Why is it that some pillows help you melt into a dreamless slumber, while others have you tossing and turning all night long?
You may be sleeping with a pillow of the wrong height.
Correct pillow height can be the difference between powering down and counting sheep until sunrise. While most people prefer a pillow height between four to six inches for healthy head and neck support, a bed pillow’s height can be as individual as the preference for its materials is.1
Whatever your preferred sleeping position and body type, confirming that your pillow height is ideal will ensure you’re optimizing your shuteye for the best rest of your life. From defining pillow loft to breaking down the optimal spinal position, let’s make sure you’re sleeping right.
Whether you want a low loft or medium loft pillow, Casper has the ideal pillow height for you with a filling you love. Browse our selection of cozy, supportive pillows.
The first step to finding the right pillow for your body is understanding the terminology manufacturers use to define pillow size and shape.
If you’ve already begun your pillow shopping—online or otherwise—you might have noticed the phrase “pillow loft” cropping up here and there. So, what exactly is it?
Loft is the term used to refer to a pillow’s thickness.2 When pillow shopping, you can consider it interchangeable with height.
You’ll most often find pillows described with one of the following three terms:
You can find good-quality pillows in every category. It just depends on your preferences and sleep position.
At Casper, we’re all about optimizing your sleep, so our pillows come with multiple options in terms of loft. The Original Casper Pillow, for example, is available in both mid and low loft to suit the needs of the sleeper.
Now that we know how pillow height is categorized, let’s look at how high, low, and mid loft pillows stack up.
We know, we know. You just want a straightforward answer—how high should your pillow be? Trust us, if we could give you one pillow type that would fit every person on the planet, we would.
But the truth is, it depends.
Maybe you’ve experienced a sleeping pillow that was too flat. Or perhaps you’ve tried sleeping on one so tall it seemed to want to escape from beneath you. You might wonder who could possibly sleep with this pillow? The strange thing is that someone else would consider it their dream sleep companion.
Finding the perfect pillow height is so important and individual because pillows change our spinal alignment. The wrong pillow height will not only affect your sleep quality but can also cause you to have an improper spine alignment. This can lead to a crick in your neck, sleep apnea, or a cervical spine injury. On the other hand, proper alignment can help to alleviate aches and pain in the neck, shoulders, and back.
To fall asleep quickly, stay that way all night, and wake up feeling comfortable and rested, you ideally want to maintain a neutral spine. This means that, no matter what your sleeping position and body type, you don’t want such a high loft that your head is tilted up or such a low loft or a thin pillow that your head is hanging down.2
How your head aligns with your spine depends on a variety of factors in your sleep situation.
In an ideal world, your head stays in alignment with your spine. You can tell you’ve achieved the perfect pillow height when your ear lines up level with your shoulder.
It’s easier to know for sure when you’ve got a friend to help you out. Have them look at your back and neck (or take a photo) as you rest on your side, testing out your pillow.
Each sleep position presents its own challenges:
As you can see, knowing your sleeping position is vital for choosing the right pillow. But finding the right height for your sleep position also depends on your specific body and sleep setup.
We’ve mentioned that body type plays a role in selecting the right pillow height for you. But how exactly does it factor into the equation?
Generally, body type is less of a consideration for pillow height when compared to sleep position, which should be your primary focus in finding the right pillow height for you. However, there are a few considerations:
When you sleep, your mattress gives way to your body. Just how much, however, depends on your mattress firmness.
With a softer mattress, you sink in further. Because your spine will be closer to the height of the mattress, you won’t need as much height from your pillow.
Just like mattresses, pillows come in different firmnesses.
Some prefer the softness of a down pillow, while others want the support of a foam pillow beneath them as they journey into dreamland. Choosing a firm or soft pillow is a decision that can impact the type of loft you need.
Keep in mind that a low loft down or down-alternative pillow will compress down during the night, while a low loft foam pillow will better maintain its shape and height underneath the weight of your head.
That’s why it’s so important to assess your pillow-to-be in situ to see how it fits with your entire sleep situation.
By now, we’ve adequately explained that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for pillow height.
So, where should you start in your quest for the perfect partner?
You can get a rough estimate of the right kind of pillow based on your sleep position.
If you can’t define it or tend to switch between different positions as you sleep, we’d recommend a mid loft Hybrid Pillow. It should fall in the middle of most people’s preferences.
Since you’ve stuck with us so far, you practically have a PhD in pillows.
You’re almost ready to dive into shopping mode. But first, here are some final tips to keep in mind as you click through options or sink into a trial slumber:
And if it’s not a match made in heaven, don’t lose heart! Make adjustments to find a height that will support your sleep and your health.
At Casper, we know that a good night’s sleep can affect your whole day. And the height of your pillow plays a major role in your sleep.
With so many factors to consider, you might feel a little like Goldilocks. That’s more than understandable! Need help? We provide plenty of guides to help you choose the right one for you.
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