Sleep Pillows: Which One Is Right for You?
A sleep pillow is a pillow that keeps your head and cervical spine in line while you lie down. Which one is right for you depends less on the model than on your body measurements, your sleeping position and your mattress.
What exactly is a sleep pillow?
“Sleep pillow” is not a fixed product category. The term covers head pillows and neck support pillows made from very different materials. The material determines how a pillow feels. The height determines how you lie. We explain the properties of foam pillows in our article on memory foam pillows.
What does the right height depend on?
Three things: your body measurements, your sleeping position (back, side, front) and your mattress (soft, medium, firm). On a soft mattress, your shoulder sinks in deeper than on a firm one. Side sleepers need more space between head and mattress than back sleepers. A pillow is right for you when your head and cervical spine lie in a line and your shoulder has enough room. You can read more under Calculating pillow height.
Which measurements matter?
At Pillowise, there are three measuring points:
| Measuring point | How to measure |
|---|---|
| Shoulder width | around the curve of the back, with the tape measure not taut |
| Neck circumference | all the way around the neck |
| Neck length | from the bottom of the ear to the tip of the shoulder |
How does Pillowise work?
As a physiotherapist, Thijs van der Hilst was unable to recommend a suitable pillow to his patients with neck complaints. So he developed a measuring method. This led to Pillowise, created together with United Comfort Industries.
- Measure. You can be measured at a retailer with the Pillowise tape measure, or work out your measurements yourself with PillowScan.
- Add your details. You enter your sleeping position and the firmness of your mattress.
- Get your size. An algorithm selects the best-fitting pillow from six sizes. Each has its own colour: pink, orange, green, blue, red and purple.
The pillow measures 55 x 35 cm and is made of 100% memory foam, manufactured in the Netherlands. The cover with a Tencel top side is washable at 40 °C, and the materials are certified to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX. We give a 5-year guarantee (guarantee terms). You can find out how taking your measurements determines your pillow under Made-to-measure pillows.
What does a sleep pillow not promise?
The right pillow is not a cure. It supports good positioning of your head and neck, nothing more. If you have persistent neck or shoulder complaints, have the cause checked by a doctor.
So: do you need a new sleep pillow?
If you wake up rested and your pillow feels right, you don’t need to change anything. If, on the other hand, you are unsure whether the height and shape suit you, it is worth taking a measurement. Comparing different models helps less here than your own measurements. You will find some guidance in Which pillow is the best?
Find your size: measure yourself now or find a retailer near you. Pillowise is available through retailers, not through our own web shop.
Thijs van der Hilst, physiotherapist (non-practising)
Inventor of Pillowise
