Hi, Please kindly explain the difference of these pillows you advise to " Latex pillows "?? Also these pillows you advise do i need a pillow underneath if so which type of pillow please ?? for reason i don,t like my head too flat ( almost on mattress but also my head not too high off mattress i need correct balance for my body / spine, neck ). I suffer chronic fatigue synd but i don't like U shaped pillows/ body pillows. Soak & Sleep company never amended my address i was fortunate courier knows me from delivering previous parcels. IT,S A COMPLETE NIGHT MARE GETTING CORRECT PILLOW THERE'S TOO MANY ON MARKET NOWADAYS. Sue

Hi Sue, Latex pillows are a very good choice for those who suffer from back and neck problems but can be a little warmer than natural fillings, and don't really have the 'marshmallow' feeling you are describing. This is why I did not recommend them to you in your last email. However, if you buy one with a 100% cotton cover which is also washable, it could be a good solution for you - they are fantastic for neck and head pain and many sufferers swear by them. Have a look at the review we wrote here of the latex Super Comfort Dunlopillo, or go straight to the less firm, softer Dunlopillo Serenity Pillow here (best for back sleepers). You shouldn't need another pillow underneath. Also - thanks for your comments about Soak and Sleep. We'll definitely look into this to see if anyone else has had a negative experience. All best, The Pillow Advisor team

Hi pillow advisor, My local bedding retailer is selling a 'Kaymed IKOOL' - memory pillow with integrated gel for keeping cool. Have you come across such a pillow? Im a side sleeper with neck issues now and then. haven't used a memory foam before. Looking for a solution. many thanks joseph

Hi Joseph, thanks for getting in touch. We've not tried this pillow before, it sounds like it could be a little gimmicky. Is both neck pain and overheating an issue for you? If it's mostly dealing with neck pain and you're a side sleeper then the best approach is to ensure you've got just the right amount of head support so that your neck is held straight. A firm microfibre pillow or memory foam can do this, you might need to experiment a little to find the right one for you. Might be worth giving the Kaymed one a go, especially if your local retailer could let you try it on for size. Suzie

Hi! I think I may be asking for the moon, but here goes....... I mainly sleep on my tummy with my head to one side and my arms crossed across my chest. Sometimes I wake up and I'm more on my side but still with arms crossed. I gather I need a softish pillow and I prefer feather/down as I can pummel it into the right shape under my neck which I can't do with microfibre. My main problem really is that I get a very sweaty head (I'm 70) especially on very warm nights, so it doesn't really seem worth spending a lot on a pillow that would have to be thrown out after a while. I don't have a tumble dryer so a washable pillow wouldn't be much help. I told you I was tricky! But if you CAN help, I'd be so grateful). Kind regards Mary

  Hi Mary, Thanks for your question and don't worry about being tricky, we love a challenge. It's useful to make sure that we're on top of the market and know what's out there for different kinds of needs and sleepers. Actually, your request is a little difficult as with feather and down you tend to get what you pay for and the nicer products are more expensive. If you don't want to spend too much and you can't wash your pillow, you will have to compromise a little and go for a pillow which is not a Pillow Advisor 'Best', but is still a decent pillow. Your email actually made me go and review a pillow I've been aware of for a while at Marks and Spencer's and I think it may fit the bill as it has a  cool cotton cover with a full down / feather filling and ideal for front sleepers Have a look at the M&S Duck Feather pillow - we have reviewed the firm support version here but they also have a medium pillow for £18. Good luck and here's to a happy night's sleep! Suzie.

hey there! on the pillow hunt since recently and came across this great site of yours! just wondering if you can advise me an alternative to the discontinued White Company Hungarian goose down pillow? I'm a side sleeper in search of the perfect blend of firmness/support yet fluffiness at the same time. I had a one night stand with this girl once and she had the perfect pillow that exactly fitted that description. Sadly, I'm unable to ask her what pillows she has. All the best, Ali

Hi Ali, glad you like the site. We think it's a shame that the White Company have discontinued the HGD pillow - it was very good. The good news is that we've found a successor in the John Lewis Ultimate Winter Snow Goose Down pillow - here's the review. It's pretty expensive but worth it? If you're going to spend years with it then it's a long term investment.

