I am hoping to get some suggestions in my search for the ideal pillow for my back and side sleeping habits.
My sleep pattern is pretty evenly divided between back and side sleeping positions, and I’ve been struggling to find a pillow that works well for both positions. I try to use two pillows, but I always end up rolling onto my back in the middle of the night and not switching pillows. Then I wake up with a stiff neck from the excessive height of my designated “side” pillow. My ideal pillow would have thick sides (for side-sleeping) and an almost flat central area (for my head while back-sleeping), with a very gentle neck roll border.
So far the closest thing I’ve found is the gentle mid-size tri-core pillow by Core Products. I don’t love the way the poly filling feels and I would like to be able to add and remove stuffing to customize the neck roll firmness more. Does anyone know of a pillow with a similar contouring that uses a filling like wool, latex or silk?
Another very close to perfect pillow is the Tempur-pedic side pillow. It looks like they may have stopped making this, but I’ve bought at least 4 over the years because it’s the best I’d found. The problem is that the central neck roll is a bit too firm and high for me to start. And by the time the foam has worn down to make the neck roll comfortable for back-sleeping, the sides are too low for comfortable side-sleeping. I’m also trying to stay away from memory foam now for health reasons.
Any thoughts or suggestions are very welcome. Thank you!
While this site focuses primarily on mattresses, there is a pillow thread here.
This site has a photo of a Therapeutica sleeping pillow that I’ve seen before in polyfoam and latex configurations, and it is popular for use after people have neck surgeries. You may be interested in something like that.
Perhaps there are more knowledgeable people who have experience with a pillow that is similar to what you describe and they can provide their insight as well.
I sleep in all positions, and I’ve had a good experience with a shredded latex pillow. If you get one with a zipper on it, you can remove the filling so that it’s comfortable for back sleeping. Then when you move to your side, you squish/fold it up, so that the pillow is smaller but higher. You can’t do this with a formed pillow.
My wife is a side/back sleeper, and also uses the same type of pillow.
Other fillings, like polyurethane foam would probably give you a similar experience (like the “my pillow”), but I have no experience with them. Woolly bolas might also work, but I suspect they may not hold their shape as well as foam. But again, I have no experience with them.
You are correct that “shapeable” pillows like shredded latex are a popular choice with people who assume different sleeping postures throughout the night, allowing for a different thickness and contouring to be obtained from one pillow. And offerings with a zippered access to the inner fill usually arrive overstuffed, allowing the user to remove and customize the fill to their particular demands. And the extra fill can be stored in airtight bags for use later on if the fill flattens out (like many natural fibers will tend to do) or if one’s particular needs change.
You are correct that other types of shredded foam pillows will initially provide a similar level of comfort, but the durability of the polyfoam filled items is much shorter than the shredded latex items.
Wool will tend to firm up as it compresses (up to 30%) over time. Having the ability to remove or add fill is desirable in pillows like this as you can maintain the level of comfort over time by adding wool.
I am a predominant side sleeper. I currently am shopping for a new mattress. Starting my journey, I have been sleeping on the Snuggle Pedic Bamboo shredded memory foam pillow. It has a really nice cover that they also include with the pillow that is very breathable in my opinion. I track my sleep with data from my Fitbit Blaze, and have seen improvement in my sleep just after changing pillows.
I have been all over the forums here and am hoping to apply the knowledge I have gathered and make a decision based on the knowledge provided.
Just wanted to chime in on my pillow choice. Cheers!
Thank you all for the responses! The “therapeutica” pillow looks pretty serious, but if I can’t find a good fit I may consider it. While I was trying out mattresses at The Sleep Store (great experience, btw), the kind woman helping me gave me a Bucky travel pillow to use while bed hopping. I never would have tried this myself, but it was the first time I’ve felt my neck truly relax in a long time! I have an old Bucky lumbar support pillow that I dug out to try for the last couple nights and it’s actually pretty nice. I can flatten out a space for my head while I’m on my back and then squishy it up to have more support when I roll onto my side. I’m sure it’s not for everyone, but I like how solid the buckwheat feels. My head can just relax because the pillow isn’t going anywhere. I’ve ordered a ComfyComfy buckwheat pillow to try as my primary pillow and I will update once I’ve received it.
I’m glad you found something you liked, and I’m hoping the pillow works as well as you think it will once it arrives. I’ll look forward to your feedback.
I myself am a side sleeper & stumbled upon a good pillow for me. Let me say that I have fairly broad shoulders & they are heavily weighted.
I needed a high loft pillow, to compensate for too little shoulder sink. Conversely, I needed a plushness to allow for too much sink.
So, I got a Malouf Latex Pillow. Standard sized. High loft. Zoned for firmness around the perimeter & plushness in the middle. Turned out to be perfect for me as a side sleeping pillow.
Its also a good secondary back sleeper. The firm part supports my upper neck & the plush part allows my head to sink. That’s important because it offsets the high loft when on your back.
The pillow came in a nice plastic case. It is shaped like a regular pillow. 100% natural talalay. It also came with a washable, zippered cover. I got it on eBay for $50 new, but expect to pay $65-100 a copy. For me, it’s a winner.
However, if you have a short neck, the high loft may not be for you. My wife likes it as well, but she just mentioned the loft was a bit too high. I’ll be getting her one, but regular loft.
I’ll throw my two cents in here and cast a vote for a shredded latex pillow, like mr-ben recommended. I used to stack two pillows (a solid latex with a down on top) when I was on my side, then use only one pillow when I went to my back. I eventually got a shredded latex pillow after my second cervical surgery and that has worked well for me, as the ability to manipulate thickness, shape and wrap around behind my shoulders allows me to use only one pillow instead of two. Of course, not everyone like the supportive feel of latex, so as is often stated here on this site, YMMV.
Full disclaimer: I am a retailer offering two different versions of shredded latex pillows, but I got my shredded latex pillow before I offered them for sale.
I’ve never tried a shredded latex pillow, but I have a similar one by CozyPure. They use proprietary latex “noodles”. You can shift them around to your liking. It’s supportive, but soft at the same time. I’ve tried MANY pillows in the past, and this one have been my favorite by far.
