This Is The Best Pillow For Neck Pain While Sleeping – No Matter Your Sleeping Position

This is the best pillow for neck pain while sleeping! Don’t let neck pain ruin your life. Get a cervical pillow as recommended by orthopaedic surgeons and is designed to support your spine and neck when sleeping on your back or side.

If you are in a hurry and just want to know what the best pillow for neck pain while sleeping is, I recommend the ZAMULO Orthopedic Memory Foam Cervical Contour Pillow.

So your neck pains in the morning when you wake up.

Or in the middle of the night.

If you are lucky it goes away at some point during the day, but often it doesn’t.

If it gets worse or better when you are sleeping on another pillow, like visiting family or staying in a hotel, then it might be due to your pillow.

There is a natural curve to our spines, and a pillow that is too high or too low will disrupt that curve, causing pain in your back or your neck.

Personally I find that when I’m in a hotel and the pillows are too lofty and big, then I often wake up with a neck ache.  

I like to sleep on my back and on my side.

If the pillow size is out of proportion to my shoulder size, then my head will be at an unnatural angle when I’m lying on my side.

Same for when I’m lying on my back, it will lift my head too much, this in turn puts my neck muscles into a strange twisted position, causing pain.

So I always look for the flattest pillow to sleep on. 

But, if you often suffer from neck pain, then I suggest you get an ergonomic pillow.

They are designed to keep your spine as straight as possible, while also supporting the natural curve of your spine.

Of course, no-one ever sleeps in just one position, we toss and turn a lot during the night.

So you need a pillow that can really accommodate all sleeping positions.

Fear not dear reader, I have found you the perfect pillow!

I give you…

Drum roll…

Our Editor’s Choice for the best pillow for neck pain while sleeping is…

ZAMULO Orthopedic Memory Foam Cervical 4D Contour Pillow for Neck and Shoulder Pain, for Side Sleepers Back Sleepers

The Zamulo (wow that’s a mouthful isn’t it?) cervical pillow ticks all the boxes, way more boxes than the usual cervical pillow.

Why?

They’ve made a cervical pillow that can accommodate side and back sleepers. 

Honestly, my biggest gripe about standard cervical pillows is that they are great for back sleepers, but lying on your side is just not very comfortable.

What’s more, the unique shape gives a space for your arms to go!

I mean, pillow manufacturers don’t usually think about arms.

I can say that with confidence because I have reviewed a lot of pillows for this site.

Here’s how it works.

It has a unique heart shape design that supports your neck muscles whether you are lying on your side or your back.

The “heart shape” provides the lumbar and cervical support.

The way that it is shaped, also makes it a great choice for anyone with sleep apnea, as it will position your neck so that your airways remain open while you sleep.

While the sides have a “balcony” (I really couldn’t think of a better word there) for your arm, when you are lying on your side.

I know my arm tends to flop around a lot when I’m on my side. 

I never know what to do with it?  I mean, in movies people are always cuddling so perfectly, but when I try, my arm gets in the way?  How do they do it? Do they go to special movie cuddling school where they teach you how to hide your arm?  Or have all actors/actresses secretly had their arms amputated for cuddle scenes, then walk around with a cyborg arm when at home?

Anyway, I digress.  But seriously, these are the things I wonder about.

The pillow is made from memory foam. Yes memory foam…that stuff that Nasa invented.

And they injected the memory foam with charcoal to help remove impurities from the air as you breathe while sleeping.

It also helps with odour control.

Considering how much of our skin and bodily fluids and oil makes it into our pillows, this can only be a good thing.

The outer pillow case is made from bamboo fabric, rayon, which is soft and has a cooling effect. 

Bamboo is also hypoallergenic, moisture wicking, has antimicrobial properties, and is a very sustainable crop to grow. Far more so than cotton, which requires litres and litres of water, and if not produced organically, then it has some very toxic by-products during the raw material to fabric phase.

The pillow case can also be removed and chucked into the washing machine.

Personally I prefer to put another pillow case over it, as it matches the rest of my bedding better.

Best Pillows For Side Sleepers With Neck Pain

Nature’s Guest Adjustable Cervical Orthopedic Contour Pillow for Side Sleepers

Nature’s Guest adjustable cervical pillow is designed for back and side sleepers. It comes in a gusseted design to support the neck and shoulders while allowing you to shift from back to side sleeping position with ease.

