Best Pillows for Back Sleepers

Uncomfortable heat retention can be an issue for memory foam pillows, but this model from Saatva sleeps relatively cool thanks to its chambered design. The pillow’s outer chamber contains memory foam infused with graphite, which has natural cooling properties, while the core is cushioned with shredded gel-infused memory foam. The entire pillow is encased in organic cotton cover that is also quite breathable.

The thick profile and medium feel of this pillow makes it best suited to back and side sleepers. The close contouring will also be ideal for people who experience aches, pains, or pressure points along the neck. The pillow has received CertiPUR-US certification, so you won’t need to worry about any harmful substances in the foams.

The cover can be removed and laundered in your household machines, but the other components should only be spot cleaned as necessary. Customers may add sateen pillowcases to their purchase for a small extra charge.

Queen and king sizes are available for this pillow. Those who buy two with their order will receive a discount of $20 to $40, depending on which size they choose. Saatva provides free ground shipping throughout the contiguous U.S., and every purchase is backed by a 45-night sleep trial and 1-year warranty.

Down pillows are exceptionally soft, and the plush model of the Brooklinen Down Pillow is no exception. This product offers the characteristic plushness many appreciate in down without the excessive sinkage and inadequate support.

The Brooklinen Down Pillow is better suited to back sleeping than most of its competitors because you can choose from three different firmness options. Of all options, the plush model caters strongly to sleepers who prioritize fluffiness. This option is filled entirely with down, making it very soft. This is well suited for back sleepers, especially those who prefer pillows to cushion the head and neck.

The pillow’s shell is made of smooth, breathable cotton sateen, and the edges are reinforced with double stitching to prevent fill from escaping. Each pillow is given an antimicrobial treatment to stave off harmful bacteria and other contaminants.

In addition to the firmness options, you can choose between standard and king sizes. Brooklinen discourages machine washing, as this can permanently damage the pillow, so you should spot clean if light stains occur or dry clean for a more thorough cleaning.

Compared to other down pillows with this quality of construction, the Brooklinen model is very reasonably priced and shipping is free of charge for U.S. orders. Brooklinen allows returns within 365 days of your original purchase, even if you’ve used the pillow, and return shipping is free for all customers.

Down is the fill of choice for many sleepers who enjoy soft pillows, but the Sweet Zzz Plant-Based Pillow caters to those who enjoy the feel of down but cannot sleep on it due to allergies. It’s also a good fit for those who enjoy down but prefer a pillow that is not sourced from animals.

The pillow is filled with a down alternative fiber that is derived from plants. The medium firmness offers a nice balanced feel that should be comfortable for back and side sleepers. The plushness of the pillow allows it to contour the head and neck, but there’s also enough firmness to support the head and neck and properly align them with the spine. The cover is made with cotton, a naturally breathable fabric that helps keep the pillow cool for people who overheat easily at night.

Shoppers can pick between a queen and king size. The entire pillow is machine-washable in cold water on a gentle cycle, and you may tumble dry on a low setting. Sweet Zzz recommends against dry cleaning.

The pillow comes with a 50-night sleep trial, during which customers may return the pillow for a full refund as long as the pillow is clean and free of damage. It’s also backed by a 1-year warranty. Shipping is free to addresses in the contiguous U.S.

Memory foam is notorious for trapping heat, but hot sleepers should stay cool on Brooklyn Bedding’s Luxury Cooling Memory Foam Pillow. A breathable knit cover and open-cell memory foam construction enhance airflow to trap less heat than other foam models.

The memory foam core gently cradles the head to help prevent neck pain, and the pillow provides a balanced medium feel for excellent comfort across different sleeping positions. The balanced feel may also be a good fit for those who switch sleeping positions throughout the night. Customers can choose between two loft options — 4.5 inches and 6 inches. The thinner 4.5-inch profile should suit back and stomach sleepers. Side sleepers may prefer the thicker 6-inch model to lift the head and neck and keep the spine aligned. The cover is fully removable and machine washable. Wash the cover on a gentle cycle, and tumble dry on low or air dry. Brooklyn Bedding recommends only spot cleaning the pillow insert.

