Pillows reviewed by Lucy Taylor –
Chief Posture Product Tester | Neck Pain Pillows
Neck Pain Pillows' responsibility is to consumers, not brands, we’re dedicated to bring you advice that’s comprehensive and tested by real people. Providing recommendations through genuine experience.
Neck pain is becoming increasingly common as a result of more time on devices, working at the desk and on our smartphones.
It’s an unpleasant situation to be in and can often have significant negative effects on our lives, such as:
• Getting in the way of your day
• Grinding you down
• Stopping you from feeling motivated
• Distracting you from work
• Making you irritable
• Impacting your sleep
Most people experiencing neck pain have tried stretches, exercises and painkillers. However, sometimes these are not enough, as they do not get at the root cause of the issue, which is your posture.
Many people are surprised to find out that their pillow can be contributing to their neck pain. A normal, unsupportive pillow can leave your spine out of alignment, causing your neck muscles to compensate to support your head.
Scientific evidence shows a supportive pillow can help to relieve neck pain by keeping your spine aligned in a stable position.[1]
Unfortunately, most pillows provide minimal support for the cervical spine. They may seem comfortable, but they’re destabilizing your spine and contributing to your pain.
We’ve taken a deeper look at the best pillows for neck pain on the market and compared them across four key metrics.
1. Comfort - How comfortable is the pillow to sleep with?
2. Pain Relief - How well does the pillow relieve neck pain?
3. Support - How much posture support does the pillow give?
4. Value - All things considered, how well does the pillow stack up vs the cost?
Our Top Pillows are:
Groove Pillow [£29.95]
For overall support and value, it’s a clear winner
Simba Hybrid® Pillow [£105]
Great comfort and good all-round support but pricey
The Moon by Rested [£59]
Decent value and scores okay with pain relief
Eve Memory Foam Pillow [£65]
Firm and great support although not as comfortable
Tempur Original Large Pillow [£105]
Quite expensive with average score for support and pain relief
Let’s take a look at each one in more detail:
£29.95
The Groove Pillow eliminates neck and upper back pain by correcting your posture while you sleep. Its revolutionary design supports your head and neck and promotes neutral spine alignment – which can lead to a reduction of neck pain overnight.
The Groove Pillow corrects sleep posture
Notice how a normal pillow leaves your spine out of alignment, causing your neck muscles to compensate to support your head.
The unique ‘dip’ design of the Groove Pillow corrects this, leading to a reduction in neck pain and promoting a better night’s sleep.
The 'groove' is the key. It's intended to maintain your neck in neutral alignment overnight, easing strain. We were first sceptical of this innovation, but after using it for a few nights, our neck pain started to subside. Our testers found they woke with less stiffness and felt more comfortable resting on their backs in the groove and on their sides during the night.
Overall, the Groove® Pillow is a fantastic choice for anyone looking for a pillow that encourages improved sleeping posture. It also boasts a 100-day free trial. At a price point of £29.95, it’s worth a shot for most people struggling with neck pain.
Key things to note:
Support: Ergonomic ‘groove’ for back sleeping, lateral raises for side sleeping
Filling: Bamboo charcoal memory foam
Cover: Cotton
Machine washable: Cover only
Trial offer: 100 days
Guarantee: 12 months
Ratings
| Metric | Score |
|---|
| Comfort | ★★★★ |
| Pain Relief | ★★★★ |
| Support | ★★★★ |
| Value | ★★★★★ |
£109
The Simba Hybrid® Pillow is an excellent choice for people looking for a customised pillow that can support different sleeping styles. The pillow has removable 'nanocubes' that allow the user to customise the stiffness of the pillow to their liking. It's not exactly cheap at £109, but is it good value?
Our testers found the Simba Hybrid® Pillow to be extremely comfortable and received high praise for remaining fluffy and not flattening over time. The pillow did have an unpleasant smell when opened, but it away soon and it wasn't enough to put our testers off.
Overall, the Simba Hybrid® Cushion is an excellent choice for people searching for a pillow that offers flexibility across many sleeping styles. It's ability to support neck pain issues was lacking slightly, still we feel many people will enjoy sleeping with this pillow.
