Choosing the right pillow to cradle our heads as we drift off into dreamland can be challenging, daunting, and downright confusing. With all of the various fills, styles, textures, and more to consider when deciding which pillow is the best for your unique and personalized needs, there are quite a few layers to wade through during the decision-making process. Believe it or not, pillows play a vital role in our quality and quantity of rest, as well as in our overall back, neck, and shoulder health. Sleeping with the wrong pillow can lead to a slew of easily avoidable issues and as pillow experts we’re here to help make choosing the right sleeping pillow easier! 

DETERMINE YOUR SLEEPING TYPE

The first thing we consider when choosing the best sleeping pillow is the type of sleeper you are: a back sleeper, stomach sleeper, or left/right side sleeper. Determining your sleeping position plays a dramatic role in determining which pillow is best for you and will make all the difference in your overall quality of rest. You probably have an inclination as to what type of sleeper you are, but we suggest spending about a week closely monitoring where you spend most of your sleep time.

You may initially believe your left side is your sleeping side because it’s the side you choose every night upon climbing into bed. However, if you begin the evening on your left side and then turn over onto your stomach before fully falling into your first stage of slumber, you’re most likely not a left-side sleeper. Make note of both these changes in positions and of any of the positions you find yourself waking up in every morning. After about a week of “data mining” your sleep positions, you should have a pretty clear idea of what type of sleeper you are and with that new understanding, you will be well on your way to choosing the best sleeping pillow for yourself.

Did your research lead you to discover your back sleeping tendencies? Back sleepers need a pillow with a medium thickness and a nice firmness. Too stiff and too thick will cause your head to jut forward and create unnecessary stress on your neck, while too thin and too soft will not provide adequate support. Finding a pillow with a firm, thick bottom will give you just enough support to keep you from laying completely flat, but not too much to keep you from fully relaxing. Typically a 10/90 down-filled pillow or poly-fill will fulfill the needs for even the most particular back-sleeper.

Stomach sleepers, on the other hand, should look for flatter, softer, and more pliable pillows. Using a softer pillow supports your neck by keeping it in line with your spine and providing comfort even as your shift throughout the night. For stomach sleepers, we would recommend a 50/50 down-filled or synthetic-down filled pillow.

Finally, side sleepers. While many side sleepers curl into somewhat of a fetal position, it’s still important to find a pillow that will provide essential and necessary support. Side sleepers need heavy-duty, firm, thick pillows to keep necks in proper positions and a pillow that is easy to adjust to varying positions throughout the entire evening.For side sleepers we generally recommend a 10/90 down-filled as it will provide just enough loftiness and support for a night of full rest.

DETERMINE YOUR FILL TYPE PREFERENCE

The next factor that needs to be taken into consideration is choosing your pillow filling. While we have already recommended a few options for back, stomach, and side sleepers, there are a few things to consider when choosing your pillow fill type. At PillowCubes, we offer a handful of options for fill types:

Down Alternative Filled Pillows:
Strong, soft, and excellent staying power, our synthetic down fill, made with fiber that is nearly 1/10 of the "normal polyester" fill fibers, provides the "staying power" of a down pillow while also carrying all of the benefits of a hypo-allergenic pillow. Allergies got you down? This pillow fill alternative is often known as "synthetic down” and is a very popular non-allergenic down or feather fill option

Down Feather Filled ( real goose down and duck feathers )
This is our luxury pillow choice and it’s also the top pick for those looking for an extra cozy, lofty bed pillow. Not only are our down filled pillows filled with real goose down and duck feathers, but they’re also comfortable and excellent at holding their shape. We offer a 10/90, 25/75, and 50/50 option, with the first number representing down and the second number representing feathers. As the down content goes up, the form gets smoother, lighter, and warmer. Make note though: these forms are not recommended for someone who is allergic to feathers! Additionally, down/feather pillows are lofty — not firm—and are designed to be shaped — perfect for side and back sleepers.

100% Polyester Filled
Our polyester filling is the most common pillow filling. It is lightweight, easy to clean and typically a little less expensive. This option has the greatest density of any fiber we use AND is an excellent choice for anyone with allergies as it is hypo-allergenic.

100% Recycled Eco-Friendly Fiber Filled
Our Eco-friendly green fill pillows are made completely from recycled plastic bottles and are a top choice among those looking to show the earth a little love. This is the ultimate option for making Earth-friendly pillows for your home or office… to top it all off, it’s hypoallergenic. This is typically a good choice for stomach sleepers.

A few other important things to note when choosing the best fill for your sleeping pillow:
•Do you have allergies?
Avoid down/feather fills.

•Do you want your pillows to be moldable and movable with staying power?
Stick with synthetic down or down/feather fills.

•Do you want a firm look or feel?
Select polyester or eco-friendly fills.


While there are many components that can play a role in determining the pillow that is best for you and your individualized preferences, it can become overwhelming to sort through all of the options. With that, we've discovered that when you zero in on both your sleeping position and fill-type preferences, you'll eliminate all of the other options that can bog you down. Removing all of the excess choices doesn't prevent you from discovering the pillow that's best for you, it simply allows you to focus on the two aspects of pillow-choosing that truly make all the difference and allows you to choose your sleeping pillow well.


*Photo Credit: Heidi's Bridge