8 Best Pillows for Neck Ache – Nix Pain While You Sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is always hugely important for our wellbeing, let alone during the stress of a pandemic.
The wrong pillow can cause or exacerbate neck pain, waking you up at night and leaving you feeling groggy in the morning. This happens when the neck becomes locked in an awkward angle or doesn’t get enough support.
On the contrary, the right pillow can help prevent neck ache and make existing issues more manageable.
Memory foam pillows offer the optimum support by quickly molding to your head and neck while you sleep. They feel like a dense sponge, which many back and side sleepers love, but not everybody gets on with them. They last years but can be a pricey initial investment.
If firmness isn’t your thing or you don’t want to drop a small mortgage on a pillow, don’t despair. Good alternatives to memory foam include down and microfiber, which make for softer, flatter pillows that are better suited to front sleepers. They’re also smart options for combination sleepers, as you can layer them to find the best fit.
How to ease neck pain when you sleep
The key to easing neck pain is to find a pillow that keeps your head, neck and spine in a straight line and offers support to suit your sleeping style.
Memory foam, orthopedic and latex pillows are all worth trying. Some memory foam pillows allow you to add or remove fillings to adjust the thickness and others are pre-formed to help align your neck and spine. However, there aren’t many of these on the market and they’re expensive.
It’s especially important to find the right pillow if neck pain is impacting your life. Some brands will let you trial a pillow and return or exchange it if it’s not right for you.
How we test
Our panel of testers tried a range of pillows at home. They noted how comfortable they were to sleep on, how cool they felt at night, how much neck support they offered and whether they were worth the price tag. There’s a pillow for all budgets on this list, no matter your sleeping style.
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