Nature’s Guest neck pillow is made of a premium 233 thread count cotton cover and microfiber filling for comfort and support.

For optimal cervical support, and to maintain proper head, neck, and spinal alignment, the neck pillow features a dual zipper through which you can adjust its firmness to suit your sleep needs. 

This hypoallergenic pillow is backed by a 30-days money-back guarantee and comes in standard and queen sizes.

Best Pillow For Back Sleepers With Neck Pain

IKSTAR Cervical Pillow

IKSTAR memory foam pillow is one of the best pillows for neck pain, thanks to its 2 in 1 design; a neck roll pillow, and a cervical pillow.

The neck roll part recommended to be used for 10-30 minutes before bedtime relaxes muscle tension and stiffness on your neck and helps to restore the natural angle of your spine.

The pillow area features a custom fit design and with the responsive nature of the best memory foam, ensures proper alignment of your neck and head for pain-free sleep. 

Further, the design opens your airways for easy breathing for side sleepers, back sleepers, and stomach sleepers.

The pillow comes with a cooling ice silk viscose/polyester machine washable cover and is backed by 100 days money-back guarantee.

Best Contour Pillow For Neck Pain

Misiki Orthopedic Contour Memory Foam Pillow

Misiki orthopedic pillow features a butterfly shape that comprises head support, cervical support, and arm support areas. 

It is made of temperature-sensitive memory foam to conform to your natural curve and keep your spine and neck aligned. 

This alleviates the discomforts of the neck muscles that cause neck pain.

This is one of the memory foam pillows specially customized for back and side sleepers.

It relieves pressure on the posterior skull which may lead to snoring when you sleep on your back and relieve pressure points on shoulders that may cause neck and shoulder pain when you sleep on the side.

The pillow comes with a hypoallergenic 100% polyester cover that is removable and machine washable.

Best Cervical Memory Foam Pillow

EPABO Ergonomic Cervical Memory Foam Pillow

Made of a memory foam core and covered with a perforated rayon/polyester cover, Epabo head and neck pillow caters to the needs of sleepers of all kinds.

The contour design is meant to effectively support the head and neck and avoid neck pain. 

The silky soft breathable and machine washable case ensures enough air circulation to keep you cool.

 With an adjustable loft, this is the right pillow for stomach sleeping which might require lower height.

The neck pain best pillow is backed by a 30-days money-back guarantee and over 23k ratings on Amazon.

Best Cooling Pillow For Neck Pain

UTOU Cervical Gel Cooling Ventilated Contour Support Pillow with Washable Cover

The UTOU neck support pillow is made of cooling gel-infused memory foam designed with gusseted edges to relieve chronic neck pain on a soft but supportive surface.

Further, it comes with open-cell and air-cell technologies to give you the best cooling properties.

To keep it clean, the pillow has a breathable hypoallergenic cover that is meshed on the sides for maximum ventilation. The cover is machine washable and zippered for easy removal.

The pillow is covered by a 100-night money-back guarantee and a 3-year warranty.

Best Adjustable Pillow For Neck Pain

UTTU Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow

Among the best pillows for neck and shoulder pressure relief, the UTTU sandwich pillow stands out thanks to its adjustable loft that makes it suitable for any sleep position. 

As the name suggests, you can customize the loft by removing or replacing the sandwich layer to keep your spine and neck aligned. 

The high contour is great for side sleep position while medium and low contours work for back and stomach sleepers respectively.

All the components of the adjustable pillow are CertiPUR-US approved and OEKO-TEX standard certified to be free of harmful products.

Like all superior quality memory foam pillows, this one maintains its firmness all year round and is backed by a 96-days money-back guarantee. 

Its bamboo viscose cover is moisture-wicking, breathable, and machine washable. 

Best Affordable Pillows For Neck Pain

Core Products D-Core Cervical Support Pillow

Core Products D-core pillow is crafted to restore the proper curvature of the spine and reduce neck pain.

Featuring among the most affordable cervical pillows for neck pain, this loft pillow boasts 100% virgin polyester filling and a cotton/polyester cover.