Hi, can you recommend a brand of Latex pillow please? There are a lot around with quite different prices. Hypnos Dunlopillo and Silentnight are all so varying, how do I understand what’s best for a reasonable price? Thank you Jo

Hey Jo! We recently reviewed the Dunlopillo Serenity Deluxe pillow, we thought it was pretty good

Hi I am looking for a pillow to reduce or stop my husband's snoring which is soo loud and driving me nuts. Can you let me know what you would recommend. Thanks.

Dear Zoe, Thank you for your email. We are sorry to hear that you are struggling to sleep due to your husband's snoring. In our experience, different things seem to work for different people depending on the underlying causes of the snoring ie. sleeping position, allergies, lifestyle etc. Sleeping position is certainly one thing to look at and so purchasing a firm pillow is a good starting point. A firmer pillow will help align the head and neck to keep your airways open. The British Snoring Association agree with us that the Silentnight Anti-snore pillow is worth considering. Please take a look at our review here. At only £15 from Amazon, this is a good first option. Another pillow worth looking at, if you have a larger budget, would be the Tempur original pillow which is a firm memory foam pillow. This pillow is pricey but provides great support, is dust mite and allergen resistant. Our final piece of advice would be that often a change of pillow alone does not provide a cure and the best results are likely to be experienced in conjunction with a number of other changes. Things to also consider are: * Lack of exercise * Over-eating * Alcohol intake * Smoking I hope you find this useful and see some improvement. Best of luck! Pillow Advisor

Hi, i suffer fibromialigia / M.E. . Which name & brand of pillow do i need please i am a back sleeper . Please i,d like a luxury pillow that gives me support ( not u shaped ) i dont want my head to sink in it ( meaning pillow goes flat when put head on it . I just don,t know & cannot tell you if medium or firm support would be best for me. I need neck support & for my head to feel , only way i can describe to you is : like my head on a marshmellow. My head sweats during sleep i,m at a loss choosing there,s 100,s to choose from i,ve wasted money buying incorrect pillows. PLEASE KINDLY ADVISE PLEASE KINDLY REPLY Sue.

Hi Sue, Happy to advise any time. For back-sleepers who need support, I would typically recommend a Tempur memory foam pillow such as the Tempur Traditional Cloud Pillow - click pillow name for our review. This has the benefit of cushioning your head and neck but at the same time has a softness to it. Tempur are also the brand most frequently recommended by osteopaths and physiotherapists for people with head and neck problems. However, the only drawback with them really is that memory foam pillows can retain heat and moisture and may - as can any polyester / microfibre / synthetic pillow – give you a warmer night’s sleep. If you want your head to stay cool at night and not sweat, you are therefore much better off going for natural materials rather than synthetic materials, in the top portion of your pillow where your head rests. The Tempur pillow (mentioned above) at least has a 75% cotton cover so this will help. What we’d personally recommend is a memory foam inner or lower section, with a natural fibre outer or top section. These tend to be expensive but are definitely worth it if you can afford it. You could go for a bamboo pillow - The Bamboo Cool Orthopaedic Pillow is a good option and combines lots of support with natural covers and top layer. If you love the feeling of down and want a really natural, no sweat experience, have a lovely down pillow on top such as Soak and Sleep’s Luxury 90% Hungarian Down Pillow and then a thin polyester pillow underneath. Whichever one you choose above, I think you’ll have a better night’s sleep once you have support underneath and natural fibre softness on top. We hope you find some comfort very soon. Susie - Pillow Advisor team.

