Get a clear understanding of how to choose the best pillow for back pain relief, leading to improved sleep quality and reduced discomfort.
By the end of the post, readers will:
- Be aware of the role bedding plays in back pain
- Understand what type of support is best for your back
- Realise how pillow construction can help with back pain
- Know how spinal alignment during sleep affects posture
- Appreciate the cyclical nature of poor sleep and back pain
- Inspect the suitability of different pillows for your back pain
- Confidently choose the most suitable pillow for your bad back
- Decide if you prefer natural, latex, memory foam, gel, or Tempur pillow fillings
Back Pain Depriving You Of Sleep?
A mild twinge. Terrible posture. Chronic back pain.
Restless nights due to a bad back can be a nightmare. Feeling tired the following day is no dream either. To make matters worse, the lack of quality sleep only seems to exacerbate the pain. Despite being exhausted, falling asleep the next night continues to be an ordeal.
You’re trapped in a vicious cycle of back pain and poor sleep.
Depending upon your specific condition, finding the solution to a bad back can be complicated. But before you spend hundreds of pounds on a new bed frame, an orthopaedic mattress, and escalating chiropractor bills, there just might be a smaller, more huggable, answer.
How Pillows Affect Back Pain
It’s time to consider how poor sleep contributes to a bad back, and specifically the role played by your pillow. You just might be able to put that back pain to bed by discovering which pillow is best for your back troubles.
Most adults (4 out of 5) will experience lower back pain at some point in life. This might be anything from a mild twinge, spinal damage, the result of an injury, or something owing to underlying conditions. Bad posture can worsen back pain, as sufferers know all too well. How we carry ourselves during the day, and how we position ourselves in bed at night, can directly affect our physical, and eventually our mental, health.
Unfortunately, there is a cyclical nature to having a bad back. The discomfort caused by it at night leads to poor quality sleep. In turn, overall health can decline throughout the day, furthering the discomfort the following night.
An uncomfortable night in bed also often leads to a worsening mental state. As a result, having a bad back is one of the key reasons for missing work and claiming disability in the UK.
There are a host of causes relating to sleeping habits that can contribute to a bad back. Bed frame, mattress type, and sleeping positions are all common factors. Here, we focus on one of the lesser-discussed factors: how choice of pillow can affect your back.
Before we continue, just a quick reminder that none of the following is intended as medical advice. The best course of action for back pain and how to treat it should always be determined by a doctor.
Can A Pillow Really Help My Bad Back?
The answer to this is complicated, as it depends on the specific reasons for back pain.
For most, a tailored choice of pillow can help. A good one can keep the spine aligned and reduce pressure and tension in the neck and shoulder area. In addition to this, sleeping on a pillow suited to personal comfort preferences assists in achieving a more restful sleep. This in turn leads to an overall improvement in sleep quality, breaking the vicious cycle that sustains a bad back.
Traditional use of a pillow placed under the head can help alleviate symptoms. Placing one under the lower back or legs can also sometimes improve spinal alignment and pressure relief. Ensuring you have the best pillow type for either is crucial for prevention and recovery of back pain.
Undertaking the task of choosing the correct one specifically for your needs should be done with the utmost care. There are a multitude of options available, each with unique benefits, so knowing which one is best can be confusing.Considering how the materials used might affect your back can simplify the selection process.
The following is a specially curated list of pillows for bad back recovery. Heeding the detailed explanations about their construction should help take some of the difficulty out of choosing.
Best Pillows For Back Pain 2022
Best Natural Pillow For Back Pain – Hypnos Wool Pillow
For laying on your front, back, or side, this adjustable pillow from Hypnos is ideal for all kinds of sleepers. The ‘wool balls’ that make up the insides are natural wool clusters. You can pull these pillows apart to add air and plump them up to your desired softness. The wool can be removed to flatten it, while adding extra balls for stuffing can make it firmer.
