11 Best Pillows for Neck Pain in 2024

A pillow so great we’ve already endorsed it. Because you can adjust the amount of fill in your Coop pillow, it’s adaptable to any sleeper’s specific needs. Sleep on your back, use the standard amount of fill. Side sleepers add extra fill. Stomach sleepers remove some fill.

Even within each of those groups, not every body is the same. So, the Coop pillow essentially lets you create the perfect pillow for your body and sleep style.

Marlow also makes a great adjustable pillow. Though it’s not as great as the Coop in that regard, with only three options that change the physical height of the pillow.

Where the Marlow pillow shines is in combining adjustability and cooling. The cooling fibers and open structure make it perfect for hot sleepers. The ability to play with the height makes it a better choice than most for neck pain.

If your issues are bordering on clinical, you need something like this, tailor made for spine alignment. The winged shape is great for side sleepers, as it supports your head, aligns your spine, and gives you somewhere to comfortably set your arm. Plus for back sleepers, the arm-cutout-wing-things actually do a great job of keeping you from tossing and turning at night.

Sleep Number makes a cervical pillow that is less intense than some of those big winged options. The curve allows it to fit snug on your shoulders, which keeps it properly positioned even if you are tossing and turning.

As for the comfort, it was one of our favorites. The down alternative does a great job of replicating the real thing, and it manages to stay consistently cool. The cotton cover is nice as well, which is a big deal here since it doesn’t properly within a pillowcase.

That brings us to the issues we had. The pillowcase fit is the main one. You can put a pillowcase on it, but it looks a bit silly. Other than that, this model might be a bit too short for side sleepers. If you’re a side sleeper with broad shoulders, go for the even more lofty PlushComfort Ultimate.

One of the biggest issues with neck pain pillows is cooling. Most models use memory foams that tend to trap heat. Purple gets around this by using its low-density GelFlex grid. It conforms to your head with pressure, but the low density allows you to get a lot of airflow, keeping you cool.

As for neck pain care, Purple does that by offering three different heights. For back sleepers, this is less of a science, so you might need to buy all three sizes to find out what works for you. For side sleepers, take a taper measure and measure from your ear to the bed. It’ll be somewhere within this 5.5- to 7.5-inch range. Get the pillow that fits that gap, and it’ll keep your spine in alignment.

The only caution we have here is for stomach sleepers. Even the smallest option will be too thick, since the latex that makes up the body of the pillow is quite firm.

It looks weird and intense, but if you are a dedicated 100-percent-of-the-time side sleeper, the Pillow Cube is the only neck pain pillow you should buy. It fits perfectly on your shoulder, filling that gap between ear and bed, and keeping your spine in alignment.

If you are any type of combination sleeper, maybe look elsewhere, or keep a second pillow you like. The cube is specialized for side sleepers. It’s awful for back or stomach sleepers.

If you’re a diehard side sleeper and a diehard down pillow lover, Parachute has you covered. Like the Pillow Cube above, this thing is tailor made for side sleepers, but it’s got that plush, natural down filling you want.

The only downside is that Parachute only has one size of square pillow. For most people, it’s fine. But, for those 5 percent with especially broad shoulders, you might have to go elsewhere. The good thing, though, is that Parachute has a nice 60-day return period. If you’re not sure, give it a try for a few nights or a few weeks.

(Content warning: I’m about to talk about my summer in Europe.) Of all the dumb things American’s say are just different in Europe, the one I actually care about is their pillows. Unless you’re staying in a fancy, foreigner-focused hotel, the pillows across the continent tend to be a lot flatter than the ones here in America.

For me, this was a revelation. I sleep on my back or stomach, almost never my side, and a thin pillow is perfect for either application. This cooling foam pillow from Bluewave was the best we found on this side of the pond. Stomach sleepers can go for the 2.25-inch Hyper Slim. Back sleepers can pick any of the three options. Side sleepers should stay away from this one.

If you like the idea of a slab pillow, but don’t want to go super slim, Avocado makes a great option. It’s about five inches tall, so not a great option for stomach sleepers, but it’s an ideal shape for back and side sleepers. It’s a lot more firm than other options, which is deal for neck pain, as most issues come from needing more support.

Would your $500 be better spent on an actual chiropractor or orthopedic visit? Maybe. But who cares!

Joking aside, Hästens makes a therapeutic pillow that surprisingly is worth a real shout. The shapes you’re able to get by inserting one or both of the cylindrical inserts is really great for neck pain—especially for side sleepers.

And when we’re talking materials, none of the other pillows compare. The certified goose down and woven cotton alone can fix any nighttime pains.