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No sore necks here.
If you're wondering whether you're getting older, ask yourself this: Do you have neck pain from just sleeping? If the answer is yes, no shame. We're right there with you, but we digress. The best way to ease any discomfort is to invest in a pillow specifically designed for neck pain. Again, no shame. In fact, our very own editors have and love these special pillows, and our necks thank us for them!
So, what makes a pillow good for neck pain? Believe it or not, there is actually only one element: support. Luckily, there are all kinds of pillows that offer various kinds of support, so if you're worried we're about to preach about how one size fits all, worry not. In fact, we all happened to opt for a different pillow, which, more often than not, came with different fillings and softness levels. Here's the thing about pillows for neck pain, though: They don't have to be ugly or come in a weird shape you wouldn't want on display in order for them to work. Most of the pillows on our list actually look and feel like normal pillows; they're just designed to offer a touch more support than, say, a traditional down pillow would. If you're tired (yes, we love a pun) of waking up with neck ailments, you've come to the right place.
Ahead, take a look at all of our favorite sleep aids that don't require a Rx.
Best DealIf you've ever looked for an ergonomic pillow—for sleeping or sitting—chances are, Cushion Lab popped up early in your search. Its products are all designed to address a specific issue, whether it's healing after surgery or easing back pain from sitting at a desk all day. Associate Shopping Editor Janae McKenzie chose her Cushion Lab pillow for added support at night.
"I’m a side sleeper, which means I usually have to bunch up a down pillow between my neck and shoulders, and wake up with some serious neck pain. The Cushion Lab pillow did so much for me," she says. "You can rotate it for higher elevation when you need it, which is great for any nights I need to sleep on my back. But the real star is the ergonomic shape, with a slight divot in the center that cradles your head and neck. It slides perfectly into that space between my neck and shoulders, so I’m not jamming my body into the mattress."
Casper has been making multi-hyphenate sleep products since the brand's inception in 2014, and the Hybrid Snow pillow is hardly an exception. This pillow checks two boxes: it's cooling and supportive. "I am not a particularly hot sleeper, but I love feeling a little chilly—especially while I sleep. In fact, I actually love to sleep with a refrigerated gel mask over my eyes and sleeping on a pillow that's cool to the touch," says Associate Shopping Editor Jessica Cherner. Regarding its supportive nature, the Snow comprises various outer foam layers that, according to the brand, "ensure consistent shape and support, no fluffing needed." That is all true, Cherner corroborates. "I don't mind fluffing a pillow if needed, but this one is so dense that it definitely does not lose its shape. I'll admit, it took some getting used to because it has a thick sponginess to it that is the complete opposite of the way down feels, but it's so supportive."
Anyone who faults the Cushion Lab pillow for its divot in the middle (added for extra support and head cradling) may not love this Coop Home Goods pillow, which has a good chunk carved out of the middle. Commerce Editor Angel Madison, however, loves it. "I'm obsessed with the design of this pillow because the shape is perfect for sleeping on my side. And when lying on my back, I like how the crescent 'arms' fit snuggly around my neck, almost like a hug," she says. "It forces my head to stay in one place, instead of tossing and turning as much as I typically would." If, however, you cannot get over the crescent cutout, Coop also makes this exact same pillow in a more traditional shape.
Tester Rachael Rosen had been told on numerous occasions just how good these Indulgence pillows are, so, at Cherner's insistence, she finally got a set—one for her and one for her boyfriend—and admits that her only regret is not having bought them earlier. "Our old pillows were on the thin side, so there was really no support," she says. "Neither of us has chronic neck pain, but there have definitely been mornings when one or both of us would wake up with a crick due to the softness of our former pillows. We've been sleeping on these for about a month, and in that entire time, have had zero neck or muscle pain," Rosen says.
The Indulgence pillows come in various fills based on the position in which the sleeper typically sleeps. This set, a medium-fill down alternative, is designed for side sleepers, filling the little gap between the shoulder and the neck so you have plenty of support. "That was the first thing I noticed on night one," Rosen goes on. "I didn't end up cramping or needing to stretch if I woke up in the middle of the night. These are so supportive."
Anyone who gets a little nervous about buying a pillow online without getting to try it first, get the Marlow because if you don't love it on the first sleep, you can actually adjust it yourself until you figure out the sweet spot that feels coziest to you. This may sound complicated, but it's very simple: The long edges of the pillow are fixed with zippers that, when zipped shut, make the pillow firmer and, when unzipped, make the pillow softer. So you can zip both, unzip both, or zip one and leave the other unzipped, as Cherner does. "In my opinion, both sides zipped isn't necessarily too firm, but both sizes zipped makes the pillow a little thin. I like to leave one side zipped for comfort and support and one side unzipped for loft," Cherner adds.
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