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Whether you're trying to bounce back from marathon training Shredded memory foam good night's sleep. And while there are lots of ways to improve your sleep quality, one of the easiest—and most affordable—is by investing in a good pillow.
Luckily, the to settle on these eight tells you almost everything you need to know about what you should look for in a pillow. Back sleepers will want a pillow that's medium height and has medium-soft to medium-firm density. When it comes to the fill of the pillow, however, you can base your decision on what feels best for you. Since there are tons of options out there, we've gathered the best pillows for back sleepers, so read on for buying advice and in-depth reviews of each choice.
How to Choose a Pillow
If you sleep on your back, you already know that you should have a pillow in the medium-soft to medium-firm range. This will give you both a comfortable, cushiony feel while still providing the support you need on your head and neck. When it comes t0 the fill however, there are generally three options: memory foam, down, and fiberfill, each with their own benefits and disadvantages.
Memory Foam: This fill can come in two forms: either a single piece of foam or shredded memory foam. Single-piece pillows are generally higher-quality than those made of shredded foam, and provide a firmer, more supportive feel. However, unlike single-piece memory foam pillows, shredded memory foam pillows are often adjustable, allowing you to add or remove foam reach your desired pillow height and firmness.
Down: If you want cloud-like softness, down may be the best type of pillow fill for you. While down pillows are not as supportive as ones made of memory foam, they are super pliable and fluff up to perfection. These are a great option if you tend to shift around when you sleep or change positions during the night. However, they're not always a great option for people with allergies, as the down can sometimes hold onto allergens within the pillow.
Fiberfill: Fiberfill is a great hypoallergenic alternative to down. Typically made from polyester, it has a similar feel to down, and can often be washed in the washing machine. Pillows made using fiberfill are frequently cheaper than down, but have comparable quality. You'll frequently see fiberfill paired with memory foam to make the latter a bit softer without sacrificing support.
How We Selected
To determine the best pillows for back sleepers on the market, we looked at expert-tested reviews from trusted sources like Good Housekeeping. We then took into account price, materials, size, firmness, and durability. Finally, we consulted more than 58,000 reviews, written by people who’ve bought these models on sites like Amazon, Best Memory Foam.
Coop Home Goods Original Loft Pillow
Key Specs
- Sizes: Queen, King
- Firmness: Adjustable
- Fill: Shredded memory foam
This Coop pillow is a customer favorite with over 48,000 reviews, and an average rating of 4.5/5 stars. This shredded memory foam pillow comes with additional foam, allowing you to customize the pillow to reach your ideal firmness level. (The pillow's manufacturer recommends removing a quarter of its foam if you're a back sleeper.)
The pillow is also CertiPUR-US and GREENGUARD Gold-certified, meaning it contains no harmful chemicals, and is both vegan and cruelty-free.
Key Specs
- Sizes: Standard, King
- Firmness: PHealth & Injuries
- Fill: Down
If you prefer a softer pillow, you may enjoy this one by Brooklinen. It's filled with a combination of down clusters and feathers, giving it a plush, pliable feel.
It comes in three firmness options—plush, mid-plush, and firm—and is available in standard and king sizes. The mid-plush option is best for back sleepers, giving just enough support without sacrificing softness, thanks to its outer layer of down clusters.
Key Specs
- Sizes: Queen, King
- Firmness: Medium-firm
- Fill: Memory foam
For those who prefer a bit more support, a memory foam pillow is a great choice. This one has a low profile, so it won't push your head up too far, but still has a relatively firm feel and won't become overly compressed during the night. It uses graphite and a cooling cover to help regulate your body heat while you sleep, and it comes in both queen and king sizes.
Key Specs
- Sizes: Standard
- Firmness: Medium
- Fill: Memory foam
If you travel a lot and are sick of hotel pillows, this pillow is both high quality and super easy to travel with.
It’s made from a single piece of Tempur memory foam, which easily compresses and can be rolled and secured with a belt to fit in a suitcase, quickly returning to its original shape once unrolled. It also has a removable, washable cover, and a 5-year warranty.
Key Specs
- Sizes: Wedge
- Firmness: firm
- Fill: foam and fiberfill
Wedge pillows are great for back sleepers—particularly those that suffer from sleep apnea or neck pain. This one is made from a combination of foam and fiber fill which gives it a soft, but supportive feel. It is also super versatile, allowing you to not only use it to sleep, but to support you while sitting up in bed by flipping it on its widest end.
Parachute Home Parachute Home Down Pillow
Key Specs
- Sizes: Standard, King
- Firmness: Health & Injuries
- Fill: Down
Another down option, this pillow is made with luxury in mind. It uses 750 fill power premium down, which makes it incredibly soft and still relatively supportive.
It comes soft, medium, and firm styles, depending on how much support you need. In testing done by the Good Housekeeping Lab, they noticed that this pillow kept its shape and didn't shrink in the wash.
Purple The Purple Pillow
Key Specs
- Sizes: Standard
- Firmness: Medium-firm
- Fill: Memory foam grid
With a unique grid design, this pillow is both super cooling and incredibly supportive. The grid cradles your head and neck while still allowing air to flow through. It also comes with three pillow boosters, which allow you to increase the height of your pillow by as much as three inches without changing its feel.
There's also a breathable mesh cover that keeps both grid and boosters contained, and can be removed for machine washing.
Key Specs
- Sizes: Standard, K
ing - Firmness: Medium-firm
- Fill: Memory foam
Tuft & Needle's price point may be relatively wallet-friendly, but that doesn't mean they skimp on quality. This memory foam pillow is made of a single piece of quality foam, which provides a super supportive surface for your head and neck. The pillow is firm, but has just enough give to make you feel like it's cradling you while you sleep.
For people who tend to sleep warm, it has ventilation holes, graphite, and a cooling cover to prevent overheating during the night. It also comes in both standard and king sizes.
Before joining Runner's World, Gabrielle Hondorp spent 6 years in running retail (she has tested top gear from shoes, to watches, to rain jackets which has expanded her expertise—and her closets); she specializes in health and wellness, and is an expert on running gear from head-to-toe. Gabi began her journalism career as a Digital Editorial Fellow for Runner’s World and Bicycling Magazine, and has since advanced to a Runner's World Editor specializing in commerce. She has a double degree in English and Media and Communication from Muhlenberg College where she also ran cross country and track.