Key things to note:
Support: Adjustable
Filling: Foam nanocubes; microfibre layer
Cover: Cotton
Machine washable: Cover only
Trial offer: No
Guarantee: No
Ratings
| Metric | Score |
|---|
| Comfort | ★★★★ |
| Pain Relief | ★★★ |
| Support | ★★★★ |
| Value | ★★★ |
£59
The Moon by Rested is a memory foam pillow meant to simulate the softness and feel of down while simultaneously providing excellent neck and shoulder support. This comes from the pillow's visco-elastic memory foam, a good start for neck pain sufferers, but at £59, there are better prices pillows out there. So what did our testers find?
One of the nice features of this pillow is the long corner that folds inwards to provide a nook for your shoulder. Particularly useful for people who have a long neck or large shoulders, as it allows for a more comfortable side sleeping experience. However, it's worth noting the pillow is only 12cm in height, so it may not be suitable for everyone, especially people with severe neck pain issues.
Overall, the Moon by Rested pillow is a good option. The memory foam pillow does feel like down, but it does mean it is limited to the same characteristics as a standard pillow. And whilst there's no doubt the materials are high quality, the pillow might not give you the pain relief you're looking for.
Key things to note:
Filling: Memory foam (visco elastic polymer);
Cover: 'Sleepsoft' outer cover (machine washable);
Sizes: 1 (40 x 60cm; 12cm height)
Ratings
| Metric | Score |
|---|
| Comfort | ★★★ |
| Pain Relief | ★★★ |
| Support | ★★★★ |
| Value | ★★★ |
£65
The Eve Memory Foam Pillow is an effective solution for people who like a firmer pillow. Made of high-density memory foam, it ranks far higher on the firmness scale than other memory foam pillows on the market. It also has outstanding bounce-back, quickly reverting to its original shape after use. Much like The Moon by Rested pillow, the pillow is more competitively priced at £65.
It's clear this pillow is a good alternative for sleepers with neck aches or shoulder strain, as it provides a high level of support. And performs well for those who favour sleeping on their stomach, as it provides the necessary support for these positions. However, without any contoured or ergonomic shape – like others on this list – you might have to adapt to the pillow, rather than the pillow adapting for you.
Overall, the Eve Memory Foam Pillow is an appealing pillow for people seeking something firm pillow. It has increased neck and shoulder support and notably comes with a 30-day trial period should you think it's too hard.
Key things to note:
Filling: Memory foam;
Cover: Polyester (machine washable);
Sizes: 1 (42 x 66cm, 13cm height)
Ratings
| Metric | Score |
|---|
| Comfort | ★★★ |
| Pain Relief | ★★★ |
| Support | ★★★★ |
| Value | ★★★ |
£105
The Tempur Original Large Pillow is okay for people with minimal neck pain. Made of contoured memory foam, it's designed to support the head, neck, and shoulder muscles in their natural posture while you sleep. So far, so good, yet for £105, are you really paying for the brand?
Our testers said that one of this pillow's best qualities is its elevated section, which supports the neck and facilitates a more comfortable position. The Large size has a maximum height of 11.5cm, making it perfect for back sleepers. However, side sleepers may need additional height to support their shoulders. This is why Tempur offer an XL version at 13cm of support, although it's slightly more expensive at £109.
Overall, the Tempur Original Large Pillow does help people suffering from neck pain and does promote natural posture. It also cushions well and will compress and stay firm throughout the night. But the pain relief properties aren't as immediate, plus at such a high price point, we're unsure if it delivers treble the value of some other pillows.
Key things to note:
Filling: Memory foam;
Cover: 100% cotton cover (machine washable 60C);
Sizes: Large is 61cm x 31cm (11.5cm max height); also available in Medium (10cm height) and X Large (13cm height)
Ratings
| Metric | Score |
|---|
| Comfort | ★★★ |
| Pain Relief | ★★★ |
| Support | ★★★ |
| Value | ★★ |
Reminder of our list:
Groove Pillow
For overall support and value, it’s a clear winner
Simba Hybrid® Pillow
Great comfort and good all-round support but pricey
The Moon by Rested
Decent value and scores okay with pain relief
Eve Memory Foam Pillow
Firm and great support although not as comfortable
Tempur Original Large Pillow
Quite expensive with average score for support and pain relief
Sources & References
[1] Persson L, Moritz U. Neck support pillows: a comparative study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 1998 May;21(4):237-240. PMID: 9608378.
