Best Pillows for Every Sleeping Style, Material & Budget

Few things can make you feel worse than a night of poor sleep. After hours of tossing and turning, fading in and out of consciousness, you drag yourself out of bed and slog through your day in a haze. High-quality sleep is essential for optimal cognitive function, but it can be difficult to come by. 

Creating a nightly bedtime routine is an easy way to improve your sleep hygiene, but there’s something else you should consider: your pillow. Sleeping on the wrong pillow can put a crick in your neck and make it difficult for you to get comfortable enough to fall asleep. 

Pillows are a dime a dozen which makes it a challenge to find the perfect fit. We’ve done the research to narrow down the options to our top 5 picks in different categories. Take a moment to learn what to look for in a new pillow below then continue to our picks to see if one seems like a good fit for you.

How to Choose a Pillow

If you walk through the bedding section at your local discount store or general merchandise retailer, you’ll find yourself surrounded with different options. Standard pillows. Body pillows. Orthopedic pillows. There are simply too many types to name, and it can be difficult to tell the difference between them without testing them for yourself. 

Finding the right pillow is essential for good sleep, so how do you do it? Choosing a pillow is about finding the right balance between comfort and support. It’s important to find a pillow you consider comfortable, but it should also be one that supports your head and neck to keep your spine in proper alignment during sleep. Your preferred sleeping position comes into play here, so keep that in mind as you start shopping around. 

Here are 5 factors to consider when shopping for a new pillow:

1. Sleeping position
2. Materials
3. Weight and loft
4. Quality 
5. Price