A pillow is a cushion that supports your head and neck so your spine stays level while you sleep. To choose one, check 5 things in this order: your sleeping position, the filling, the firmness, the size and how it washes. Sleeping position comes first because it decides how high the pillow needs to be.
What should I look for when buying a pillow?
Look for 5 things when buying a pillow: a height that matches your sleeping position, a filling you like the feel of, the right firmness, a size that fits your pillowcases, and a cover you can wash. Get the height right first, because a pillow that's too high or too low bends your neck all night.
- Sleeping position. Side sleepers need the most height, back sleepers need medium height and stomach sleepers need very little. The next sections cover this in detail.
- Filling. Hollowfibre, feather and down, and memory foam each feel different. Hollowfibre is the easiest to live with.
- Firmness. Firm pillows hold their height under your head, and soft ones flatten. Broad-shouldered side sleepers usually need firm.
- Size. The standard UK pillow is 48x74 cm and fits a 50x75 cm pillowcase. Check this before buying pillowcases separately.
- Care. A pillow you can machine wash stays fresher for longer. Memory foam can't go in the machine. Hollowfibre and most feather pillows can.
What is the best pillow filling?
Hollowfibre is the best pillow filling for most people. It's a hollow polyester fibre that traps air like down, bounces back after washing, suits allergy sufferers and costs far less than natural fill. Feather and down suits people who like to scrunch their pillow into shape.
Here's how the 3 common fillings compare:
| Filling | How it feels | Washable | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollowfibre | Springy, holds its shape | Yes, machine wash | Most sleepers, allergy sufferers |
| Duck feather and down | Heavy, soft, mouldable | Yes, dry thoroughly | People who shape their pillow |
| Memory foam | Dense, slow to recover | Cover only | People who want fixed support |
Our bed pillows include 5 hollowfibre styles (hotel quality, textured, satin stripe, quilted and bounce back) and a duck feather and down pillow in a cotton cover. The bounce back pillows come in soft, medium and firm, which makes them the easiest place to start if you're matching firmness to your sleeping position.
How high should a pillow be?
A pillow should be high enough to keep your head in line with your spine. For side sleepers, that means filling the gap between your ear and the mattress, which is the width of your shoulder. Back sleepers need about half that height, and stomach sleepers need a nearly flat pillow or none at all.
Side sleepers
Side sleepers need the highest, firmest pillow. If you wake with a stiff neck or your lower arm goes numb, your pillow is probably too low and your head is tipping down towards the mattress. Two thin pillows can work, but one firm pillow holds its height better through the night.
Back sleepers
Back sleepers need a medium-height pillow that supports the curve of the neck without pushing the chin towards the chest. A medium firmness hollowfibre pillow suits most back sleepers.
Stomach sleepers
Stomach sleepers need a low, soft pillow, because a high one twists the neck backwards. A soft hollowfibre pillow or a flattened feather pillow works best.
Once you know the height you need, check the size against your bedding. Our guide to UK pillow sizes, 48x74 cm vs 50x75 cm explains why pillows and pillowcases are measured differently. For where pillow protectors fit in, see the correct order of bedding layers.
Written by the Adam Home team at Ensor Mill, Rochdale.
