When it comes to getting a good night's sleep, the right pillow can make all the difference—and that’s particularly true for back sleepers, who require a particular balance of support, comfort and spinal alignment. Luckily, the best pillows for back sleepers are readily available, and each boasts appropriate loft and firmness, as well as cooling materials and sometimes even organic certifications. Our top pick for 2024 is the Coop Eden Cool Adjustable Pillow, which is crafted to support the natural curvature of your spine and even offers adjustability; the Parachute Down Pillow is an excellent alternative for anyone interested in a somewhat airier feel (it’s our top down pillow pick).
For back sleepers setting out on their shopping expeditions, it’s important to start with the basics. “Selecting a medium-loft pillow is key for maintaining proper spinal alignment and reducing discomfort,” says chiropractor Brent Wells. Essentially, you want to hit that sweet spot between “too low” and “too high”; that’s your best bet when it comes to minimizing the odds of waking up with a sore neck. Ahead, find a curated list of the best pillows for back sleepers in 2024, each of which takes adjustability, fill and firmness into account.
Best Pillow For Back Sleepers Overall: Coop EdenCool Adjustable Pillow (Queen)
Best Budget Pillow For Back Sleepers: Beckham Hotel Collection Down-Alternative Pillow (Queen, Set Of 2)
Best Memory Foam Pillow For Back Sleepers: Casper Hybrid Pillow (Standard)
Best Down Pillow For Back Sleepers: Parachute Down Pillow (Standard)
Best Cooling Pillow For Back Sleepers: Slumber Cloud UltraCool Pillow (Standard)
Best Hypoallergenic Pillow For Back Sleepers: Bear Pillow (Standard)
Best Pillow For Back Sleepers Overall
An All-Around Ideal Pillow With Adjustable Features And Cooling Tech
Coop EdenCool Adjustable Pillow (Queen)
Fill: Shredded memory foam | Firmness: Adjustable | Warranty: 5 years | Trial period: 100 nights
What you'll love:
- Adjustable
- Cooling memory foam
Keep in mind:
- May take time to find the right loft
Coop’s original adjustable pillow is our top pick for the best pillow overall, so it might not surprise you to see another one of the brand’s models on this list. The EdenCool adjustable model is ideal for back sleepers, boasting many of the features of the original, but with an added, gel-infused memory foam and microfiber fill with cooling properties. Discerning shoppers should note that the EdenCool arrives with an extra half pound of fill, which you can add or subtract as needed to find your ideal loft. The pillow also features a dual case system that makes it easy to adjust said fill, and it’s GreenGuard Gold and CertiPUR-US certified to boot. With a hypoallergenic fill, it’s a good choice for allergy sufferers, and prospective buyers can choose from queen and king sizes.
What the reviews say: Customers give this pillow high marks for its adjustability. “It’s fantastic,” one writes. “It took two nights to take out enough filling to make it right for me, but now it’s perfect.” Another claims they “sleep so much better” on the EdenCool and “will never go back to cheap pillows.”
Best Budget Pillow For Back Sleepers
An Incredibly Well-Reviewed Set For Less Than $60
Fill: Down-alternative | Firmness: Medium-firm | Warranty: None offered | Trial period: None offered
What you'll love:
- Comes in a set of two
- Supportive, but soft
Keep in mind:
- Not adjustable
Few pillows can boast the fanbase that this Beckham Hotel Collection pillow has. A set of two for under $100, it has tens of thousands of 5-star reviews from sleepers of all positions, including back sleepers. It’s filled with a down alternative that customers claim offers a fluffy yet highly supportive feel, and the loft works well for most back sleepers. Enviably airy and breathable, it offers so many qualities you’re more likely to find in more expensive pillows—including a “no-shift” design, which helps to keep filling in its place (you might still need to fluff it from time to time). It’s also easy to clean: Just toss it in the wash and lay flat to dry. Finally, the pillows are Oeko-Tex-certified, which means they’re free of a range of potentially harmful chemicals and substances. All things considered, this is a serious bargain.
What the reviews say: Customers say these pillows are a good fit for nearly everyone. “I'm abacksleeper, and my husband is a sidesleeper; we both slept very comfortably,” shares a fan. Another says, “I am aback/sidesleeperand these [have] the perfect level of support.”
Best Memory Foam Pillow For Back Sleepers
A Pleasant Mix Of Foam And Fiber
Casper Hybrid Pillow (Standard)
Fill:Polyester and polyurethane foam |Firmness: Medium-firm | Warranty: 1 year limited | Trial period: None offered
What you'll love:
- Supportive memory foam construction
- Doesn’t need fluffing
Keep in mind:
- Too dense for some
The Casper Hybrid Pillow is another great pick for back sleepers. It uses a mix of foam and fiber to produce its plush feel, and manages to be just as supportive as it is soft—not an easy feat. It’s a step up from traditional foam pillows thanks to a three-layer system that provides superior support for your head and neck. An inner fiber core that allows the pillow to contour around your head and neck, and a foam layer surrounds that, giving a firmer feel. Finally, there’s a breathable knit shell that unzips for cleaning. This pillow doesn’t need fluffing, and it’s free of contours and cut-outs, making it a great pick for back sleepers (not to mention design-savvy shoppers who want their bed to look as good as it feels). Choose from standard and king sizes.
