The 9 Best Foam Pillows of 2022, Tested and Reviewed
If you wake up feeling stiff and achy instead of rested and energized for the day, your pillow might be to blame. The best bed pillow provides comfort and support to your head and neck, regardless of whether you’re a back, side, or stomach sleeper. Foam pillows are often touted for providing comfortable support night after night.
“Foam pillows offer the advantage of maintaining shape better than other types of pillows, and [they keep] the neck position more stable throughout the period of sleep,” says Jason E. Lowenstein, MD, partner at the Advanced Spine Center and the Medical Director of Scoliosis and Spinal Deformity at Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, NJ.
Dr. Lowenstein explains that traditional down or feather pillows lose their shape over time because your head is applying constant pressure to the pillow during the night. “As the pillow changes shape, the sleeper’s neck position can change, possibly going from a stable position at the beginning of sleep to an unstable one, which can put increased pressure on the sleeper’s cervical spinal cord, and nerve roots,” he says. A poor sleeping position not only can reduce the quality of your sleep, but could cause pain, numbness, and weakness for your neck, shoulders, and arms.
To help you avoid the nightmare of aches and pains, our PEOPLE Tested team tried out 20 different foam pillows to see which ones offered the most comfortable rest. They slept on their decision quite literally; they tried out each pillow for at least one night’s sleep to evaluate its quality of construction, temperature and airflow, comfort, durability, and value.
Our PEOPLE Tested team picked The Company Store Dual Memory Foam and Gel Fiber Pillow as the best overall foam pillow for a comfortable night’s rest. It has two sides that provide ample support — one with memory foam and one with a layer of gel fiber — so you can choose your comfort level depending on your sleep position. It’s priced well, too, so you won’t lose sleep over spending money on a new, high-quality pillow.
If you’d like to improve your quality of sleep, keep reading to see the best foam pillows that PEOPLE tested.