Hello Could you please advise which pillow I need, I am suffering from headaches and shoulder pain, I am 61, I do not like a to hard pillow, my husband brought me a Tempur pillow, I hated it, I could not sleep with it at all, I do hope you can help Wendy

Hi Wendy, Tempur isn't for everyone and especially if you sleep on your back then it can push your head too high and cause neck pain. A big factor in getting a comfortable night's sleep is having a pillow which supports your head so that your head properly (not too high or too low - your head should be in-line with your spine). The quickest way to sort this out is to try a few different types of pillows with different heights and levels of support. A rough rule of thumb is if you sleep on your back then look for a low or soft pillow, if you're a side sleeper then look for more support. Take a look at our top 10 pillows for a variety of really good pillows of different types - keep on trying pillows until you find the right one - it's worth it!

I bought a beautiful down pillow for a good deal. I am happy with the purchase. But I think it is higher than my need. Can I open it and take off some of the material to make it lower? Hafid

Hi Hafid, Yes, sure, why not. This sounds like a logical idea if you're in love with the pillow - just make sure that your sewing skills are up to the job and you're prepared for a bit of a mess during the operation! Down is notoriously flighty, of course that's what makes it so soft and light, so you are likely to end up with quite a bit of down attempting to escape whilst you are sewing up the casing. You'll also need to ensure that your stitching is close together and very secure or you'll find little bits of down in your bedroom for the rest of the life of your pillow. Obviously it depends what the casing is as to how easy this will be; some pillows have piped edges which would be more difficult to open and sew back together without difficulty. Good luck, and if all goes wrong, you can always try the Simba Hybrid Pillow which although made of foam nano tubes allows you to adjust the height or alternatively Soak & Sleep's 90% Hungarian Goose pillow which I think is a bit lower than most but filled with down. Thanks.

Hi I am a hypnotherapist and have some pillow beds for my relaxation class. I need some good value pillows that won't just squish flat when people lie on them. Any ideas? Thanks, Sam

Dear Sam, Marks and Spencer do a (rather outrageously) cheap pillow called the 'Bounce Back Pillow', which although not the greatest quality in the world, are very comfortable and certainly do exactly what they claim to - bounce back. They're £6 and certainly won't squish flat, so hopefully will do the job. Hope they are a success!

Morning, I am in the market for a new pillow and love your site. What surprised me though was the comparatively low scores for side and back sleepers on all your pillows, nothing above 3* for any of them. I am looking for more support from my pillow and was leaning towards a memory foam one but even that didn't score that highly on those criteria. It did well on reducing neck pain though which is an important factor. Chris

Hi Chris, you're right, we haven't reviewed many pillows for side and back sleepers. We also haven't really found a memory foam pillow we're happy with - we'll get on the case. The search continues!

Hi I am looking for an eco friendly iPad pillow. Can you help? Thank you. Patricia

Hi Patricia, We don't often get questions about the best pillows for ipads and tablets, but always happy to oblige! Although we haven't tested it, the Bamboosa Lap Log - (a 'soft iPad & tablet stand' - i.e. a pillow, or cushion) looks by far the best out there. You're absolutely right to want it to be 'eco-friendly'. Lots of this kind of product are made with tiny plastic microbeads / polybeads and we're only just finding out now how much damage they're doing to the environment, oceans in particular. There's more information about microbeads on our 'About...' page here. The Bamboosa Lap Log (click the name for a link to the pillow) is from Amazon and £35. It's not cheap but looks like a quality product with 100% sustainable materials: organic cotton, buckwheat and wood. It looks smart - black or green - has great reviews, is washable, lightweight, and apparently will come before Christmas if you order it now. Hope that's helpful ! Pillow Advisor team.

Hi, are there any pillows out there that help keep your head cool as I get very hot and sweaty. I also sleep on my back and side and occasionally snore?? Thank you, Paul

Hi Paul, I think many of us can sympathise with your experience, especially over the last few warmer weeks. It's a question we get asked a lot and oddly it's only recently that manufacturers have specifically been addressing the issue. First thing to do is to go natural rather than synthetic (use down rather than memory foam or latex which can both be notoriously sweaty) and make sure your pillows are a good quality, checking that the casing as well as your pillowcase are 100% cotton.  You could try the specifically designed Marks and Spencer's 'Comfortably Cool' pillow, or combine your natural-filled pillow and cotton pillow case with a product called a 'Chillow' or the (better in our opinion) 'Gel O'Cool' pillow mat. Both of these products are mats which provide a cool layer between your head and the pillow. We haven't got specific reviews for these but you can find plenty of happy. We also really liked the REM-Fit snow pillow which has an outer cover made of Nordic Chill fabric and the Simba Hybrid Pillow made using OUTLAST technology (which developed for NASA), it takes temperature control to another level, ensuring you are never too hot or cold.

