If you ask a doctor, they will recommend you to sleep on your back as it is the most heath-friendly sleep style for people suffering from neck or back pain. When you sleep on your back, your body comes to the natural “neutral position”, if your head and neck are supported by the right lift and support in the form of good pillow. A good pillow for back sleepers must provide good softness for comfortable sleep without compromising firmness to keep head, neck and spine in balance.
How to Place our Necks as Back Sleepers
Any pillow with good height and firm lift to neck that maintain a natural balance between head, neck, shoulders and spine is a good fit for back sleepers. A good pillow must fill the gap between head and shoulders of the back sleeper. When pillow gets too flat with the head weight, like feather pillows, it is better to switch it with firmer option. If the pillow is not firm enough, our head will get too back creating a position in which our spine, neck and head are all out of balance.
5 Best Pillow Options for Back Sleepers
Listed are 5 most popular types that are suited to back sleepers.
Down Pillows
Down pillow is an all-purpose pillow which often fits to the needs of all three sleeping styles. They are very light in weight, soft and cuddly to provide luxurious feel with average lift and firmness. Down pillows provide an average relief from back and neck pain for back sleepers and makes a good option for those who want a soft, luxurious and light weight pillow.
Memory Foam Pillows
In terms of better lift, firmness and support to neck and head, memory foam pillows are better option than down pillows. They are also rated higher for their pain relief potential for back and neck pain and often recommended for back sleepers with neck/back pain. As they provide constant loft without compromising on softness and comfort, they provide ease of use as well as healthy neck support for long time. If you are worried about the warmness that is a common complaint from users, try using cooling covers like Bamboo.
Polyester Pillows
Polyester pillows also provide a good support and balance to back sleepers. One of the cheapest options available for back sleepers, polyester pillows are made up of synthetic hypoallergenic polyester fibers. If you have allergy problems, polyester pillows are better than down pillows due to their hypoallergenic fiber. They keep a constant shape but also are soft and cuddly. Durability may become an issue with polyester pillows as they often create lumps with time.
Water Pillows
As water pillows are customizable for their height and loft required, they are good fit for both back and side sleepers. As they get into contour with water shift, they provide good support to neck and shoulder. They are also cool, soft and inexpensive but weight is often a point of concern. You may also want to do some experimentation with them before deciding about the right level of water.
Buckwheat Pillows
Buckwheat pillow is another option for back sleepers with its adjustable and supportive properties. Made up of hulls from buckwheat fruit, the pillow is highly rated for its effectiveness for pain relief for back sleepers. They are rigid and not as soft as some other options, but the loft provided is good for neck and back pain.