Ergonomic Pillows: Neck and Back Pain Relief You Can Depend On
If you are sleeping poorly and waking with pain or stiffness through your neck and back, chances are you are not properly supporting your spine. The position you sleep in each night is highly inflectional to your sleep quality and overall physical health, and choosing the proper bedding can help you get the rest you deserve.
Pillows choice in particular is a detail you should never skimp on. They work to help align your head, neck, and back into proper spinal alignment and allow you to relax to help alleviate pain and tension. We’ve highlighted the importance of this alignment below, and provide you some excellent pillow choices to help you pick the best ergonomic pillow for you.
| Rank | Product | Highlights |
| #1 |  Elviros Cervical Memory Foam Pillow
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| #2 |  ZG-Home Memory Foam Cervical Pillow for Neck Pain
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| #3 |  Power of Nature Contour Memory Foam Pillow
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| #4 |  Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Ergo Neck Pillow
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| #5 |  SpineAlign Pillow
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What is an Ergonomic Pillow?
Ergonomic pillows are specially shaped to help support a sleeper’s natural sleep position through the night or while resting. They are built with specially designed contours to help cradle the head and neck to support body alignment and works to allow full body relaxation. It helps reduce tension and can influence a deeper sleep.
What Causes Neck and Back Pain?
There are many reasons your neck and back may ache. Chronic conditions, arthritis, and medical conditions may all contribute to your discomfort. These might not be something you can directly improve, but you can help to support your body better and work towards alleviating the discomfort.
Poor posture, inflammation, injury, and poor sleep support can also influence neck and back pain. These are often things you can help correct through an awareness of your own movements and use of products to influence better physical health and strength.
The Importance of Head and Neck Alignment
Your neck is an incredibly important part of your body. It houses and protects your spinal column connection to the brainstem. If your neck is improperly supported, it affects the rest of your body, can impede blood flow and interrupt the healing process. This also can create added stress and tension on your body, and disrupt your sleep cycle- creating issues with sleep deprivation over time. When you are sleep deprived, it isn’t just your body that physically suffers either, your mental state will also decline. In the long run, this has the probability of negatively affecting your blood pressure, weight, and even immune system.
Sleep Positions and Spinal Alignment
How you sleep each night is also highly influential on your sleep quality and overall body comfort. The proper bedding and support for your body is important to invest in to help create cervical alignment. Understanding how you sleep and which products are best for you can go a long way towards solving any issues with discomfort you may have.
— Back Sleepers
Back sleepers need a low profile pillow to help cradle the head and support the neck without raising it out of alignment. Many back sleepers may have back or neck pain due to raising the head too high, or sleeping on a pillow that is not soft enough.
— Stomach Sleepers
Stomach sleepers already sleep in the least supportive position due to having to move their head to the side. Although they needs to work on sleeping in a more healthy positions, such as on either side or back, this position is best served by a very thin pillow, or no pillow at all.
— Side Sleepers
In order to cradle the head and neck properly, a higher profile pillow is needed for side sleepers. This alleviates the stress on the neck and the body, and reduces muscle strain. This is considered the most healthy sleep position when properly supported.
What to Consider Before Buying an Ergonomic Pillow
If you feel an ergonomic pillow would be beneficial to your sleep and health, you want to consider a few details in advance. Finding the balance between comfort and support is a must when determining which are your best options.
Consider Sleep Position
Obviously, sleep position is an important concern and is very influential to your sleep quality and physical comfort. Think about how you naturally sleep and choose a pillow accordingly. If you have concerns, look for an adjustable option to meet your needs.
Consider Body Concerns
If you have chronic pain due to underlying conditions, you need to think about the best way to alleviate that pain. Other issues that are more under your control need to be closely examined to help you determine what other steps you can take to be more comfortable each night.
Consider Snoring Concerns
If you snore, or have concerns about your airway, an ergonomic pillow can go a long way towards making sure this is addressed. Be sure to check with healthcare providers, however, if you believe sleep apnea could be an issue. Although an ergonomic pillow works well for this issue, it does need a doctor’s awareness and medical care.
Our Best Ergonomic Pillow Top Picks
These top picks are some of the best based on our own reviews and consumer praise. We’ve highlighted some of the most popular shapes, sizes, and designs to help you determine which is best for you.
1. Elviros Cervical Memory Foam Pillow
SPECS:
- Filling: memory foam
- Loft: 4 to 5 inches
- Comfort Positions: Back, Side, Stomach
Editor’s Pick
Available in two sizes and covered in a cooling ice silk viscose and poly blend removable cover, this is incredibly comforting for all sleep positions. The conforming memory foam core is responsive to all body types, and the ergonomic cut outs are preferable for support no matter whether you sleep on your side, back, or stomach. The sloped sides are designed to hold you head comfortably and provide a stable position.
