Hey Heather,
Ok so this is my pillow collection. Pick one LOL.
A while back, I got two of those cervical pillows. I really liked them, but my wife didn’t. They work wonders for back sleepers, but are just okay for side sleepers. They’re generally firmer (when lying on them, not squeezing them) and provide excellent support, keeping your head and neck stable. People who like cuddling aren’t as fond of them, but after a night on one, you’ll feel really “together.” For me, it was a short-term fix. Sometimes, I prefer a firmer pillow, like my horsehair or wool one, and other times I like a bit of sink, but without the bounce-back, which drives me nuts. With some pillows, especially solid latex ones, my head bobs around like a buoy in the ocean. Oddly enough, my wife loves the solid latex talalay pillows.
Just as with a mattress, there can be more than one that will satisfy sleep comfort. I have had a cold for the past few days, so i switched to my latex noodle pillow. My head sinks in, much like a viscoelastic memory foam (Tempurpedic) pillow, which I do like, but without the bounce. It is very interesting how the noodle latex (like the cozypure baa-noodle or noodle) pillow, allows your head to sink in, but as the noodles displace, you dont get the bounce like a solid latex pillow. But they are very cozy and seems to apply the right counter pressure as your head sinks in.
When I am not feeling under the weather, I prefer the firmer horsehair or wool pillow. All of these pillows are very cool to sleep on and at the right loft, keeps my body aligned in a way I am comfortable. I tend to like a angled alignment rather than a parallel to the mattress alignment. Like in the first picture, rather than the top picture of the trio.
The point is you may find that you want a couple of pillows that work well for you, as there may be times that one pillow will feel better than the other, particularly if you have a cold, headache or some other issue that may be bothering you.
I am very fond of tempurpedic pillows too. While I do not like their mattresses, I think tempflow is a better choice there, their pillows, particularly their CloudPro line, which has just been replaced with the Tempur Cloud Hybrid, but if you can find the CloudPro on Amazon, they come in 3 sizes, Hi, Mid and Lo, depending on your size and sleep position.
The noodle pillows @CozyPure sells, you dont have to go all out for the Baa-Noodle (wool and noodles) their basic noodle is great, and for $10 they will send extra noodles in case their loft is not high enough.
The main take away here is there is always an alternate solution to a problem, not one size fits all, and some trial and error may be necessary, particularly with a new mattress. I tend to experiment with different things just to see how it feels. I am currently waiting delivery of my 3rd or 4th topper( a Perfectly Snug) in 2 years. Not because we are uncomfortable, but I like to see how the hype lives up to reality. My wife likes to use a heated sleeping pad, so hopefully the Perfectly Snug with keep her feet and upper body warm. And this is with a 3" organic wool topper and a wool duvet and a down duvet on top. No, they don’t make us hot. You might think so, but wool is very temperature regulating and is down, so you really are not hot under there, which is why she likes the heating pad.
I know I got a little off track, but hopefully it provides a better understanding that there is not just one fix for any particular situation. The cervical pillow you purchase can be used on either side. I happened to use the higher side, but depending on the distance between the mattress and your nose, when on your side. Most folks will tell you to measure to your ear, but then you have to add some for a little sinkage in the pillow.
Hope this helps.
Maverick