I am looking for a decent pillow to help with hot flushes at night. I currently have a latex pillow from Soak & Sleep which is incredibly comfy but my hot flushes are terrible if I use this. Any recommendations for a ‘cooling’ pillow OR a pillow that doesn’t get overly warm, would be great. Thank you! – Laurie

Hi Laurie, This is a great question as it brings up lots of common issues people have with pillows and trying to get a good night’s sleep. Latex pillows should keep you cooler than other synthetic pillows for example memory foam pillows. Latex foam (made from the sap of the rubber tree) has an open-cell structure which allows more airflow than many other materials. Latex mattresses and pillows are also created with pinholes in the structure which further helps airflow. However, a latex pillow won’t be as cool as a down / feather pillow, silk pillow or a wool pillow because these natural materials have evolved to help their creatures regulate their own body temperatures in hot or cold weather – this is particularly true of wool which is an excellent choice of pillow if you suffer from night sweats. You sink into a latex pillow more than you do a synthetic polyester pillow, or a well-stuffed feather pillow, so this also contributes to a lack of air-flow around the head and face. The other thing to consider – and this is really important – is what you’re covering your pillow with. You must absolutely use a 100% cotton (or wool) pillow protector and pillowcase; this also goes for a mattress protector. If you’re covering your pillow with any kind of polyester / nylon mix material you will suffer more from heat and sweats, guaranteed. A natural bamboo pillow with cotton pillowcase can also be a good choice to keep you cool. So what would we recommend? Best Cotton pillow protectors: The White Company (very soft, thick 100% cotton) – read our review. Best Wool pillow: Marks and Spencer's Wool pillow Best Bamboo pillow: Panda Bamboo pillow – review here. Best Synthetic cooling pillow with cotton cover: Simba Pillow with Outlast – NASA space technology to keep you cool – review here. Last one to mention, and may well be the best is the: REM Fit Snow pillow. Our reviewer, Mark really likes it for it’s cooling properties: read review here. All best, Pillow Advisor team.

Much of the night I need to sleep face down due severe arthritis in lower spine but neck and shoulder problems are developing from head twisted to one side, Is there a pillow with a hole and facial support? Gillian

Hi Gillian, It's difficult to sleep with face down, as you pointed out it requires a special head support pillow with a hole in the middle to allow you to breath whilst keeping your head straight. We've not tried any of these so we can't vouch for them but there are a few types available you could take a look at. You could take a look at this low profile pillow from John Lewis or SPA Salon cradle cushion from Amazon meant more for massage tables. Hope you find comfort!

Hi please could you tell me where to get a pillow that will stop me from getting really bad pressure in my face, around my eyes and nose. I also keep getting a tingling sensation on the side of my face that's on the pillow. I've been told I might have a trapped nerve that's in my spine and is stopping blood flow. All the pillows I buy go flat or are too hard I wake up with head aches as well. Thank you for your time Alex

I'm really sorry to hear that you're having such an uncomfortable night's sleep at the moment - it sounds pretty miserable. To be honest, I'm a bit reluctant to suggest a particular pillow for you as you have such a range of symptoms. From your email, it sounds like you are a side sleeper so problems with your pillow are not likely to cause your eye / nose pillow or your headaches. Perhaps the best route is to go back to your doctor and ask for further investigations, plus also possibly a physio referral in the meantime? You're probably doing this already so in terms of short-term help, I would try a really soft, bouncy good quality microfibre pillow. This shouldn't aggravate any of your symptoms which you should try and get diagnosed before going for a specific neck-support pillow. They also have the advantage of being anti-allergy, so you can rule that out as a cause of your skin irritability. Try the Breathe pillow from John Lewis Here's hoping 2015 brings you a little more luck in the sleep department!

