The best ergonomic pillow is made with a U-shaped design. It forms a central cavity and elevated sides for neck and head support. These pillows are made with materials such as foam and gel and they come with different firmness levels. They are also known as pillows foam pillow with holes or simply memory foam pillows as the proven material maintains its shape in time.
Neutral spinal alignment is crucial when you buy any pillows for neck pain. But the best ergonomic pillows for back pain are known to fill the cervical curvature of the back of your neck with plenty of support in key areas. No muscles or nerves should be pulled when sleeping on an ergonomic pillow.
What science says about ergonomic pillows
The classic flat pillow is comfortable, but not the best. Studies show pillows with sufficient neck support are the best for sleeping. But when it comes to ergonomic design, you truly get the best. The ergonomic U shape pillows are responsible for considerably higher sleep quality. This being said, which one do you choose since there are thousands and thousands of ergonomic pillows.
1. Tempur Pedic Cloud and Cooling Neck Pillow
Tempur made this ergonomic pillow for side sleepers and ergonomic pillow for back sleepers with comfort in mind. On a firmness level from 1 to 5, this gel ergonomic pillow comes out as a 2 in firmness. Rather soft and comforting, it can be one of the few pillows you get accustomed to quickly when coming from a classic pillow.
Made with cooling gel, it’s also the type of pillow you should look for if you don’t like to get too hot while sleeping.
The combination of cooling gel and an ergonomic U design makes this pillow popular. But it’s also the choice of sizes that makes customers run towards this pillow. You can get it in a small, medium, large, and travel-friendly size.
Pros
- Dense foam and gel, but not rigid
- Supportive for those with degenerative cervical spine issues
- Durable single-piece construction
Cons
- Smells for a few days
2. Milemont Memory Foam Pillow
With orthopedic contour support, this ergonomic cervical pillow is too affordable for what it is. It utilizes memory foam and raised edges to offer proper support for side and back sleepers. Some even use it as a pillow for sleeping on the stomach.
At 28 x 16 x 4.5/4 inches, this pillow is sufficiently supportive. Made with blue foam, it uses hollow sections to improve airflow. This means you don’t overheat on the pillow when sleeping, an issue that’s not uncommon as memory foam pillow reviews show.
Shipped with a polyester and Tencel cover, this pillow is also easy to maintain clean as you can remove the cover easily. 4 inches high on the short end and 4.7 inches high on the tall end, this ergonomic pillow for back pain can be your first try in this space given its affordability. The truth is with most of these pillows, you don’t know which is right for you before you try them.
Pros
- Made to support airflow
- Included pillow cover
- CertiPUR-US certified memory foam
Cons
- It takes about 30 minutes to fully decompress
3. Royal Therapy Queen Memory Foam Pillow
This firm memory foam ergonomic pillow is made for back and side sleepers. With a low end of 3.9 inches and a high end of 4.7 inches, it’s one of the lowest on our list. If you’re experiencing back pain, upper back pain, shoulder pain, or spine pain, a lower ergonomic pillow might help.
Made with 3 layers of memory foam, it reacts well adapting to the shape of your body. The upper layer is softer while the bottom layer is more support so that you can spend the entire night on the pillow in comfort.
Pros
- Layered certified memory foam
- Designed for spinal alignment
- Made with an anti-bacteria bamboo cover
Cons
- Thinner pillow mainly for short people
4. Power Of Nature Memory Foam Contour Pillow
This ergonomic pillow Amazon sells is made for side sleepers. But it can also be an Ergonomic pillow for stomach sleepers as it comes with a low side of just 3.4 inches and a high side of just 4.3 inches. Rather thin, it can be just the pillow you need to comfortably sleep on the stomach.
Users characterize it as the type of rebound pillow which maintains its shape even when used for months as well. But this pillow is also popular as it remains cool, which is important as alternatives twice as expensive are known to come with overheating issues.
Pros
- Hypoallergenic ergonomic pillowcase includes
- Machine-washable design
- Made with memory foam
Cons
- Rather thin for some users
5. Elviros Cervical Memory Foam Pillow
This ergonomic pillow for stomach sleepers might look weird, but it does its job well. It allows you to fully lay on your stomach, which isn’t possible with some other pillows. You might also prioritize it over others if you have shoulder pain, particularly when sleeping on the side.
There are a few sections of the pillow you need to know about. The central cavity is where you lay your head-on. It’s backed by the front arc shape that alleviates pressure on your spine. Lateral contour areas are made for shoulder support. Armrests are added for those who prefer to sleep on the stomach and who might hug the pillow while asleep.
Pros
- Supportive for back sleepers
- It takes the pressure off the shoulders
- Shipped with a removable pillowcase
Cons
- It has a chemical odor for up to 4 days
Final words
You might need to try a few of these to choose the best ergonomic pillow for you. The density or the firmness of these pillows is the main cause of concern for most users. Many people eventually give up looking for their perfect pillow, but all of them are different. Since they’re affordable, you can try multiple best ergonomic pillows yourself to see which one works for you.
FAQ
What is the best ergonomic pillow?
Tempur Pedic Cloud and Cooling Neck Pillow is the best. Most pillows for neck pain could get inspired by their ergonomic design.
Which pillow do chiropractors recommend?
Chiropractors recommend U-shaped ergonomic pillows such as the Tempur Pedic Cloud and the Milemont Memory Foam Pillow.
How do you use an ergonomic pillow?
The back of your neck needs to rest on the lower side of the U-shaped pillow while the top of your head needs to rest on the higher side of the U-shaped pillow.
Which is the best pillow for side sleepers with neck pain?
Tempur-Pedic Cloud has been positively reviewed by side sleepers with back pain. The combination of foam and gel makes it ideal for this sleeping position.