The 10 best pillows for neck pain

Usually you know you’re on a feather pillow when you get pricked in the face. No more! These Umi Goose Feather ones have a ‘three-chamber’ brushed cotton covering, which they claim prevents the feather ends poking through. There are two per pack, stuffed with nothing but goose feathers to a medium firmness that’s still malleable, so you can shove them into the shape you need when sleeping on your side. They’re also machine washable.

You’ve probably heard of down, but in case you’re not overly familiar, it’s those soft fluffy feathers birds have beneath their outer feathers. So not a vegan-friendly option, but a fairly popular one. If you get EarthKind’s Reclaimed Natural Down pillows, available exclusively at John Lewis, you can at least rest easy knowing your lying on recycled and cleaned down from pre-loved pillows. The 233 thread-count cotton covers are also socially conscious, having been produced in line with the Better Cotton Initiative. Given their squishiness, these are best for sleeping on your back.

Not happy to use animal products? Try Homefoucs’ Just Like Down pillows. They’re just as soft, which is good news for all you back sleepers, but no animals are involved in the making. Instead of down feathers they’re filled with microfibre (a very fine polyester that’s silky smooth), which is hypoallergenic and can go in the washing machine. These Homefoucs come with 100 percent cotton covers and, best of all, there are two in the pack.

Dropping a £100 on a pillow is not a decision made lightly, but worth it for the Simba Hybrid. Like it says on the tin, these combine a mix of materials, including a breathable cotton cover, a layer of fibres, followed by foam nano cubes and then a layer of hypoallergenic microfibres. A mesh border ties it all together, allowing for maximum airflow. They feel similar to memory foam, but softer, so especially good if you sleep on your side but move around a lot. And those foam cubes can be added to or removed to achieve your perfect height.

These odd-shaped things are somewhat the Marmite of pillows. Some love them, others hate them, and this one in particular resembles the Imperial Shuttle more than something to transport you to the land of nod, but stick with it. The Elviros Cervical Contour pillow – cervical being the other name for orthopaedic pillows – is peculiarly shaped to provide firm support in a variety of ways. If you suffer from chronic neck and shoulder pain, give it a go. Flip it round until you find your nook and chances are you won’t be in a hurry to leave.

Never used memory foam and unsure if you’ll like it? PillowLY offers a 100-day trial with their Shredded Memory Foam pillow. As the name suggests, it’s filled with ripped up bits of foam, which you can remove to change the height, meaning it can suit all kinds of sleepers. The foam adjusts to your shape as you doze and holds it for firm, long-term support. It’s also resistant to dust mites, is hypoallergenic, machine washable and comes with a removable rayon cover made from a polyester and bamboo mix.

Similar to memory foam, but softer, latex provides a great natural, sustainable and biodegradable alternative that is inherently anti-fungal, hypoallergenic and with better airflow to keep it cooler for longer than synthetic materials. SleepGreen’s Natural Latex pillows are made in the UK, durable and the covers contain seaweed, which is packed with minerals that’ll help reduce inflammation. This is a good option for those who like to sleep on their side with something medium-firm supporting their noggins.

The Brow Farm Buckwheat pillow is giving new meaning to the term hit the hay. Given buckwheat’s au naturel properties, there’s a fresh outdoorsy scent to these, but it’s faint. There’s also a slight rustling sound when you move. But despite these factors, there are people who swear by them. No doubt because they’re adjustable, durable, stay super cool whatever the weather, and are good for the environment (biodegradable and produced in west Lancashire). Support is very firm, so not for everyone, but suitable for back and side sleepers.

Only go silk if you’ve the money to spare. It’s definitely a luxury rather than a necessity, but it feels oh so lovely on the skin. Elle Silk’s pillows are made entirely from long-fibre Mulberry silk – the most expensive kind – and wrapped in 300 thread-count cotton. The medium support is good for side sleepers who don’t want too much height and they’re available in three different sizes: standard, queen and king. Plus, silk is naturally hypoallergenic and breathable. These truly are the cat’s pyjamas of pillows.

We know what you’re thinking. Scratchy, hairy, smelly and tough – right? Wrong. Woolroom pillows are super soft and make a great alternative to feathers or down. Ok, so there’s a slight woolly jumper smell initially, but that’s to be expected with a natural substance and it fades soon enough. On Woolroom’s basic option, the cotton cover is sewn shut, but spend an extra tenner and you can get the cover with a zip so you can adjust the firmness. You can even buy bags of extra wool – all sourced from British farms – on the Woolroom website for £15.