What the reviews say: Customers give this pillow rave reviews for its soft and supportive feel. “I’m a side andbacksleeper and found this pillow to be great either way,” writes one owner. “The pillow holds its shape and doesn’t squish or bunch.” Another says that the pillow “has changed the way I sleep as I no longer wake up with neck pain.”
Best Down Pillow For Back Sleepers
Soft, Airy And Available In A Choice Of Firmness
MOST POPULAR
Fill:Down| Firmness:Soft, medium, firm| Warranty: 3 years | Trial period:60 nights
What you’ll love:
- Fluffy down feel
- Your choice of firmness
Keep in mind:
- Needs regular fluffing
This elegant pillow provides the classic, “squishy” down feel in your choice of firmness—soft, medium and firm. Notably, Parachute goes above and beyond the legal requirements for down pillows, filling this one with at least 85% goose down. That’s 10% more than Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations dictate—and seeing as a “100% down pillow” doesn’t actually exist, it’s a pretty remarkable set of specs.
The pillow is covered by a cotton sateen shell and features a double-stitched and piped seam, lowering the risk of stray feathers poking out. It also meets Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification, meaning the components have been tested and are proven to be free of harmful levels of toxins, and it comes with an impressive three-year warranty and 60-night trial period.
What our experts says: Forbes Vetted contributor Margaret Eby tested the Parachute Down pillow for a full year, and found it to be better than many other down options. “The Parachute pillow also excelled in loft tests compared to other down pillows,” she says. “While other down pillows sank down immediately, providing little cushion between your head and the mattress, the Parachute Down Pillow maintained a supportive structure. It has also stood up well to washing and drying, which I’ve done two or three times during my long-term testing.”
Best Cooling Pillow For Back Sleepers
An Entirely Machine-Washable Pillow That Can Keep Your Neck Cool
Slumber Cloud UltraCool Pillow (Standard)
Fill: Fiberfill | Firmness: Soft/medium and medium/firm | Warranty: 180 days | Trial period: 60 nights
What you'll love:
- Dual cooling sides
- Fully machine-washable
Keep in mind:
- Can be tricky to find the right firmness
The Slumber Cloud UltraCool Pillow is specifically designed with sweaty sleepers in mind. While some cooling pillows just have one cooling side, the UltraCool is cool no matter which way you flip it, so users have a higher chance of getting comfortable quickly. The pillow is stuffed with a polysilk down-alternative fiberfill, and it comes in your choice of soft/medium or medium/firm. The entire thing is swathed in a sleek fabric cover that uses the brand’s specialized Outlast technology, which is designed to keep you from sweating in the first place (versus wicking away sweat once you’re already warm). Practical shoppers should note that the entire pillow is machine-washable; the brand suggests drying it with tennis balls or dryer balls to maintain its fluffiness. This pillow comes in standard and king sizes.
What our experts say: Forbes Vetted contributor Jamie Ueda tested the Slumber Cloud UltraCool Pillow, and found it to be a supremely comfortable choice. “Out of the dozens upon dozens of pillows I’ve tried, it’s one of the coolest-to-the-touch options I’ve felt,” Ueda writes.
Best Hypoallergenic Pillow For Back Sleepers
A Worthy Addition To Your Allergy-Fighting Arsenal
Fill: Shredded memory foam | Firmness: Medium-firm | Warranty: 2 year limited | Trial period: None offered
What you'll love:
- Both hypoallergenic and antimicrobial
- The mesh accents enhance breathability
Keep in mind:
- It’s not machine-washable
When you’re an allergy sufferer, you’ll take any solution you can get to avoid waking up stuffy. Here’s a fairly easy one to implement: Add the Bear Pillow to your bed. It’s a hypoallergenic and antimicrobial option that helps to prevent dust mites and bacteria from building up in the same spot where you rest your head. This is especially important for back sleepers who rest their entire head of hair onto their pillow each night, increasing the odds of buildup from scalp bacteria and oil. What’s more, the pillow has a cooling effect thanks to specialized “double ice” fabric, which stays cool to the touch for an impressive amount of time. Dual mesh corner panels also assist in enhancing airflow. This pillow has a medium firmness, which is courtesy of the brand’s hybrid Loft-X foam—a responsive and supportive material that boasts a memory foam feel combined with a little of the bounciness that latex delivers.
The pillow comes in standard and king sizes. Note that it’s spot-clean only.
What the reviews say: Customers rave about the Bear Pillow’s comfortable feel. “The pillow has changed my life,” one writes. “It's the perfect mix of plushy and firm,” another fan says. “I fall asleep so much easier and faster now and, when I wake up, I really feel refreshed with no neck pains or kinks.”
MORE FROMFORBES VETTED
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
Our team boasts an incredible expertise in the mattress and bedding space. In fact, we’ve built an entire library of sleep guides, including well-researched and tested stories on the best pillows overall, the best pillows for neck pain, the best mattresses of 2024 and many more.
