After a car crashed into the back of mine more than three years ago, neck pain has plagued me 24 hours a day. I’ve since given up trying to sleep on my back as the discomfort is insurmountable.
However, this alien-looking neck pain pillow design has helped me enjoy improved sleep quality on my side, and with a whopping 76% off at Amazon before Black Friday even starts, it’s one I’m snapping up as a spare. If you have neck pain, I encourage you to give it a go as I’ve tested six different designs at home before I found the one that works for me.
Why This $39 Pillow Design is So Good for Neck Pain
If you're dealing with neck pain and find sleeping difficult, this pillow may bring you some relief. It holds your upper cervical spine in a supported and neutral position, lessening the strain as you sleep.
Enjoy easier mornings and fewer neck cricks with an ergonomically designed pillow that will hold your head and neck in the best sleep position all night. I tried six different pillows at home till I happened upon this unusual-looking design and now swear by it.
The wings on the side stop your neck from overextending as you sleep on your side, which reduces muscle and soft tissue strain, and the dip in the middle stops the same if you do end up on your back.
Dr Gbolohan Okubadejo, Spinal and Orthopedic Surgeon at NYNJ Spine, explains, ‘This pillow is shaped to fit the natural curve of your neck. It holds your head in a way that keeps your neck straight, allowing your muscles to fully relax.
‘The raised parts support the cervical spine, keeping it in place and stopping it from bending the wrong way while you sleep. The dips and curves in the pillow are good for those who sleep on both their back or side. Side sleepers get extra benefit because the pillow fills the space between the shoulder and head, giving you that extra support that helps keep the neck aligned all night.
'Regular flat pillows often let your head tilt or sink, which can put the neck and shoulders in an awkward position, leading to soreness and stiffness. This shape spreads pressure more evenly, so you don’t wake up with stiff spots.
‘This pillow also reduces tossing and turning because your head and neck are supported. Using this particular pillow can make sleeping feel easier and more natural. Overall, it helps reduce neck pain and gives support that most standard pillows don’t always provide.’
Coupled with one of the best mattresses and best mattress toppers, you will be all set for sounder, more restorative sleep and less pain upon waking up.
Meanwhile, the breathable foam of this $39 neck pain pillow from Amazon, means you don’t wake up in a sweaty mess as it circulates twice as much air as standard memory foam fills, and has a plant-based 'Move+Cool' treatment that maximizes the cover's natural wicking qualities and turbocharged heat dissipation.
I’m a particularly hot sleeper due to a mix of chronic conditions, including pain and disautonomia, as well as medications, but memory foam is not a problem, and has certainly come a long way since its inception. This material even features in our best cooling mattress toppers, so strike that worry from your list now.
I put a large cotton pillow case on mine, or a silk one from Amazon for less impact on my skin, which gets topographic lines from the surface I sleep on. That additional layer also makes it easier to clean your pillow, though it’s worth noting the Amazon pillow deal comes with a washable ‘Omigosh-soft outer cover’ made from BioPreferred polyester fiber.
This is sourced sustainably from renewable wood pulp, and neither the memory foam (which can be recycled), nor the casing it comes in contains any volatile organic compounds. These VOCs are usually responsible for that strange and unpleasant ‘off-gassing’ smell some homeware products, such as memory foam, can have when you first unpack them.
Why the Pillow's Worth It
The price drop on Amazon's neck pain pillow is truly worthy and shouldn’t be overlooked. In the past, I have paid between $75 and $150 per neck pain pillow I have tried in my quest to ease neck pain, and my current one shares the design of the one on offer, which is now just $39.
James Roswold, an attorney with Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys who has been representing injured plaintiffs for 30 years, says, ‘Clients of mine have spent this much on pillows multiple times and have spent much more money on other expenses like medical bills due to discomfort because they didn't have this kind of pillow to support them.’
For the limited-time deal, you get a cleverly engineered pillow that can suit sleepers who need higher or lower pillows, as a 180° flip reduces the height instantly. I use this feature a lot, depending on how bad my neck pain is on any given night, and whether I need to be raised a bit to support my neck, or down a bit to reduce any pain radiating into my shoulder.
Back sleepers can comfortably nestle in the middle, whilst side sleepers no longer have to squash arms and shoulders awkwardly. There is space to place your wrist with the double-layer wing design, and ergonomic dips in the contours of the memory foam pillow to help you nestle into a comfortable position that won’t cause more neck tension and pain by the morning.
These are all the features I love in my own neck pain pillow, and can no longer live without. So much so, in fact, that if I am away from home for even one night, my trusty alien-looking pillow comes with me.
The density of the material makes it heavier to lug about than a down or synthetic traditional pillow, but I luckily have a partner who carries all our bags everywhere.