Shoppers can choose between two size options: queen and king. Brooklyn Bedding ships free to the contiguous U.S., and it offers a 120-night sleep trial. Pillow purchases come with a 10-year warranty.

The Luxome LAYR Customizable Pillow goes a long way toward ensuring your pillow is the right firmness and thickness for healthy sleep posture. An adjustable design allows you to tweak the feel and loft until it’s just right for your head, neck, and spine.

The pillow contains three different inserts, each with a different firmness and fill. The softest insert is composed of down alternative fibers while the insert with a medium firmness contains a blend of shredded memory foam and down alternative. The firmest insert is made with solid memory foam. You may use all three inserts for maximum loft, but you can also remove inserts to make the pillow thinner.

In addition to customizing the number of inserts, you can also adjust the amount of fill. The firm insert contains two memory foam layers, and you can remove one of the layers if preferred. You can also remove shredded foam or down alternative from the other inserts to achieve the thickness and firmness that feels most comfortable for your back and neck. All inserts offer pressure relief, albeit some more than others, so this is a good choice for sleepers who need a pillow that cradles the head.

The inserts are encased in shells made of breathable cotton, and the entire pillow cover is made of a bamboo-derived viscose fabric that feels cool and smooth. The shells and cover are machine-washable but the various fills are not.

Luxome offers free shipping within the contiguous U.S. and the pillow comes with a 30-day return policy.

Helix’s GlacioTex Cooling Memory Foam Pillow – Back & Stomach Sleeper measures 4.75 inches thick and is specifically designed for back sleepers, stomach sleepers, and combination sleepers who use both of these positions. The foam design helps ensure even alignment when using the back or stomach position without causing too much neck strain.

The pillow contains a single piece of adaptive memory foam. This material contours evenly to your head and neck, responding slowly to create a cloud-like surface. We’ve rated the pillow as medium (5) in terms of firmness. Our testers found the pillow offered close cushioning, but didn’t sink too much beneath the weight of their heads. A cover made of GlacioTex encases the foam. This phase change fabric is engineered to dissipate heat on contact and feel cool to the touch at all times. The foam is infused with copper fibers for added cooling.

You may remove and machine-wash the cover whenever it needs to be cleaned. Wash the cover on a gentle setting, then tumble dry or lay flat to dry. The foam should only be spot cleaned, as exposure to water can permanently damage the material. Standard and king sizes are available for both lofts.

Helix offers free ground shipping to customers in all 50 states. Each GlacioTex Cooling Memory Foam Pillow comes with a 100-night sleep trial. You may return the pillow for a full refund during this time frame if you aren’t satisfied. Conversely, those who keep their pillow receive a one-year warranty against structural and material defects.

The Boll & Branch Down Chamber Pillow lets you bring the luxurious comfort of a high-end hotel suite into your own bedroom. Thoughtfully constructed with three internal chambers to evenly distribute the fill, the pillow is exceptionally plush and lofty. A shell made of smooth, breathable organic cotton completes the sophisticated design.

Three firmness levels are available. Our hands-on tests suggest most back sleepers prefer either the medium or firm designs, both of which feature supportive feathers in the core chamber and pure down in the outer chambers. These designs provide plenty of cushioning for the head and neck without sinking too much — this leaves you less susceptible to snoring when lying on your back. The soft pillow’s chambers all contain down, and we found this option is best suited to stomach sleeping. If you’re a combination back-and-side sleeper, the firm pillow is probably the way to go.

The pillow is completely machine-washable, making it easy to keep clean as long as your household washer is large enough to accommodate it. Dry cleaning is an alternative option. Standard and king sizes are available. A certification from the International Down Standard recognizes Boll & Branch’s commitment to animal welfare, so you can rest easy knowing all birds used to procure the down and feathers are humanely treated at each stage of the supply chain.

Standard shipping is free of charge for all orders within the contiguous U.S. You may return the Down Chamber Pillow for a refund or exchange it for a different model within 30 days of receipt throughout most of the year, with the trial period extended to 100 days during the winter holiday season.

If you’re a back sleeper who also enjoys the plush, high-end feel of hotel bedding, the Cozy Earth Bamboo Down Alternative Pillow lets you bring the comfort of a luxury suite to your own bedroom. The pillow’s mid-range loft is highly suited to back sleeping — you’ll get plenty of cushioning for your neck and shoulders, but the fill compresses deeply and won’t elevate your head too much. 

