The Best Pillows for Back Sleepers of 2023

Sleep is a top priority for us here at Reviewed, so we go to great lengths to help you find products that make it easier to doze off at night. From the best mattresses, to amazing bed sheets, we’ve tried it all.

Sleep position is a key consideration when you choose a pillow, so we specifically tested a slate of pillows for back sleepers, and separately tested pillows for side sleepers and stomach sleepers. After a month of intensive home sleep tests and lab testing on back-sleeper pillows, we found that the best pillow for this position is the Leesa Pillow (available at Leesa) . It offers a great balance of give and support to keep the head and neck cradled and spine aligned night after night.

How We Tested Pillows for Back Sleepers

The Tester

Hi! I’m Sarah Hagman, a Reviewed editor and a reformed side sleeper. After a shoulder injury, I began sleeping on my back out of necessity, but making the switch did not come easy. That is, until I borrowed my mom’s Therapedic solid foam pillow one evening.pillow one evening. After a blissful seven hours, I was finally converted, and my mom never saw that pillow again. (She’s the best.)

Long since my shoulder could bear the brunt of my body weight again, I’m still happily sleeping on my back every night. I attribute that to having a pillow that’s got great support—though my Headspace subscription doesn’t hurt either. I’ve replaced that original Therapedicpillow a few times now, but I’ve recently grown a bit tired of it, so I was more than happy to take a bunch of new pillows for a test drive to see if I could fall in love all over again.

Lindsey Vickers, the sleep writer for Reviewed, isn’t a back sleeper, so she selected and arranged a lineup of pillows for me to test. She also provided the basic info on pillows and fills for this article.

The Tests

Over the course of a month I rotated through nine pillows designed for one type of sleeper: back sleepers. I slept on each one for at least two nights, in order to consider fundamental aspects, including the pillow’s overall comfort; if it provided sufficient support from the moment my head hit the hay to the minute my alarm went off; how customizable it was (and if removing or adding the fill was easy); if it got hot overnight; how well the pillow’s performance matched company claims; the practicality of any special features; whether the fill was lumpy and if the lumps could be smoothed away ... the list goes on.

Afterwards, we sent the pillows to our lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts where senior scientist Julia MacDougall put them through another battery of tests. She measured if they were trapping heat with temperature sensors and a heated blanket; weighted them down overnight to check how well the fill material sprung back the next day; and washed them, per label instructions, to ensure pillows didn’t lose their shape or loft, shrink, or develop clumps in their filling.

What You Should Know About Pillows for Back Sleepers

Pillows are arguably the second most important piece of bedding after your mattress, even though you should get new pillows far more frequently. In fact, you should replace your pillow every one to two years, says John McKeon, CEO of Allergy Standards Limited and spokesperson for The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).

Back sleeping is the second most popular sleep position—in one study, people spent nearly 40% of the night on their back. This position is generally considered healthy for your spine and neck because it distributes weight well. For back sleepers, pillows are integral in maintaining alignment throughout the night so that you don’t wake up with neck pain. Back sleepers should look for a pillow that provides the right amount of thickness to maintain neutral spinal alignment and support the natural curvature of your neck.

When shopping for a pillow, it’s important to consider the materials, shape, and construction. The first attribute is to look for pillows labeled mid-plush or mid-density, or that fall in the middle of a line’s offerings (with “plush” or "soft" reserved for stomach sleepers and “firm” for side sleepers). Here’s what else you need to know.

Pillow Fill, Material, and Construction

Different pillow fills have unique and distinct benefits, and create different sensations when they cradle your head as you rest.

Down fill has long dominated the pillow industry and it can lend a more plush surface that is responsive to pressure. It may be less durable over time because the delicate feathers can be permanently compressed generally after a year or so of use. Down pillows can also be pricier than other materials. Feather fills are less structured than foams, and may not provide back sleepers’ head and neck with enough support. Down pillows often come in varying thicknesses and densities, but back sleepers looking for this type of pillow will be best served by something that’s middle-ground in density and depth.

