The primary purpose of a pillow is to make up for the gap between our head and the mattress. They provide comfort while also keeping our spine in a neutral position. When you’re in neutral sleeping positions, every part of your body is relaxed and comfortable.
Most people generally go for soft pillows because they’re extremely comfortable. However, soft pillows tend to sink when you lay your head on them, so they can’t keep your head in the neutral position. When your head sinks below a certain level, you let go of spinal alignment, which can lead to neck pain and back pain.
That’s where extra firm pillows come in. A good firm pillow is comfortable but it’s solid and doesn’t sink when you lay your head on it. Firm pillows should maintain a consistent loft height to ensure spinal alignment throughout the night. They should also ideally conform to the shape of your body to take the pressure off the sensitive pressure points in your body.
Now that you understand why people use extra firm pillows, it’s time to figure out which firm pillow is best suited for your needs. In this article, we discuss what is the best firm pillow of 2021 and what are the types of extra firm pillows.
Types of Extra Firm Pillows
Different materials provide different levels of comfort, support, and firmness. The following is a quick overview of the different types of extra firm pillows.
Memory Foam Pillow
A memory foam pillow is completely unique because it conforms to pressure. it feels both elastic and viscous and it’s highly malleable, which is why it conforms to the shape of your head perfectly. It perfect distributes weight across your body so there are no pressure points.
Latex Pillow
A latex pillow is derived from the residue of a mature rubber tree. It’s extremely durable and supportive. They will support your head perfectly and prevents your head from sinking at all, but they’re not at all moldable so you won’t be able to punch it into another shape.
Water Pillow
Water pillows — if filled correctly — retain their shape and maintain the same firmness level all through the night. In addition to retaining loft height, they can also conform to the shape of your head and your movement for ideal support. You can also easily adjust the loft size by controlling the amount of water in the pillow.
Buckwheat Pillows
Buckwheat pillows are made of highly durable and natural buckwheat and they retain their shape and loft size all through the night. They are also moldable and you can change their shape if necessary. Buckwheat pillows are also highly breathable and facilitate air circulation.
Who are Firm Pillows Suitable for?
Firm pillows are suitable for all kinds of sleepers. However, the loft size of your extra firm pillow will depend on your sleeping positions. If you’re a back sleeper, you should go for a firm pillow with a high loft. If you’re a side sleeper, you should choose a firm pillow with a medium loft. And if you’re a stomach sleeper, you should go for a firm pillow with a low loft so your airways aren’t constricted.
Best Extra Firm Pillows 2021
Elite Rest Slim Sleeper — Best Firm Latex Pillows for Stomach Sleepers
Elite Rest Slim Sleeper is a latex pillow with an extremely thin profile of just 2.75 inches along with ergonomically rounded corners. This natural latex pillow is extremely firm so your head will not sink into the pillow now matter how hard you plop down on it.
When you’re sleeping on your stomach, you should either not use a pillow at all or use extremely thin pillows. This latex pillow has a low loft height of only 2.75 inches, which means it’s perfect for stomach sleepers as it won’t elevate your neck considerably.
This firm pillow has a pinhole construction that ensures maximum ventilation and air circulation to keep you cool through the night.
WonderSleep Premium — Best Firm Memory Foam Pillow for Combination Sleeping Positions
WonderSleep Premium is a firm shredded memory foam pillow. This is a set of two pillows, both of which are made of shredded memory foam, which gives you the ideal combination of adjustability and support. Memory foam is one of the best materials for firm pillows because it conforms to the shape of your body while also preventing your head from sinking down.
This firm pillow has an adjustable loft. You can manually remove or add memory foam filling into this pillow to either increase or decrease the loft height. As such, you can use this memory foam pillow whether you’re a side sleeper, back sleeper, or even a stomach sleeper. This also makes it one of the most versatile extra firm pillows on the market.
This pillow also comes with a cover made of 60% polyester and 40% bamboo. The cover is easily machine washable and it is highly breathable. All things considered, if you’re a combination sleeper, then this is the best firm pillow for you.
Cocoon Air45 — Best Firm Pillow for Traveling
Do you travel often? If so, it’s possible that you don’t always find the kind of pillow you’re looking for. Hotel pillows are often extra soft and unsuitable for those who prefer extra firm pillows. That’s where Cocoon Air45 comes in.
This is a highly-portable inflatable pillow. You have to fill this pillow with air in order to use it — you can easily adjust the firmness by adjusting the amount of air in the pillow. When you need to travel, you can also deflate it so you can carry it in your luggage.