- Korin Miller, the author of this piece, has more than a decade of experience in the health and commerce space.
- Senior mattress and sleep editor Bridget Chapman and mattress and sleep editor McKenzie Dillon oversee all of the stories published within this vertical, and both are certified sleep science coaches and prolific mattress and bedding testers.
- To enhance our knowledge of the best pillows for back sleepers on the market, we consulted two chiropractors: Brent Wells, DC, founder of the Better Health Alaska clinic and Alex Tauberg, DC, founder of Tauberg Chiropractic & Rehabilitation.
How We Chose The Best Pillows For Back Sleepers
- To choose the best pillows for back sleepers, we tracked down the most popular pillow brands and evaluated their offerings to see which offer optimal conditions for back sleepers.
- We followed our experts’ guidance on elements to look for in these pillows, including the right amount of support to maintain proper head and neck alignment as a back sleeper, along with the appropriate amount of loft.
- We analyzed each pillow’s features, assessing fill, loft, firmness and adjustability, along with extras like the warranty and trial period.
- We carefully studied reviews from both our own testers and other owners to see how these pillows performed for a range of people. All of the pillows that made the final list had minimal, if any, concerning reviews.
What To Look For In The Best Pillows For Back Sleepers
A pillow is an incredibly important part of your sleep set-up, so it’s crucial to choose one that specifically supports your sleep style. For back sleepers, these are the most critical factors to keep in mind:
Fill Material
There’s a range when it comes to fill materials, but they can generally be broken down into the following categories:
- Solid foam: These are pillows made from a single solid piece of foam. They’re unlikely to lose their shape completely over time, but they do tend to get hot. Often, manufacturers of these pillows add cooling features like gel-infused foam or a cooling cover.
- Shredded foam: Shredded foam pillows are popular because they’re adjustable more often than not, allowing sleepers to find their ideal loft and firmness. They also can be easily re-fluffed as needed, and they tend to be more breathable than pillows made with a single piece of foam.
- Fiberfill. These pillows tend to feel more plush than foam options, and they’re far less likely to hold onto heat. That said, they may not be adjustable and are often less contouring than foam options.
- Down. To be labeled as a down pillow, these pillows must contain at least 75% goose down, according to the FTC. These types of pillows tend to feel fluffier and airier than other pillows, but often need regular fluffing and bunching to keep the fill from shifting too much. They’re also typically much more expensive.
With all that said, there’s no wrong choice when it comes to pillow materials for back sleepers. “Each type of pillow caters to different needs, promoting relaxation and enhancing sleep quality for back sleepers,” Wells says.
Loft And Firmness
According to Wells, medium-loft pillows are typically considered best for back sleepers because they maintain proper spinal alignment and reduce the risk of developing pain. “Medium-loft pillows provide ample support without overly elevating the head, aligning the neck with the spine to minimize stiffness,” he says. “Choosing the right loft promotes overall spinal health for back sleepers, emphasizing the importance of proper support and alignment during rest.”
Price And Trial Policies
You can find a good pillow as a back sleeper at nearly any price point, but you can generally expect to spend at least $60 on a quality pillow, with many costing much more than that. Elements like the type of fill used and factors like adjustability and cooling can raise the price. Some companies, though not all, offer a warranty and trial period. If you’re unsure if a pillow is a good choice for you, read the company’s pillow-specific policies before investing in their product so you’re clear on whether it’s returnable.
What Type Of Pillow Is Best For Back Sleepers?
The best pillow for back sleepers is the one that can support your neck in an ideal position while you rest on the back of your head. “The goal for a back sleeper should be to keep the ears in line with the shoulders,” says chiropractor Alex Tauberg. “This position allows the neck to relax and for the muscles to disengage while in the position.” Some back sleepers also may prefer a slightly elevated pillow, although Tauberg doesn’t recommend getting anything that raises your head more than five degrees from your neck. When it comes to fill material and other components, it’s largely personal preference. However, we like the Coop EdenCool Adjustable Pillow for its adjustability and cooling properties.
Is A Firm Or Soft Pillow Better For Back Sleepers?
Some of this comes down to personal preference, but a medium-firm pillow tends to work well. “A medium-firm pillow is often recommended for back sleepers to maintain spinal alignment and support effectively,” Wells says. “While firm pillows can elevate the head too much, causing neck strain, and soft pillows may lack support, resulting in discomfort, a medium-firm option strikes a balance.” Tauberg says it’s “generally easier to use a firm pillow for back sleepers, as it requires fewer adjustments to keep you in the relaxed position.” Back sleepers with snoring or sleep apnea issue may also have better airflow and fewer breathing obstructions with a medium-firm pillow, Wells says.
Are Thin Pillows Better For Back Sleepers?
In general, back sleepers are advised to choose a pillow thats promotes good spinal alignment—meaning your head should line up with your neck, Tauberg says. A pillow that’s too thin or too high can throw off this alignment, leading to discomfort. Ultimately, Tauberg says the goal for a back sleeper should be to keep the ears in line with the shoulders. That’s why a medium-loft pillow is often considered best for back sleepers.
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