Down-alternative fill is most often made from polyester, or a rayon-polyester blend. Pillows with down-alternative filling aim to replicate the feel of a down pillow, often at a lower price. While down-alternative products were considered better for people with allergies, research has shown that they may actually trap more allergens than down bedding, McKeon says, though additional studies are needed. One reason these pillows may be prone to accumulating allergens is the manufacturers’ use of looser weave encasements, as compared to traditional down pillows which are often wrapped in tightly woven fabric to prevent feathers from poking out.

Solid foam pillows are just what they sound like—one thick piece of foam (or several layers of it fused together). Sometimes they’re molded into a contoured shape other times they’re just a glorified sponge shape. In our testing, foam pillows often emitted a strong smell for at least a day after being opened, which is probably due to a process called “off-gassing.” That aside, foam can be a great material for back sleepers, as it offers a balance of support and give—just be mindful that you don’t get a super-thick pillow. Foam pillows likely have better longevity than down and down alternative, as they shouldn’t permanently compress over time.

Shredded foam feels more like a down or down-alternative pillow, as opposed to pillows made of solid foam. These pillows often come super filled and even with extra stuffing, with the idea that you can add or take away fill to find your perfect loft and feel. For that reason, they appeal to a large audience. The pillows often arrive so stuffed they’d support a broad-shouldered, side-sleeping football player. Therefore, back sleepers will want to take out some of the fill initially, then add or remove as needed, until they find their fit.

Adjustable-fill pillows, which offer you the option to remove the shredded foam stuffing, layers of padding, or other types of fill, are a great way to ensure you can get just the right fit.

Temperature and Pillows

Temperature plays a major role in your sleep quality. In fact, there’s more substantial evidence supporting hot temperatures’ sleep-disrupting tendencies than avoiding blue light before bed. Having a pillow that keeps your head cool—or at a minimum doesn’t make you feel hotter—can make a tremendous difference in your sleep. Researchers found that cooling caps can even help insomniacs doze off, so if you run hot, consider buying a pillow you can chill with.

Many of the pillows we tested claimed to have cooling features, but these didn’t show through in our home or lab testing. All the pillows we tested, aside from two, kept a stable temperature in lab testing (meaning they didn’t heat up but they also didn't dissipate heat in a way that we'd consider "cooling"). The Purple Pillow was the hottest of the bunch, and the Tempur-Cloud also retained some heat, an issue memory foam material is known for. We’d suggest hot sleepers avoid these two—the rest that we tested won’t make you sleep hotter.

Caring for and Cleaning Your Pillow

Experts recommend getting a new pillow every one to two years, depending on the material and a handful of other factors. However, there’s plenty you should do in the year or so that you have your pillow to keep it at its best.

Regularly washing your pillows can help prevent the build-up of dust and allergens, and may prolong a pillow’s lifespan. People with allergies should wash their pillow frequently—every four weeks, McKeon says. (Don’t feel bad if your pillow hygiene is lacking—even our sleep writer doesn’t wash her pillow frequently enough!)

Cleanability is another place where material comes into play. Solid foam and down can be great fills for sleeping, but they’re often more difficult to wash than down-alternative and shredded-foam pillows. Still, many pillows come with a washable cover, which helps matters some, but in general it’s best practice to keep all pillows encased in zippered protective covers (in addition to your regular pillowcase) and clean the covers frequently.

Consider purchasing a protector made with a tightly woven fabric to prevent dust mite and dust build up in pillows. Microfiber is one option, because the weave is inherently tight given the tiny circumference of the yarn and high-quality microfiber weaves can block allergens. You can also shop for products that advertise allergy and dust mite control qualities. The American Allergy and Asthma Foundation certifies products and can be a good resource for pillow protectors to keep sneezes at bay.

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Other Pillows For Back Sleepers We Tested

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