How High Should My Pillow Be?
Your pillow should be high enough to keep your neck in line with your spine, and no higher. No single height works for everyone, because the right one depends on your body, your sleeping position and your mattress.
Key takeaways
- The pillow has to fill the gap between your head and the mattress, so the neck is neither tilted up nor sagging down.
- Shoulder width, neck size, sleeping position and mattress firmness all change the height you need.
- A free measurement at a provider near you replaces guesswork with a fitted size.
What makes a pillow the right height?
Think of it like a shoe size. A stock pillow is built for an average body, and few people are average. A side sleeper with wide shoulders needs more height than a side sleeper with narrow ones. Back sleepers generally need less height than side sleepers, and stomach sleepers need the least. For a closer look at side sleeping, read our guide Best Pillow for Side Sleepers: How to Pick the Right Height. If scoliosis changes how your shoulders and neck sit on the pillow, our article Pillow for Scoliosis: How to Choose a Pillow Height That Fits Your Body explains how to think about pillow height. If you want to know whether your current pillow is off, see how to tell if your pillow is the wrong height.
Does my mattress change the answer?
Yes. On a soft mattress, including many memory foam and hybrid models, your shoulder sinks in, so you usually need a lower pillow than on a firm one. Body weight plays a role too. A heavier person sinks deeper and may need a lower pillow. Our guide to choosing a pillow by sleep position and mattress goes into more detail.
What does the research show?
In a pilot EMG study of 15 adults, a pillow height matched to shoulder width produced the lowest neck and shoulder muscle activity and the highest comfort rating during side sleeping (Jiao et al., 2025). The study was small and tested adults without shoulder pain. It shows an association with muscle activity and comfort, not that a pillow treats neck pain. More in our post on shoulder width and pillow height.
How does Pillowise choose a height?
We take three measurements: shoulder width, neck circumference and neck height. We add your sleeping position (the one you fall asleep in) and your mattress firmness. The Pillowise algorithm then picks one of 7 sizes. The system indicates the right size for about 95% of people. Weight is not part of the calculation, so your provider checks your position on the pillow and adjusts if needed, for example during pregnancy.
Give the pillow 7-10 days to adjust. Within 30 days of purchase you can exchange it for another size or return it for a refund. Return shipping is paid by the customer, and shipping charges are not refunded.
You can also try the manual measurement in our pillow height calculator. Ideally, ask a second person to take the measurements. If neck pain, numbness or headaches persist, see your own provider. A pillow is not a substitute for care.
Find a provider near you
Pillowise is sold only through licensed chiropractors, physical therapists and massage therapists. The measurement is free at every one of them. Find a Pillowise provider near you and book your free measurement.
Are you a licensed provider? Register as a Pillowise reseller.
Thijs van der Hilst, physiotherapist
Co-founder of Pillowise
