Best Pillows for Neck Pain 2024

5 January 2024

If you're feeling pain in your neck when you wake up in the morning, there's a good chance you're using the wrong pillow. Most of us will suffer from neck pain at one point or another, and this isn't surprising when you consider the overly soft, rigid or misshapen pillows many of us lay our heads on every night. How then are you to know which kind of pillow will be right for your neck? To help you on your way, we've had our product experts go over our vast range to select the very Best Pillows for Neck Pain, read on to discover them.

woman suffering from neck pain
If you're feeling pain in your neck when you wake up in the morning, there's a good chance you're using the wrong pillow

Our Best Pillows for Neck Pain

We've divided the best picks into categories to suit your preferences, including:

Best Soft Pillow for Neck Pain
Best Firm Pillow for Neck Pain
Best Water Pillow for Neck Pain
Best Travel Pillow for Neck Pain

Additional Products for Neck Pain:

Best Heat Therapy for Neck Pain

Best Soft Pillow for Neck Pain

Our Winner: Harley Original Contour Neck Support Pillow for Neck Pain

Editor's Verdict: We're always quick to recommend the Harley Original Contour Neck Support Pillow, and we rarely come across a customer that doesn't love it. A great option for back, shoulder and neck pain as well as arthritis sufferers, the shape of this pillow is great for supporting the vertebrae and keeping you aligned while you sleep. The liquid-moulded foam is soft and breathable, which is great for anyone who often feels hot during the night.

Why We Love It...

✔ Contoured to fill the neck-shoulder gap to prevent strain on the neck
✔ Ideal for all sleep positions (back, side and stomach)
✔ Great for neck pain as well as arthritis
✔ Liquid-moulded foam is soft and breathable

Customer Verdict: "The orthopedic pillow has helped me immensely it's wonderful to wake up in the morning without neck pain. I couldn't be without it now I would definitely recommend this pillow to anyone suffering from neck pain" ★★★★★ Jacqueline

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Best Firm Memory Foam Pillow for Neck Pain

Our Winner: Harley Designer Memory Foam Orthopaedic Neck Support Pillow

Editor's Verdict: In terms of neck support and alignment of the vertebrae, you can't do better than the Harley Designer Memory Foam Neck Support Pillow. This is a great alternative to the Harley Original above, for those who like a soft but firmer pillow with great support. The memory foam of this pillow is soft to the touch without quite as much give to ensure your head and neck stays in the correct position to relieve pain. As an added bonus, this version is supplied with a luxurious velour pillow case.

Why We Love It...

✔ Same contoured shape as the Harley Original to support the neck
✔ Ideal for all sleep positions (back, side and stomach)
✔ Great for neck pain as well as arthritis
✔ Memory foam is soft and firm the touch and moulds to the shape of neck and head for weightless feel

Customer Verdict: "This pillow is a life changer!!! I no longer suffer from neck pain and headaches. My only regret is that I wish I got this pillow sooner" ★★★★★ Renata

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Best Water Pillow for Neck Pain

Our Winner: Mediflow Water Base Orthopaedic Pillow

Editor's Verdict: While we have yet to see the waterbed perfect, we believe Mediflow have found the perfect balance between a water base and top cushioning with the Mediflow Water Based Orthopaedic Pillow. A top-reviewed option from our customers, this pillow was found to provide exceptional pain relief and overall sleep quality in a comprehensive study from John Hopkins University, and was found to relieve back pain, neck pain and migraines among other issues.

Why We Love It...

✔ Ranked best for cervical pain reduction and sleep quality in Johns Hopkins study
✔ Ideal for all sleep positions (back, side and stomach)
✔ Allows you to adjust firmness based on water level
✔ Suitable for back sleepers, side sleepers and stomach sleepers alike

Customer Verdict: "I have bought loads of pillows and they all ended up in a cupboard. The Mediflow pillow is the best pillow I've bought it's fantastic I have no neck pains any more and I sleep alot better, thank you" ★★★★★ Keith

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Best Travel Pillow for Neck Pain

Our Winner: Drive Medical U-Shaped Travel Pillow

Editor's Verdict: The Drive Medical U-Shaped Travel Pillow, is our best, silky soft to the touch travel pillow that remains comfortable for hours on contact with skin. The viscoelastic foam is just the right density to provide support without being too rigid, and the shape is ideal to contour around the perfect areas to help you avoid pain after hours on a train or plane.

Why We Love It...

✔ Contours to your neck to maintain an ideal position
✔ Made with viscoelastic foam that stays comfortable for hours of use
✔ Helps to maintain posture when seated upright or reclined
✔ Foam reacts to bodyweight and temperature for contoured support

Customer Verdict: " Purchased for a family member, they are very pleased with product, very comfortable to use. Excellent customer service, arrived next day to N Ireland." ★★★★★ Dianne

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Best Heat Therapy for Neck Pain

Our Winner: Beurer Grey Shoulder and Neck Heat Pad HK54

Editor's Verdict: While the best solution to neck pain is prevention, once it occurs some soothing applied to the area can be great for reducing pain and allowing the muscles to relax. The Beurer Grey Shoulder and Neck Heat Pad HK54 fits comfortably over the neck and shoulder to provide warmth to the area. It's covered with a breathable and skin-friendly micro-fleece, making it soft and comfortable enough to wear until your pain subsides.

Why We Love It...

✔ Comfortably fits over the neck and shoulder to provide soothing warmth
✔ Helps to loosen tension in the muscles while relieving pain
✔ Ideal for use after waking up with neck pain or post-exercise
✔ Three temperature settings allow you to select the ideal level for relaxation

Customer Verdict: "I had neck and back aches. This heated pad has been great at relaxing and sorting out the problem. Still using it daily." ★★★★★ Eileen

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Why Do I Have Neck Pain?

Neck pain can be caused by a range of factors from improper form while exercising to sustained postural issues. As the role of the neck is to support your head and allow for motion, it is prone to inflammation and abnormalities that can lead to prolonged pain. As sleeping involves keeping your neck in a single position for a prolonged period, the wrong sleeping posture will obviously be a significant trigger.

Usually neck pain isn't serious, but if you have severe, ongoing neck pain that has lasted for over a week, we would recommend seeing a doctor. For more minor cases and as a first resort, choosing the right neck pain pillow is a great place to start.

How Do I Choose the Best Pillow for Me?

When it comes to choosing the right pillow to get rid of your neck pain, the main thing to consider is the position it will place your neck in relative to your head, shoulders and back. Correctly aligning the head with the spine is key, so it's important to consider your usual sleeping position (back sleeping, side sleeping or stomach sleeping) before selecting your pillow.

Protect Your Neck

More often than not, the cause of a bad night's sleep is a stiff neck that's been held out of position for a prolonged period, causing strain on your vertebrae. Our pillows for neck pain will help to keep your neck and spine aligned with your shoulders, helping to prevent the uncomfortable positions that can leave you waking up with a stiff and achy neck.

If you'd like to take a look at all of the pillows we offer that are designed to correct your sleeping position and reduce pain, feel free to browse our Orthopaedic Pillows section.

Do you have any questions about neck pain, or do you have experience with a neck pain pillow? Let us know in the comments, or find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Tags: Aids for Daily Living, Health and Care Expert Series, Neck Pain, Pillows, Therapeutica Spinal Alignment Sleeping Pillow, Top 5 Guides