To best maintain proper spine alignment and keep your head and neck supported, the back and side sleeper pillow has three main areas of interest:

A D-shaped center that gently cradles your head for the back sleeping position, raised sides for side sleepers, and two different size cervical rolls to ease pressure on neck muscles.

This pillow fits in a standard pillowcase. You may require some time to get used to it.

Best Firm Pillow For Neck Pain

Therapeutica Firm Orthopedic Support Pillow

This is a firm orthopedic pillow by Therapeutica recommended for restoring the normal curve of the neck when sleeping. It is made of foam.

That said, it best works with proper sizing as the wrong size may worsen pain and discomfort.

The pillow is designed into four main areas: A head cradle for back sleeping, raised panels on either side for side sleeping, and a wedge extension that supports your spine.

Additionally, it has jaw-relief channels on either side.

This pillow comes with a zippered cover that you can remove for washing. It is available in various dimensions for people who are petite, average, large, and Xlarge.

Conclusion

Anyway, I could go on but I think you should check it out for yourself.

Because if you know anything about cervical pillows, you’ll see why this one is different.

Most cervical pillows look like a dinosaur stepped on it, like right in the middle, squashing it in a weird way. Like maybe an alien dinosaur with strange shaped feet?

But they don’t look appealing, and no matter how hard I try, I can never get comfortable on my side. 

They really do work for back sleepers, but no-one sleeps in one position all night long.

Either way, an orthopedic pillow is definitely a great choice for anyone with neck pain while sleeping.

I think it’s really important to deal with neck or back pain as quickly as possible. 

Anything that affects your spine will eventually affect other parts of your body. 

If you don’t believe me, then you need to read this article about the many spine surgeries Tiger Woods had to have, all of which started with pain in his knees!

So do not delay, get yourself a proper pillow and deal with your pain as soon as possible before it becomes so bad you have to medicate and eventually have to have surgery.

And chat to your doctor, some medical funds will pay for an orthopedic pillow if prescribed by your doctor, so check it out.

Of course, if you prefer, you can go for a more well known brand like Tempur-Pedic. although I personally haven’t tried it, their ergonomic neck pillow is generally well reviewed by everyone who uses it.

For anyone with shoulder pain, I recently reviewed a number of pillows for those who like to sleep on their side but are now experiencing shoulder pain as a result.

But if you are looking for something organic, and eco-friendly, check out this pillow.

Quick FAQ

Should I see a doctor?

Yes, always check with a doctor as soon as you can.

Neck pain can eventually lead to pain in other parts of your body.

As you automatically adjust your body posture and daily actions to avoid pain, you are unwittingly putting strain on other parts of your body and your spine.

Doctors can also check for inflammation, and prescribe medicine to reduce that.

Should I sleep with a pillow with neck pain?

According to the Edison Spine Centre, the best sleeping positions for your neck is lying on your side or your back.

And to keep your spine as neutral as possible, which is best achieved with the right pillow.

Is it better for your neck to sleep without a pillow?

Only if you are a stomach sleeper, to avoid having your spine curve the wrong way.

But for side and back sleepers, the right pillow will provide support for your spine, keeping it in a neutral position.

Pillows serve to keep your body in alignment while sleeping, and is designed to relieve pressure and counterbalance pressure points in your body.

How high should your neck be when sleeping?

According to Spine Health, a pillow should generally maintain a height of 4-6 inches to support the head and neck when lying on your back.

What type of pillow is best for neck pain?

Neck pain relief pillows are designed to balance support and pressure relief. 

Pillows made from responsive materials such as memory foam and latex contour to your body shape to support your head and relieve pressure. 

You can also experience the same with buckwheat or feather pillows.

What is a cervical pillow?

A cervical pillow is designed to support the head while keeping it at its natural angle to avoid or reduce pressure on the neck.

What pillow do chiropractors recommend?

Chiropractors recommend a pillow designed with specific shapes for every sleeping position. 

For back or side position, the pillow should be shaped to support the neck. In case a sleeper needs to shift between the two styles, the pillow should allow motion with ease at the shoulders. 

Also, the side sleeping position requires a higher height than the back position in order to maintain normal spine curvature. Stomach sleepers require the lowest loft.