Hello there, I have a disc problem in my neck and find that the higher profile pillows leave me with a sore neck. I have tried the Tempur cloud which left me with a sore neck as well. I am generally a back and side sleeper. My physio advises that I go for a comfortable low profile pillow that provides support. Can you suggest any that I can try? Many thanks Mark

Dear Mark, Understand what your physio is saying here. Yes, the Tempur pillows can be a little high for some people, so try a slimmer latex pillow instead. It should still give you a good level of support and bounce but is certainly less bulky than the Tempur equivalents. Dunlopillos have a great reputation and are very good quality, take a look at the Serenity Deluxe pillow. Best of luck with the neck and the disc problem. Not fun, but hopefully this might help - do let us know. Regards, The Pillow advisor team

Hi, I have been using memory foam pillows for years, but I am having treatment for chronic neck pain and have been told that I need to stop using the memory foam. We have a latex pocket sprung mattress which is great. I tend to sleep on my side. Can you advise please on what pillow would be best for me. Brenda

Hi Brenda, there's no one pillow we could recommend for you as it's always personal, but the best advice we could give is to find the right height of support so that your head and neck are aligned straight with your spine. If your pillow gives too much or too little support then your neck can be strained. Experiment with different heights of pillow, even try a couple of pillow together if you can't get the height from just one. It doesn't matter too much about the type of pillow material, as a side sleeper you will be looking for a firm base, so a firm microfibre or memory foam with a decent height, or a combination of pillows. Good luck!

Hello I am suffering from chronic neck pain and need to buy a new pillow with some support! Can you please recommend what type of pillow I need to buy please? I tend to sleep on my side rather than my back. Thank you. Sarah

Hi Sarah, sorry to hear you're in pain. The trick with sleeping on your side is to have a pillow which will support your head more than the average pillow. Your head, neck and spine should be straight and nicely aligned. If your pillow isn't supportive enough then your head will be too low and your neck will be out of line with your spine causing it to strain.

Hello there,
I've chronic neck and back pain for some times and seeking sleep aid - neck pillow or support but have no idea where to start. I consider myself side sleeper (preferable left side) but due to the pain I've switched to right side. Sadly the pain now on both sides of the shoulders and neck. I have feathers allergy and preferable soft pillow. Though I'm small frame but I have king bed. I’ve been healthy and never had anything pain like what I’m suffering now since April last year. Pain is getting more severe from top of my neck down to shoulders and back. Painkillers don’t work at all and really borders me with the quality of life I have. I’ve been using Silent Night ordinary pillow (not 100% sure which, think cotton hallow fibre?). I hope you can advise me which one to get.
Thanking you in advance Hi Irene, Ok, so it sounds like you have some more serious neck / musculo-skeletal issues going on than just suffering from an uncomfortable pillow. The first thing we would always recommend is that you get yourself checked out by doctor, or if you can't get a GP appointment and you don't mind paying privately, you can go straight to an orthopaedic specialist, such as an osteopath or chiropractor who specialises in neck and spinal discomfort. They should be able to ascertain if there is anything more serious going on, and what may have caused your current condition.
They will almost certainly suggest you get a better pillow as well as your standard pillow from Silentnight won't support your head and neck the way they should be supported. Professionals will normally recommend an orthopaedic cervical neck pillow such as this excellent, well-known one from Tempur - https://pillowadvisor.co.uk/review/tempur-original-queen-pillow-review/
If only the large pillow is available and you want a normal sized pillow, you can try the Noffa cervical neck pillow from Amazon instead - it also has great reviews and will support you much better than your current pillow.
Best of luck and hope the pain calms down soon and you get a better night's sleep.
Kind regards,
Susannah. Pillowadvisor

Hi I've been looking at your site and find it very helpful. I am a side sleeper and also need an anti-allergy pillow. I have spent hundreds of pounds on pillows and always find I end up with my head in the dent between two big clumps of fibre. This has happened with all different makes of pillow including John Lewis which came recommended. I seem to remember you reviewing a Dunlopillow-like pillow from Italy and it got very good reviews. Would you be able to tell me the supplier of this pillow please? I feel I am on my last chance of having a good night's sleep. I would be very grateful for some advice. Thank you. Regards. Gail

