Pillow Quiz – Find Your Perfect Pillow

Using The Pillow Quiz – How to Figure Out What Pillow You Should Buy

While there are many great pillows on the market, the right pillow for you will depend on things like your sleeping position, weight, tendency to sleep hot, and more. On top of that, people have their own personal preferences for things like material and loft. We’ve designed our pillow finder to account for both your needs and your preferences. Just start the quiz above, answer a few questions, and we’ll provide you with three recommendations specifically tailored to your sleep profile.

Sleeping Position, Loft, and Firmness

The relationship between sleeping position, loft and firmness is one of the most important factors in determining which pillow to buy. This is because of the location of your head relative to the mattress differs among side, back and stomach sleepers, making different lofts and firmness levels ideal for each one. Let’s define some terms:

Loft: The Loft of a pillow is simply how tall or thick it is. High loft is over 5 inches, mid-loft is between 3 and 5, and low loft is under 3.

Firmness: The firmness of the pillow refers to how resistant it is to pressure. The firmness ends up helping determine the loft, since softer pillows will sink down when you lay on them, and firmer pillows stay closer to their original height.

Here’s the loft and firmness levels that sleepers of each position tend to prefer:

• Side Sleepers: Side sleepers tend to prefer firmer pillows with high loft. This is because when you sleep on your side, there is more distance from your head to the surface of the mattress, and you need a tall pillow to fill this gap and keep your spine well-aligned.
• Back Sleepers: Back Sleepers usually like medium loft pillows of varying firmness. Since back sleeping keeps your head fairly aligned with your body, you only need a little loft to keep your head supported.
• Stomach Sleepers: People who sleep on their stomach almost always prefer low-loft, soft pillows. When you sleep on your stomach, your head is practically at an even plane with your body, and a lofty pillow will end up tilting it back and putting pressure on your neck. Some stomach sleepers don’t use a pillow at all.

If you sleep in more than one position, you can purchase based off the position you sleep in most frequently, or opt for a highly moldable down or shredded foam pillow that can be shaped accordingly.

Material

Pillows come in a variety of different materials, each with their own unique feel. Each one has their advantages and disadvantages, but a lot of the time it just comes down to personal preference. Here are the most common pillow materials:

Down & Feather: The most classic pillow type. Down pillows feel plush and airy, are easy to re-shape, and breathe very well. Down is made of fluffy, insulating feathers from geese and other waterfowl.

Down Alternative: One of the most common types of pillows, down-alternative uses various fibers to mimic the feeling of down. This material is great for people on a budget, those who don’t want to use animal products, and those looking for a hypo-allergenic option.

Memory foam/Polyfoam: Foam pillows feel a bit denser than down, and conform closely to your head and neck. They relieve pressure and are great for people with pain issues, but tend to trap a lot of body heat and aren’t ideal for those who run hot at night. Memory foam pillows are more close-conforming, while polyfoam is a bit more bouncy and responsive. Most foam within pillows are shredded to offer more moldability, but some are solid foam blocks that provide maximum pressure relief.

Latex: Latex is similar to foam, only its a lot more responsive and cool. Latex pillows relieve pressure almost as well, and if you like the dense foam feel but want something more breathable, it’s a great option. It does tend to be on the more expensive side. Like foam, there are both shredded latex and solid latex options.

Other Considerations

Pain Relief

For those with chronic pain issues in their head, neck, and shoulders, we recommend finding a pillow for good pressure relief. Foam, latex, and softer down/down-alternative pillows all fit the bill. If you wake up with pain in these areas after sleeping, you probably don’t have a pillow with a loft and firmness that works for your sleeping position.

Temperature Regulation

If your head tends to get hot and sweaty throughout the night, you may opt for a pillow with better temperature regulation. Down, down alternative, and latex pillows are the most breathable. Avoid foam pillows if this is an issue for you.

Budget

Different materials come at different price points. The cheapest pillows tend to be down alternative or polyfoam. Memory foam and some down is usually somewhere in the middle, while latex and premium down and feather pillows are most expensive. More expensive doesn’t always mean better, but beware of cheap fiber and polyfoam pillows that tend to get lumpy and deformed quickly.