Help keep air passages open as well to reduce snoring, and well designed comfort areas are also in pace to help your arms rest more comfortably if you sleep on your stomach. The memory foam is a slow rebound type to help keep its shape. Sleep cooler with the blended cover that is easy to unzi[p for laundering.
| Pros | Cons |
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Who This is For
This is one of the better pillow for stomach sleepers and provides nice shaping and support no matter how you sleep.
2. ZG-Home Memory Foam Cervical Pillow for Neck Pain
SPECS:
- Filling: Solid memory foam core
- Loft: 4 – 5.5 inches
- Comfort Positions: Side, Back
Editor’s Runner Up
Created for a wide range of body types, variable heights create a profile for taller and larger sleepers, as well as a lower option for smaller and lighter sleepers. A gentle, contoured sink in the middle helps hold your head in place while the rolls on the sides keep your neck well supported. Created for side sleepers, it is sized so you can easily transition from side to side without losing the support you need.
A removable, hypoallergenic cover is breathable and cooling to offset any heatsinks caused by the memory foam. It also laundered well so you have a consistently clean surface to lay your head upon. Overall, the design is perfect for good cervical alignment.
| Pros | Cons |
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Who This is For
Despite being more of a firm option and needing some time to get used to, it is a very popular choice for side sleepers, and some back sleepers as well.
3. Power of Nature Contour Memory Foam Pillow
SPECS:
- Filling: Memory foam
- Loft: 4.3
- Comfort Positions: Back, Side
Best Budget Ergonomic Pillow
This budget deal shouldn’t be passed over simply due to price point. Made from a contouring memory foam, it offers a curved design perfect to help support the head, neck and shoulders, and works for both back and side sleepers, although is designed more for back sleepers.
The zippered case is cool and breathable, and is easy to remove for machine laundering. Plus, it is double layered with an inner cover to help enhance airflow to help avoid heat sinks. The foam is slow rebound and allows you to avoid having to constantly wait for it to settle under your weight and heat. It also is available in a standard or queen size.
| Pros | Cons |
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Who This is For
This pillow is the perfect option for anyone on a budget and looking for a good nighttime sleep support or the head and neck.
4. Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Ergo Neck Pillow
SPECS:
- Filling: Solid memory foam core
- Loft: Varying depending on size of pillow
- Comfort Positions: Back,Side
Best Memory Foam Pillow for Neck Pain
The Tempur-Pedic Company has long been known for their quality memory foam products and their pillows are no exception. Their Ergo-Neck Pillow was designed to specifically address cervical spine support through the head and neck to help alleviate pain and tension issues. The varying size profiles to meet the needs of different body shapes and sizes is considered one of the best in the business.
Made for side and back sleepers, it is covered in a cooling polyester knit cover that is easy to remove for laundering. It helps improve airflow and draw heat from the body, and also provides a hypoallergenic sleep surface. It comes in various height sizes as well to meet specific body needs.
| Pros | Cons |
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Who This is For
Side and back sleepers are drawn to this style pillow for a reason. It is a comforting choice that allows for whole body relaxation and supports the head and neck extremely well.
5. SpineAlign Pillow
SPECS:
- Filling: shredded latex foam and polyfill blend
- Loft: Adjustable
- Comfort Positions: Side, back, stomach
Best Customized Pillow for Neck Pain
Designed specifically for neck pain relief by a chiropractor, this adjustable, SpingAlign pillow offers a unique comfort for all sleep positions. Filled with a shredded latex and soft fiber filling, you can remove or add to it for full adjustability throughout the various chambers offered in the design. It is highly responsive, soft, and comforting without sacrificing support.
Made for cervical alignment issues, it is a design that also works with all body shapes and sizes. It boasts a cooling breathable cover as well made from a breathable poly and mesh bend. This influences air flow and helps distribute air through the pillow and between the shredded filling to increase the cooling sensation.
| Pros | Cons |
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Who This is For
Made for all sleep style and body types, you can adjust everything about this pillow to make it a truly customized fit.
Conclusion
If you have been suffering from any sort of back or neck stiffness and pain, these pillows are all worth taking a closer look at to determine if one is right for you. Everything from contoured memory foam to full adjustable customization is offered, and suggestions for back, side, and stomach sleepers are represented.
Photo credit: ESB Professional/Shutterstock; Photoroyalty/Shutterstock