing the memory foam filling.
The WonderSleep pillows come in a pack of two, decreasing the cost of each pillow to around $25. The outer cover is composed of 40% bamboo and 60% polyester, which can be machine washed for many nights of sleep.
Highlights: affordable and adjustable firmness
Stats:
- Material: Memory foam blend filling with a soft bamboo-derived case
- Hypoallergenic and dust mite-resistant: Yes
- Lifespan and warranty: One-year limited warranty
3. Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow Luxury Plush Gel Pillow
The Beckham Gel Pillow contains cooling gel-filled fibers, making it an excellent choice for people who have difficulty falling or staying asleep because they feel too hot.
This pillow is soft, moldable, and affordable. If you enjoy the feeling of your head sinking into a pillow when you lie down, this may be the one you’ve been looking for. The Gel Pillow’s formability makes it a more desirable option for stomach sleepers, compared with memory foam pillows.
Although some people have reported that the pillow has a slight smell, these reviews are vastly outnumbered by ones that say that there is no smell upon the first opening. The company’s money-back guarantee allows you to try the pillow for 30 days.
Highlights: soft and cooling, good for stomach sleepers
Stats:
- Material: Memory foam blend filling with a soft bamboo-derived case
- Hypoallergenic and dust mite-resistant: Yes
- Lifespan and warranty: 30-day money-back guarantee
4. Nature’s Guest Support Pillow
The only pillow on the list explicitly recommended by chiropractors and orthopedic doctors, the Nature’s Guest Support Pillow is made of a hypoallergenic microfiber filling covered in a 233-count cotton pillowcase. This pillow is soft to the touch, yet firm and supportive for your neck.
The amount of filling is fully adjustable, so you can find the perfect height to support your neck. A nice touch for side sleepers, the pillow’s edges are higher than its center. The microfiber filling makes this pillow feel softer than memory foam pillows.
Multiple customer reviews report having significant neck pain due to injuries such as bulging discs, and describe a significant reduction or elimination of their neck pain after using this pillow for a few nights.
Highlights: doctor-recommended, microfiber filling, adjustable height, soft
Stats:
- Material: Microfiber filling with cotton pillowcase
- Hypoallergenic and dust mite-resistant: Yes
- Lifespan and warranty: 30-day satisfaction guarantee
5. Sleep Innovations Produced by Innocor Comfort Memory Foam Contour Pillow with Cotton Cover
The Sleep Innovations Memory Foam Contour Pillow doesn’t have a bamboo-blend pillowcase or gel-infused memory foam, but what it lacks in features, it makes up in portability. This pillow makes our list of the best pillows for neck pain because it comes in a travel size, making it handy for frequent flyers or road trip-loving families.
This pillow is contoured, so one side has a higher area (good for side sleepers) and the other side has a lower area (ideal for back sleepers). Innocor is a US-based company that has been in business for over 45 years, so you can rest easy when they say that they stand by their five-year warranty.
Highlights: travel size, memory foam, five-year warranty
Stats:
- Material: Memory foam with a cotton pillowcase
- Hypoallergenic & Dust mite resistant: Yes
- Lifespan and warranty: The lifespan is estimated at approx. five years+. They also offer a 5-year warranty
6. Milemont Memory Foam Pillow, Cervical Pillow for Neck Pain, Orthopedic Contour Pillow
The Milemont Memory Foam Pillow is specifically shaped to complement the curvature of the neck and relieve neck pain. It has a high area, ideal for side sleepers, as well as a lower section suitable for back sleepers.
The outer cover is a soft and durable blend of 40% bamboo and 60% polyester. The memory foam is infused with gel, combining the former’s neck support with the latter’s cooling touch. Charcoal added to the memory foam helps wick moisture away, keeping you dry and comfortable throughout the night.
The manufacturer advertises that the Milemont Memory Foam Pillow is ideal for all sleeping positions, but the medium-firm feel may make this pillow uncomfortable for stomach sleepers. The pillowcase is machine washable, but the company does not recommend washing the inner foam insert.
