Pillows For Back Sleepers

What type of pillow is best for back sleepers?

To keep things straightforward, we’ve identified the following list of pillows as the best for people who sleep on their back:

Medium pillows A medium support pillow is recommended for those who sleep on their back. These pillows have depth at the sides which is carried right through to the edges for ample fullness. The gentle yet adequate support will help to maintain your sleeping position without pushing your head up too much and causing strain on your neck.

Hollowfibre pillows Also known as bounce back pillows, hollowfibre pillows are another one of our recommendations for back sleepers due to their full and plump surface that helps to keep your head and neck in position throughout the night. The bouncy medium to firm support prevents your head from sinking back too low and minimises any strain.

Do back sleepers need a pillow?

Pillows are designed to help keep your spine in a neutral position while sleeping. They align your neck with your body and support good posture. This helps to minimise any discomfort or common aches and pains after waking up. We advise back sleepers to sleep with just one pillow and that’s because it’s less likely that one pillow will cause your head to be raised too high and also prevent it from sinking back too low.

What is the difference between side sleeper and back sleeper pillows?

Side sleepers are best suited to firm pillows with adequate neck support to help bridge the gap between the neck and shoulder. If side sleepers use a pillow that’s too soft, their head can sink out of alignment with the neck and this may cause discomfort or pain. Soft to medium pillows can also gather up at the sides and block side sleepers’ faces.

Back sleepers are best suited to medium or medium firm pillows to allow for the head to rest back gently and not arch forward, but with just enough support to keep the neck and spine aligned.

Other things to consider

If you’re a back sleeper that’s choosing a pillow, it’s not just your sleeping position that you should be considering. Other factors can affect your quality of sleep and we’ve listed the most common complaints below:

Temperature – – If you’re prone to overheating, we recommend cooling pillows. No more having to flip the pillow throughout the night to get the cool side with these! Designed for greater airflow, our range of cooling pillows will help keep you feeling fresher and drier.

Allergies – If you suffer with allergies, our range of anti-allergy pillows may help keep unwanted symptoms at bay. These hypoallergenic pillows may help ease the symptoms of respiratory problems such as asthma as well as prevent skin irritation from conditions like eczema.

Do back sleepers need a soft or firm mattress?

Generally speaking, back sleepers are best suited to a medium to firm mattress, this is because to help support your spine, the mattress needs to offer that extra support to keep your back level and straight throughout the night. If you pick a mattress that’s too soft, your back will sink in too far and this could cause pain from the misalignment. You can find out more mattress information for back sleepers within our Personal Comfort Guide.

We also have a Pillow Buying Guide with further information. Happy browsing!