Thanks for your query and your feedback. Yes, if you're looking for an anti-allergy pillow and want to avoid the fibre clumping that can happen over time with the average microfibre pillow, latex or memory foam may well be a good idea. Dunlopillo is the most reputable and popular manufacturer in the UK and we really like the Serenity Deluxe. However, it is on the slimmer end of the pillow-spectrum, so if you're after a fuller pillow, try the Dunlopillo Super Comfort pillow at John Lewis, which people rave about. In terms of Italian pillows, Italy does have an excellent reputation for latex technology and precision cutting. This is the most popular option in the UK at the moment and has really impressive reviews on Amazon. We haven't tested it though so if you try it, please do let us know if the Italian reputation is deserved! Hope that helps! The Pillow advisor team

Hi I currently have a Tempur ergonomic support pillow as I suffer a lot from headaches/neck ache. Recently my neck and head pain has got worse and im now thinking its related to my pillow again. How long should these pillows last? and what would you recommend. I like to sleep on the side and find myself putting another pillow below my current tempur to gain a bit of height help Steve

Hi Steve, Tempur foam will start to sag after a while, looks like this can be anywhere between 3 to 5 years of use (according to a quick bit of research). If it is the case that your pillow used to be high enough for you then this is probably the case. If your head is not supported enough, your neck will be out of line with your spine and you can suffer from pain. I guess the options you've got are either to boost the height up a little as you are already doing, get another tempur pillow (expensive) or perhaps try out an adjustable height pillow like the Mediflow waterbase pillow which you should be able to adjust so it's just right for you - it might take some experimentation but aim to have your neck in alignment with your spine when you sleep on your side. Hope this helps!

My pillows are noisy. All are recent buys, and all grate and judder as I breathe, and as I move. They are very loud. I spend ages thrashing my head around seeking a silent part of the pillow. It may sound daft - noisy pillows, but as fibres rub against each other they create noise. Our ears are pressed very close and so the noise is loud - even the person next to you may not hear the noise, but you (I) do. This annoyance has increased as I have aged (I'm 62), but it was always present. The only pillow I can remember that was silent was one filled with chopped pieces of foam rubber - nowhere available now - except handmade by oneself. It wasn't particularly comfortable, it had lumps, but it was silent. Anyone? Suggestions for a silent pillow? My bed is a naff tubular steel frame thing which creaks. Because the head is like the bars of a school gate, I have a bolster stretched across it, and that, too, grates and squeaks like a grating, squeaking, annoying thing, due to its filling. What filling is silent? Please, what filling is silent? Sob. I need to sleep.

Hi Bob, firstly I'm sorry to hear that you're suffering. It's not daft, not if it's not letting you sleep, I know what it can be like to be super aware of all noises around you when you're trying to get back to sleep at 3 in the morning. The quietest pillow? - It's got to be memory foam by a long way! Especially with a soft towelling cover. Most other pillow types have a loose filling which rustles, even down pillows. The Tempur memory foam pillow is not cheap (£100) and is shaped for support, but it's very good. If you're after a more regular shape then you could try others in the range, we have yet to try them ourselves though.

Hi, Is it possible to buy synthetic hollowfibre pillows without any fire-retardant chemicals? Is the hollowfibre filling inherently flame resistant or is a chemical always added to make the pillows fire safe. I have noticed that hollowfibre cushion stuffing is advertised as fire resistant so do pillows always contain the same. Douglas

Hi Douglas, You raise such an interesting point here, it made us write an article to explain the facts. We’ve put in our posts section with the title ‘Chemicals in Pillows?’ You should find some answers to your question there, a bit of pillow advice and some pillow recommendations. We’re also going to create a new section shortly for ‘Organic’ pillows, as it’s of interest to more and more of our readers- please watch this space. Thanks for emailing us with your question, it's an important area to consider.