Highlights: memory foam support, cooling gel
Stats:
- Material: Bamboo charcoal-infused memory foam with bamboo/polyester blend pillowcase
- Hypoallergenic and dust mite-resistant: Yes
- Lifespan and warranty: 10-year warranty. The company also offers a 30-day, no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee
7. ROYAL THERAPY Queen Memory Foam Pillow
The Royal Therapy Queen Memory Foam Pillow is for people who like extremely firm pillows. While it boasts some of the same premium materials as the other pillows on our list, such as a memory foam body and a bamboo/polyester blend pillowcase, where the Royal Therapy Pillow shines is that it is CertaPUR-US certified, therefore, it is guaranteed to be chemical and toxin-free. It’s a reasonably priced option for people who want a firm memory foam pillow.
The pillow comes in a queen size, as well as a king-size version. Additionally, the Royal Therapy pillow is perfect for stomach, side, or back sleepers as it helps keep your spine in a neutral, pain-free position.
Highlights: price, memory foam, pillowcase cover, contoured shape
Stats:
- Material: Memory foam with bamboo/polyester blend pillowcase
- Hypoallergenic and dust mite-resistant: Yes
- Lifespan and warranty: N/A
8. Coisum Back Sleeper Cervical Pillow
The Coisum Back Sleeper Cervical Pillow is specifically designed to keep your spine and neck in a stress-free position. The core is made of 60-density slow-rebound memory foam that takes 3 to 5 seconds to return to its original shape once you move your head off the pillow. An indent in the middle gently cradles your head, and the pillow is designed with strategic cutouts to keep pressure off your shoulders while sleeping.
Customer reviews rave that not only does this pillow decrease neck pain, but it also alleviates shoulder pain. The lateral edges of the Back Sleeper Cervical Pillow are designed for sleeping on your side, but many reviews report that the sides of the pillow stick up in the air and are essentially useless for side sleeping.
The manufacturer warns that the pillow’s unusual design may be uncomfortable for the first few days, but says that if you stick to using this pillow, you will experience extreme comfort.
Highlights: 60-density memory foam, shoulder cutouts, head indent
Stats:
- Material: Memory foam with polyester pillowcase
- Hypoallergenic and dust mite-resistant: Yes
- Lifespan and warranty: 30-day full-refund guarantee
- Added Feature: Carrying case
9. Core Products Tri-Core Cervical Support Pillow
The Tri-Core Cervical Support Pillow is made specifically for people who sleep on their backs. This pillow accommodates people with large and small necks, as each side has a different height to help make everyone comfortable. A hollow center cradles your head and supports your cervical spine. The cotton/polyester blend pillowcase is soft and machine washable.
The manufacturers state that this pillow promotes proper nerve function and the healing of injuries, since it supports adequate neck curvature. If you’re new to this pillow, the company recommends that you switch between the Tri-Core Pillow and your old pillow for the first few nights to help reduce the initial discomfort of switching pillows.
If you’re prone to allergies or allergic to dust, you may want to choose another pillow, as the Tri-Core is not hypoallergenic. Due to its material, the Tri-Core Pillow may need to be changed out or washed more frequently.
Highlights: made for both large and small necks, back sleepers
Stats:
- Material: Polyester fiber filled with polyester/cotton blend pillowcase
- Hypoallergenic and dust mite-resistant: No
- Lifespan and warranty: N/A
10. EPABO Contour Memory Foam Pillow Orthopedic Sleeping Pillows
The EPABO Contour Memory Foam Pillow is made for back sleepers, side sleepers, stomach sleepers, and people with neck pain. Compared to other memory foam pillows, the EPABO Contour Pillow is designed for airflow, so it resists heat buildup during the night. It’s also packed with over 20% more memory foam compared to other pillows of similar size and price. The bamboo/polyester blend pillowcase is both hand and machine washable.
This pillow also has a removable foam insert (0.8in. thick) on its bottom that lets you adjusting its height for optimal comfort. The manufacturer warns that this pillow is not suitable for people with preexisting severe cervical pain.
Highlights: memory foam, bamboo/polyester blend pillowcase, removable insert/adjustable
Stats:
- Material: Memory foam with Bamboo/polyester blend pillowcase
- Hypoallergenic and dust mite-resistant: Yes
- Lifespan and warranty: 30-day satisfaction guarantee
More Pillow Articles:
- Best Pillows for a Good Night’s Sleep
- Best Pillows for Neck Pain
- The Best Pillows for Kids
- Best Pillows for Side Sleepers
- Best Travel Pillows
- Best Body Pillows
- Best Firm Pillows
