Your neck is one of the strongest and most delicate parts of your body. On the one hand, it supports the enormous weight of your entire head all the time. On the other hand, your neck can also get injured fairly easily.
In most cases, chronic neck pain occurs because of injuries or medical issues like osteoporosis and arthritis. However, chronic neck pain can also occur because of improper sleep positions and wrong use of bedding.
It’s not enough to get a comfortable pillow. If you want to avoid neck and shoulder pain, you need to find the best shoulder and neck support pillow that’s also suitable for your sleep position.
In this article, we’ll show you how to buy the best neck and shoulder pillow and we’ll review the best neck support pillow on the market.
Factors to Consider when Buying the Best Shoulder and Neck Pillow
There are a lot of factors you need to consider when buying the best shoulder and neck pillow. Does the pillow offer cervical support? Is it a dedicated neck support pillow? Does it have an ergonomic design? Does it come with a machine washable cover? Is it suitable for side sleepers? Is it suitable for your sleep position? Read on for a detailed overview of the factors to consider when buying the best shoulder and neck pillow.
Loft Size
A good shoulder and neck pillow is one that has the right loft size. If the loft is too low, your neck will crane downwards and start aching. If the loft is too high, your neck will crane upwards and lead to spine misalignment. The pillow should just cover the distance between your head and the mattress — no more and no less. The exact loft size will depend on your sleep position and the distance between your shoulders and your head.
Material
The best material for shoulder and neck support are memory foam, natural latex foam, and water. Memory foam pillows conform to the shape of your body, which means they always support your pressure points no matter how you sleep. Natural latex foam pillows are fairly firm while also conforming to your shape, which means you can rely on them to keep your neck stable and not sink. Finally, water pillows are stable because water doesn’t compress and they’re also adjustable so you can add or remove the water to change the loft height as well.
Firmness Level
Neck support pillows are generally medium-firm or firm. If you use a soft pillow, there’s a high risk of your neck sinking into the pillow at night, which can lead to spinal misalignment. Firm or medium-firm pillows keep your head stable and neutral.
Cervical Support
Shoulder and neck support pillows often come with cervical support, i.e., they also double as a cervical pillow. These are pillows in which the sides may be elevated in different shapes. As such, cervical pillows come with in-built neck rolls so you can rest your neck on them to facilitate spine alignment.
Sleep Position
Finally, one of the most important things to consider when getting a neck and shoulder pillow is your sleep position. The best pillow for side sleepers will have a high loft, preferably with cervical support, to cover the distance between the mattress and your head. The best pillow for back sleepers will also have a medium or high loft with medium-firm support. And pillows for stomach sleepers generally have extremely low lofts with extremely firm support.
What is the Best Shoulder and Neck Support Pillow?
Contour Memory Foam Pillow By Elite Rest — Best Pillow for Side Sleepers
Contour Memory Foam Pillow By Elite Rest is the best orthopedic pillow for side sleepers and back sleepers. This is a contour pillow with the higher contour measuring 4 inches and the lower contour measuring 2.75 inches. As such, while sleeping on your side, you can rest your neck on the higher contour to cover the distance between your head and your mattress. The memory foam material conforms to the general shape of your head to take the stress off your pressure points. It also comes with a highly-breathable 100% cotton cover that facilitates air circulation and keeps you cool through the night.
Coisum Cervical Pillow — Best Cervical Pillow
Coisum Cervical Pillow is the best neck support pillow with cervical support. This pillow also includes two sizes — the higher side and the lower side. The higher side has a wedge that hangs out like a cliff on one side and it slopes according to the natural slope of one’s neck. You can sleep on the wing when you’re on your side and rest your arms under the cutout below the wedge. This pillow also has a lower loft on the other side if you’re sleeping on your back. As such, you can sleep on the loft height that you’re most comfortable with. It’s made of 60-density slow-rebound memory foam that rebounds in 3 to 5 seconds. Furthermore, it also comes with an extremely breathable machine washable pillow case.
Perform Pillow — Best Neck Support Pillow
Perform Pillow is the best neck support pillow for back and stomach sleepers. This is a thin-profile contour pillow with a loft height ranging from 2..25 inches on one side to 3.5 inches on the other side. The contours are ergonomically rounded to follow the slope of your neck. As such, if you’re sleeping on your back, you can rest on the 3.5” side but if you’re a stomach sleeper, you can rest on the 2.25” side. This pillow also comes with a breathable and machine washable bamboo cover that’s hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites and bacteria.