Wool is one of the best materials available for a pillow. A natural insulator, wool is an excellent temperature regulator, providing warmth in winter, and coolness in summer. The hygroscopic properties of wool also help evaporate body moisture, keeping bedding fresh for longer. Wool used by Hypnos is 100% British, sustainable, renewable, and biodegradable.
Best Latex Pillow For Back Pain – Relyon Superior Comfort Deep Latex Pillow
A more natural way to sleep, this offering from Relyon is 100% environmentally friendly latex. This means it is breathable and pressure relieving. Slightly deeper than most pillows, it is particularly appealing for those who sleep on their side.
Millions of interconnecting microscopic open-cell structure air bubbles mean it has great air circulation and reduced humidity. This prevents a possible build-up of moisture that can interfere with comfort and limit the pillow’s lifespan.
Thanks to it moulding to the contours of the body, the head and neck will always find themselves well supported. Natural rubber polymer provides unrivalled elasticity, ensuring the pillow always returns to its comforting and supportive shape.
Due to rubber trees being great carbon dioxide purifiers, latex is one of the most eco-friendly fillings available. Providing natural anti-allergenic, anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties, latex can be a real boon to those looking for a hypoallergenic pillow.
Relyon take such pride in this pillow that it comes with a guarantee for the first 5 years.
Best Memory Foam Pillow For Back Pain – Emma Original Pillow
Memory foam has its’ fans – there are many people who wouldn’t want to sleep on anything else. Making a big impact in the world of beds recently are Emma. This memory foam pillow is proving to be quite the hit with those wanting to improve a bad back.
Support and comfort abound due to its three layer foam construction. The design allows the body to sink evenly into the pillow. Viscoelastic foam achieves this by supporting loads through a slow, equal-tempered reaction with the material. Adapting to the contours of the body, pressure and heat compress to suit each individual sleeper.
HRX (High Resiliency Extra) provides a counter pressure, which helps keep the spine evenly aligned and achieve optimal relief. Breathable airgocell absorbs moisture with an enhanced airflow and results in a weightless, feather feel. The Emma pillow’s ability to correct spinal alignment can help achieve a great night’s sleep, regardless of the preferred sleeping position.
Best Gel Pillow For Back Pain – Sleepeezee Cooling Memory Pillow
This offering from Sleepeezee features a foam core and a layer of Staycool gel. It aids comfortable sleep by contouring around the head and neck for excellent spinal support. The resulting benefit is that sleepers can enjoy the luxury of memory foam without the heat normally generated by it.
An easily removable cooler cover contributes to further heat reduction, making it an ideal solution for those preferring a soft, yet cooler sleep. Returning to form after every use, the Staycool pillow is designed to spring back into shape every time pressure is released.
Best Tempur Material Pillow For Back Pain – Tempur Down Luxe Pillow
A synthetic foam created by NASA, this Tempur material pillow was specifically designed with pressure relieving support and comfort in mind. While the foam helps align the spine into a neutral position, duck down and small feathers provide luxury comfort.
Complementing the filling is a 100% cotton cover. Excellent at cooling, it effortlessly tackles moisture for a breathable, fresher feeling pillow. The Tempur assists in spinal alignment by cradling the head and neck area, promoting a great night’s sleep, every night.
For further information on how to choose a pillow, consult our guide to Picking The Best Pillow.
If you’re looking for some other measures for dealing with pain when trying to sleep, consider the benefits of an adjustable bed and some tips on how to fall asleep quickly.
Need Help Choosing The Correct Pillow?
Consider if the following problems apply to you:
- Having trouble falling asleep?
- Feeling tired all day?
- Back pain causing an irritable mood?
Using the right supportive pillow goes a long way to helping with chronic back pain. In some cases, it can add hours of quality sleep to your night-time rest.
Our customer-first policy means we listen and give good, independent advice based on the needs of the individual. By pairing consumers up with ethically sourced, affordable, quality products, we provide as many people as possible with a great night’s sleep.
If you would like help connecting with a suitable pillow for your back pain, feel free to get in touch with our bed experts on 01928 242829.
For further information about back pain, visit the NHS website.