Otherwise, having a larger canvas tote with straps will make it easy to take your neck pain pillow with you wherever you go, and stop it from getting dirty en route. A set of three collapsible totes from QVC will come in handy all over the home, and especially during the holiday season, when you might be away from home.
Why Shoppers Love This Pillow
I’m not the only one who loves this type of pillow design. An impressive 93% of Amazon shoppers who bought and rated it, gave it 5/5 stars, bringing its average rating to 4.8/5 stars.
Verified shopper Amaresh Anand gave it five stars for being an ‘extremely comfortable cervical neck pillow for sleeping’, and expanded with a detailed review. They noted after trying ‘so many pillows over the years’, this pillow was the one that ‘truly transformed my sleep.’
Amaresh explained, ‘From the first night, I noticed how supportive yet soft it feels – it cradles my head and neck without going flat, and I wake up without the usual stiffness. This pillow is very comfortable. The materials feel high-quality and breathable, so I don’t get overheated during the night. The pillow has just the right balance between plush comfort and firmness, which makes it great for both side and back sleeping.’
They left their review after a week of constant use and felt they were waking up more rested, whilst also sleeping better.
For me, the neck pain relief was immediate after sleeping on this sort of design, whereas other neck pain pillows I ordered to try at home were returned after only one night.
Another neck pain sufferer who purchased the pillow and gave it five stars stated it’s ‘very comfortable’, and explained: ‘I’ve tried so many pillows over the years, memory foam, down, adjustable, but the Emircey Adaptive Pillow truly stands out. From the very first night, I could feel the difference. The dual-curve design is genius. One side is slightly higher, and the other lower, so I can easily switch depending on how I’m sleeping that night. It’s like having two pillows in one!’
That’s one of the reasons I love this shape, as I flip mine around to ease neck pain, depending on which area is hurting or tight.
The verified shopper continued, ‘The ergonomic contour gives just the right amount of neck and head support without feeling stiff or rigid. My neck and shoulders feel more relaxed, and I’ve noticed I’m waking up without that usual morning tension. It’s even great for reading or watching TV in bed, it props me up perfectly.’
A third happy shopper said, despite previously waking up with constant neck pain, this pillow brought ‘huge improvement’ for them within just a few nights, whether they slept on their side or back, and it was so profound that their 'chiropractor noticed the change.’ They called it the ‘best’ they’d ever had, and finished off their five-star rating with the following advice: ‘If you struggle with neck stiffness or headaches, do yourself a favor and get this pillow – it’s truly a game changer!’
I wholeheartedly agree, as living with neck pain is crushing, so anything that can help alleviate it, dial down the intensity, or help you rest and sleep better is important when living with chronic pain.
What to Shop
This deal is worth snapping up, especially if you have neck pain and struggle to sleep. The cooling technology will keep you comfortable with boosted thermo-regulation and wicking abilities, whilst the supportive memory foam eases aches.
This shares many of the same helpful design features and is also on a limited-time half-price deal. It’s certified by the OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100, which means it is made with chemicals that are safer for human health and the planet, whilst shoppers have also rated it 4.8/5 stars on average.
Designed to mold to the contours of your head and shoulders, this pillow is one of the most comfortable, according to Homes & Gardens' Sleep testers. Filled with dense foam, it offers support on all sides, however you sleep, and it comes in medium or soft depending on the level of firmness you prefer.
Silk pillowcases are fabulous for decreasing the friction on your skin and hair overnight. They also feel plush and luxurious to sleep on, and are naturally heat-regulating. These go up to king size, have invisible zippers, and are machine washable. Check that it will fit the dimensions of your pillow before buying.
I run my heat pads all year round for pain relief, and if yours is muscular in nature, it’s amazing what a little bit of direct, gentle heat can do to ease off those knots and acute pain.
Similarly, if inflammation is part of your pain profile, using ice packs can help reduce it, but only for 10 minutes max, and never directly on the spine.
Dr Gbolahan Okubadejo is an orthopaedic and spinal surgeon practicing in the NYC area. He treats patients with neck and spine conditions and focuses on improving mobility and reducing pain. With his experience, he is well-qualified to discuss pillows, posture, and ways to manage neck pain.
When using both heat and cold for pain, do not apply them one after the other, as this can lead to spasms in the muscles. Trust me, I’ve made that mistake before, and it was excruciating. Instead, allow your body temperature to return to normal, wait 30 minutes, and then switch. If you’re unsure about how best to manage pain, consult your doctor.
Next, learn about how to clean with adaptive pacing to reduce the risk of pain or fatigue flares, and how to declutter if you have health challenges.
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