The fill consists of down alternative fibers made of recycled polyester blended with viscose derived from bamboo. The latter is a highly breathable material with moisture-wicking properties to keep you cool and dry throughout the year. Cozy Earth also uses bamboo-derived viscose to construct the shell for added temperature control. A sateen weave keeps the fabric soft and silky-smooth, so the pillow shouldn’t cause any irritation if you have sensitive skin.

You can choose from standard or king sizes for your bed, as well as a travel size ideal for sleeping on planes, trains, and other forms of public transportation. You should only spot clean or dry clean the pillow if needed, so a case or protector can help you keep it clean more easily. 

Cozy Earth offers free ground shipping for all orders in the contiguous U.S. The company allows returns and exchanges within 100 nights of receipt. If you decide to keep the pillow, it’s further covered under a 10-year warranty against workmanship defects.

The Bear Pillow is an all-foam model that shines when it comes to contouring. The adaptive design is perfect for back sleepers who find most supportive pillows uncomfortably firm.

The pillow is composed entirely of solid Loft-X Foam, a polyfoam that gently hugs your neck and head while offering a touch of responsiveness and bounce. The foam compresses easily under your weight, so you’ll experience minimal pressure buildup during sleep. The loft is in the medium range for a pillow — 5 inches for a king size and 5.5 inches for a standard. Most back sleepers should find this thickness comfortable, since it elevates the head without cranking it too high.

One of the standout features of the Bear Pillow is the cooling design, which is meant to minimize the heat retention that foam pillows are known for. The cover is made with a phase change fabric that helps regulate temperature through the night, and two corners of the pillow feature mesh panels to help with ventilation.

The Bear Pillow is a final-sale item so returns are not permitted, but you will receive a two-year warranty with your purchase. Shipping is free throughout the contiguous U.S.

The Noble Head Pillow is another model that offers adjustable loft. Customers can choose between three different types of fill, wool clusters, shredded organic Talalay latex, and shredded memory foam. The pillow is constructed with nine individual chambers, and you can add or remove fill from each chamber to adjust the pillow’s thickness. This level of customization allows any back sleeper to optimize their pillow for the most comfortable loft.

The wool and latex are both quite breathable, and the shell is composed of GOTS-certified organic cotton sateen for added cooling. The wool is ethically sourced, making that design a good choice for animal-conscious individuals, while the latex contains no animal-based components and is ideal for people who identify as vegan. The shredded memory foam model offers close contouring for the head and neck, making it a great choice if you frequently experience aches and pains in the morning.

The chambered design of this pillow also ensures a more comfortable night’s rest for people with pain and pressure points around the head and neck. Noble Pillow will provide complimentary wool or latex fill whenever you need to replenish your supply.

The Noble Pillow’s sticker price is a bit steep, but the company provides free ground shipping anywhere in the U.S. and Canada. You can return your pillow within 30 days of the original purchase, and those who opt to keep it will also receive a five-year warranty that protects against structural defects.

The Pluto Pillow is unique because it’s created specifically for your body and sleep preferences. Shoppers fill out a questionnaire on the Pluto website, then Pluto creates a custom pillow based on each individual’s unique information.

In the questionnaire, Pluto asks your age, height, weight, current pillow style, firmness, and loft, satisfaction level with your current pillow, heat sensitivity, pillow surface preference, sleep position habits, and more. Shoppers can also leave specific notes about their preferences.

Pluto uses a proprietary algorithm that results in 35 different pillow designs, so the pillow you receive is not generic. For this reason, the Pluto pillow is a good choice for sleepers who haven’t found comfort on conventional pillows.

Pluto Pillows are built with a “pillow within a pillow” hybrid design. Pluto uses different types of foam support cores and outer fiber fillings, depending on your body’s unique needs. They also offer a cooling cover for people who tend to sleep hot.

Pluto Pillows ship for free and come with a 100-night risk-free sleep trial. That said, the company recommends you sleep on the pillow for at least two weeks before making a decision. This time frame allows for you to adjust to your pillow and vice-versa.