how to choose a pillow
We spend around a third of our lives with our head on a pillow, and yet it's usually the last thing anyone thinks about when they're upgrading their bed. The right pillow is one of the smallest changes you can make with one of the biggest payoffs: fewer stiff mornings, less tossing and turning, and that increasingly rare feeling of waking up genuinely rested.
The tricky part to choosing the right pillow is that there's no single best pillow for everyone. The one your partner swears by might leave you with a sore neck by Wednesday. So rather than telling you which pillow to buy, this guide walks you through how to work it out for yourself - firmness, filling, size, sleep position, how many you actually need, and even which pillowcase to put over the top. By the end, you'll know exactly what to look for. Let's get you sleeping better.
the sleep summary
Side sleepers need a firmer, deeper pillow to fill the gap between ear and shoulder; back sleepers need medium support; front sleepers need something soft and flat.
You should match pillow firmness to ideal support, not softness. A pillow should keep your head level with your spine - too high or too flat, and your neck spends all night compensating.
You should choose your pillow filling for how you sleep, not just how it feels in the shop. Memory foam contours and holds shape, fibre-filled pillows feel plush and bouncy, and gel or copper-infused fillings help you sleep cooler.
Using two pillows isn't always better than one. Stacking pillows tilts your neck forward - use one supportive pillow, or two softer ones designed to be paired.
Don't overlook the pillowcase when choosing a pillow. Silk and satin cases are gentler on hair and skin, while breathable cotton helps with overheating.
You should replace your pillow every 1 - 2 years to ensure maximum comfort for a restful, supported night’s sleep.
why your pillow matters more than you think
Your pillow has one real job: to keep your head, neck and spine in a straight, neutral line while everything else relaxes. Get that right, and your muscles genuinely switch off for the night. Get it wrong? Your neck spends eight hours quietly holding your head in place - which is why you can sleep a full night and still wake up feeling like you've been in a wrestling match.
Signs your current pillow isn't pulling its weight:
You wake with a stiff or aching neck, shoulders or upper back
You find yourself folding, punching or stacking your pillows to get comfortable
You wake up hot, or flip the pillow looking for the cool side
You wake up with a blocked nose, itchy eyes or sneezing
Your pillow looks flat, lumpy or misshapen even after fluffing
If any of that sounds familiar, the good news is that a pillow is one of the easiest and most affordable parts of your bed to put right.
how to choose the right pillow for you
If you're wondering how to choose a pillow without getting lost in jargon, it comes down to six decisions. Work through them in order, and you'll land on the right one.
firmness is the most important decision you'll make
Firmness is about the support a pillow provides, and not the comfort. A soft pillow can still be unsupportive, and a firm pillow shouldn't feel like a brick.
soft: best for front sleepers, or anyone who likes to sink in. Keeps your head low so your neck isn't pushed upward.
medium: the all-rounder. Best for back sleepers and anyone who changes position through the night.
firm: best for side sleepers, who need more height to fill the gap between ear and shoulder.
The simple test: lie in your usual sleeping position. Your nose should line up with the centre of your chest, and your neck should look like a natural extension of your spine — not bent up toward the ceiling or drooping down toward the mattress.
filling: it’s what’s inside that counts
The filling determines how a pillow feels, how long it lasts, and how warm it sleeps.
hollowfibre and microfibre - light, bouncy and plush, with an affordable price and easy machine washing. Great for anyone who likes to shake and reshape their pillow.
memory foam - moulds to the shape of your head and neck, then holds it. This is the best choice for targeted support and pressure relief, particularly if you carry tension in your neck and shoulders.
gel and gel-infused foam - offers the support of foam with far better airflow, so it doesn't trap heat the way traditional foam can.
copper-infused fabrics - naturally breathable and cool to the touch, designed for people who overheat at night.
down and feather - soft and luxurious, though not suitable for allergy sufferers and generally needing more regular plumping.
sleep position matters
Your sleep position tells you more about which pillow you need than anything else, so it's worth reading our best sleep position guide.
how many pillows do you actually need?
Using more pillows doesn’t mean more comfort. Stacking two firm pillows pushes your head forward and out of alignment, which is one of the most common causes of morning neck pain.
for sleeping: one supportive pillow is right for most people. Some pillows, like our Hotel Collection Piped Pillow, are specifically designed to be used singly for a soft feel or doubled up for firmer support.
for the look: layering pillows and cushions is a styling choice, not a sleeping one. Keep your sleeping pillows separate from your decorative ones.
pillowcases are important, too
The right pillowcase can genuinely change how a pillow performs.
silk and satin - smoother against hair, so less friction, less frizz and fewer sleep creases on your skin in the morning. A favourite for anyone with long, curly or fine hair.
cotton and percale - crisp, breathable and cool. The best everyday choice if you tend to sleep warm.
brushed cotton and flannel - cosy and warming, lovely in winter but not ideal if you overheat.
anti-allergy covers - a protective barrier layer that helps keep allergens out of your pillow, worth adding if you're prone to hay fever or dust sensitivity.
our pillows explained
Silentnight Hotel-Collection Piped Pillow
That crisp, boutique-hotel feeling, brought home. Luxuriously soft and silky with an elegant, embossed design and stylish piping, this is the pillow that makes a made bed look properly finished.
luxuriously soft, silky, boutique-style comfort
use one pillow for a soft feel, or two for firm support - so you can tailor it to how you sleep
features an elegant, embossed design with stylish piping
fully machine washable, so it stays hotel-fresh
best for: anyone who loves a hotel-style bed, front sleepers (one pillow) or side sleepers (two).
