Memory Foam Pillow: How It Works, Pros and Cons, Care and Smell

A memory foam pillow is made of viscoelastic foam. It adapts to pressure and body warmth and supports your head and neck evenly. Whether this kind of pillow suits you depends less on the material than on the height: it has to suit your body, your sleeping position and your mattress.

What does memory foam actually do?

Memory foam, technically known as viscoelastic foam, reacts slowly. When you rest your head on it, the foam gives way and moulds itself around your head and neck. When the pressure eases, it gradually returns to its original shape. This sets it apart from spring cores, down or loose fillings, which spring back faster or shift around.

Memory foam gives way to pressure and supports the surface your head and neck rest on. What it does not do: it does not make up for the wrong pillow height. A pillow that is too high or too low stays too high or too low, even when it is made of memory foam.

What are the advantages of a memory foam pillow?

• It adapts. The foam moulds itself to your head and neck.
• It supports evenly. The pressure is spread over a larger area instead of sitting at individual points.
• It stays put. The pillow doesn't slip out of place and can't be scrunched up like a pillow with a loose filling.

And what are the disadvantages?

We'll be honest: memory foam pillows are not the right choice for everyone, and getting started isn't always comfortable.

• It often feels firmer at first. If you've slept for years on a soft feather pillow, the support feels unfamiliar at the start.
• Your body needs time. Your neck and shoulders have to get used to the new support. So don't judge a pillow after the first night.
• The foam reacts slowly. Some people find this sluggish when turning over in their sleep.
• Some people find it warmer. This is a matter of personal perception.
• The height can't be topped up. With a loose-filled pillow you change the height by moving filling in or out; with a foam core you can't. That makes the right height from the start all the more important.

A memory foam pillow takes getting used to, and it needs the right height.

Which height is right for me?

Three things determine how high a pillow should be:

• Your body measurements: shoulder width, neck circumference and neck length are different for everyone.
• Your sleeping position: lying on your back, side or front, your head needs a different distance from the mattress.
• Your mattress: on a soft mattress your shoulder sinks in deeper than on a medium or firm one.

When the height is right, your head and cervical spine are in line and your shoulder has room. That is all a suitable pillow can do. It is not a cure. If you have neck or shoulder complaints, please have them assessed by a doctor.

You can read how to estimate the height in the article Calculating pillow height. If you already have a pillow and are unsure, Is your pillow too high or too low? can help. We have a separate guide for side sleeping: The right pillow for side sleepers.

How does Pillowise approach this?

Pillowise is a made-to-measure memory foam pillow. Thijs van der Hilst developed it as a physiotherapist, together with United Comfort Industries. The background: he couldn't recommend a suitable pillow to his patients with neck complaints, so he developed a measuring method. Three measurements determine the right pillow:

Your sleeping position (back, side, front) and your mattress (soft, medium, firm) are added to this. An algorithm uses them to choose the best-fitting pillow. There are six sizes, each with its own colour: pink, orange, green, blue, red and purple.

The pillow measures 55 x 35 cm. The core is 100% memory foam and is made in the Netherlands. United Comfort Industries has been making ergonomic sleep products there since 1990. The cover has a moisture-regulating top layer of Tencel and a bottom layer of polyester. The materials are certified to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX. We give a 5-year guarantee on every Pillowise pillow. You can find out more on the page The Pillowise pillow.

For travelling there is Pillow ToGo, a travel pillow measuring 34 x 35 cm, with the same support as the standard pillow. It is available in all sizes and comes in a sturdy travel bag. Read more in our article on the travel pillow for your neck.

With Pillowise, your measurements determine the size, not the material alone.

How do I wash a memory foam pillow?

When washing, you need to treat the cover and the foam core separately:

1. Remove the cover. The cover can be cared for separately from the core.
2. Wash the cover at 40 °C. The Pillowise cover is suitable for the washing machine at 40 °C.
3. Don't put the foam core in the washing machine. The core can withstand neither the drum nor the spin cycle.
4. Let everything dry thoroughly. Only put the cover back on once it is completely dry.

The cover belongs in the washing machine, the foam core does not.

What should I do if my memory foam pillow smells?

New foam often smells at first. This is not unusual with memory foam. Take the pillow out of its packaging, remove the cover and leave the core and cover to air in a well-ventilated place before you use the pillow. The smell usually fades during this time.

If a pillow you've used for a while smells unpleasant, first wash the cover at 40 °C and air the core. If the smell remains noticeably strong, ask at the place where you bought it or write to us at info@pillowise.com.

Airing helps with a new-foam smell.

So: is a memory foam pillow right for you?

Memory foam is a good material if you like even, steady support and are willing to get used to it. It is not a miracle product: without the right height, you won't lie properly on foam either. And if you sleep well on your current pillow and wake up without complaints in the morning, there is no need to change anything. If you're unsure whether your current pillow is due for replacement, our article How often should you change your pillow? can help you decide.

If, on the other hand, you regularly doubt the height or have already tried several pillows, it's worth measuring once. You'll find an overview of the options in our guide to choosing the right pillow.

Which size suits you?

You can have yourself measured at a Pillowise stockist near you, using the Pillowise measuring tape. Or you can work out your size yourself with PillowScan, using your smartphone or via QR code.

Work out your size yourself or find a stockist

Thijs van der Hilst, physiotherapist (non-practising)
Inventor of Pillowise