Silentnight Anti-Allergy Pillow
Made for anyone whose mornings start with a sneeze. This one's been properly tried and tested to reduce allergens, so you can breathe easier and sleep more soundly.
British Allergy Foundation approved
ideal for allergy sufferers
tried and tested to reduce allergens
medium firmness — a comfortable all-rounder
best for: allergy and hay fever sufferers, back sleepers, anyone who wakes up congested.
Silentnight UltraGel® Premier Pillow
Our most technically advanced pillow, and the one to choose if you want support and cooling in the same package. It responds to your shape, relieves pressure where you need it most, and stays impressively breathable.
luxurious comfort with a soft, hypoallergenic cover
lasting support - retains its shape and won't flatten over time
sleeps cool with 5x more breathable airflow
responsive support that relieves pressure points
best for: side sleepers, combination sleepers, anyone who wants premium support without overheating.
Silentnight Restore Cooling Copper Pillow
If you're forever flipping your pillow looking for the cool side, this is the one. Made with naturally breathable copper fabrics that feel instantly cool the moment you lie down.
made with naturally breathable copper fabrics
instantly cool to the touch - providing cooling comfort all night
naturally antibacterial and sensitive to skin
ideal for anyone who struggles with night sweats
best for: hot sleepers, night sweats, sensitive skin.
Silentnight Sleep Therapy Contour Pillow
Engineered for people who wake up sore. The contoured profile supports the natural curve of your neck rather than just propping up your head — which is exactly what makes the difference to morning stiffness.
unique contoured support shaped to the neck
relief from neck and shoulder pain
high-quality memory foam
sink-in support that works for all sleep styles
best for: neck and shoulder pain, side sleepers, back sleepers.
Silentnight Sleep Therapy Neck Care Butterfly Pillow
A clever bit of design: the butterfly shape cradles your head while giving your shoulders room to settle, so your neck stays properly supported whichever way you turn.
unique butterfly design for targeted support
supportive foam base for stability
soft, bouncy cushioned comfort on top
breathable throughout
best for: neck pain, side sleepers, anyone who shifts position through the night.
Silentnight Firm Support Pillows
The dependable, supportive everyday pillow - genuinely built to be washed again and again without giving up its shape or support.
withstands repeated machine washing
hypoallergenic fibres that are kind to skin
sturdy comfort which retains shape
Firm support to keep spine supported
best for: sleepers with neck pain, allergy-conscious households.
Silentnight So Snug Silentnight Hotel Collection Prestige Sumptuous Silk Pillows
Soft, fluffy and effortlessly comfortable. Filled with bouncy ball fibres for a supportive pillow with hotel-quality slumber.
Filled with fluffy fibres for cloud-like comfort
Soft to medium firmness
Comfortable and hypoallergenic
best for: side sleepers, allergy-sensitive sleepers, guest rooms
Silentnight Deep Sleep Pillow
For anyone who likes a properly generous, deeply filled pillow. Soft and bouncy, but with real substance behind it.
deeply filled for maximum comfort
filled with supportive, soft fibres
medium/firm comfort
hypoallergenic
best for: anyone who likes a plush, full pillow, back sleepers, combination sleepers.
shop our favourite pillows today
which pillows are the most comfortable?
Comfort is personal, but there's a pattern to it. The pillows people consistently find most comfortable are the ones that match their sleep position and help them stay comfortable all night - because a pillow that feels lovely for the first ten minutes and flattens by midnight isn't actually comfortable at all.
tips for choosing a more comfortable pillow
A few things worth knowing before you buy:
test a pillow in your actual sleeping position: sitting up and squeezing a pillow tells you nothing about how it'll perform when you're lying down.
think about how hot you sleep: this is the single most overlooked factor, and the easiest one to solve with a cooling or copper-infused pillow.
buy in pairs where it makes sense: some pillows, like our Silentnight Hotel Collection Piped Pillow, are designed to be used singly or doubled - so a pair gives you flexibility.
check it's washable: a pillow you can wash is a pillow that stays fresh, hygienic and comfortable for far longer.
give it a fortnight: if you're switching from a very flat old pillow to a properly supportive one, your neck needs a little time to adjust. Don't judge it on night one.
match your pillowcase to your goal: silk for hair, cotton for cooling, anti-allergy covers for sensitivity.
replace your mattress and pillow as a pair: a great pillow can't compensate for a mattress that's stopped supporting you.
