Adjustable Pillow: How It Works and How to Choose One

Key takeaways

• A pillow that is too high or too low can leave a gap or a bend between your head, neck, shoulder and mattress. An adjustable pillow lets you fill that space with the support you need.
• With Yourzzz you order first. When the pillow has arrived, the calculator tells you how much filling to remove from the pillow you received.
• You can try the pillow for 100 nights, and it comes with a 5-year warranty on material and production faults.

What is an adjustable pillow?

Most pillows come in one shape and one loft. You take what the store has and hope it suits you. An adjustable pillow works differently. It has filling you can add or remove, so you can make it lower and softer, or higher and firmer.

Designs vary. Some use shredded foam, some use fiber, and some use a mix. The Yourzzz pillow uses premium memory foam flakes and polyester fibers. You make it lower and softer by removing filling.

Why does pillow height matter?

When you lie down, your pillow fills the space between your head and the mattress. That space is different for every person. It depends on the width of your shoulders, the length of your neck and how far your body sinks into the mattress.

If the pillow is too high, your neck bends upward. If it is too low, your head drops toward the mattress. In both cases the pillow does not support the gap it is meant to fill.

Dutch physiotherapist Thijs van der Hilst, who developed the Yourzzz algorithm, compares this to shoe sizing. A store that sells only one size rarely has yours. Pillows work the same way. One fixed height cannot fit every body.

How does your sleeping position change what you need?

Your sleeping position changes the gap your pillow has to fill. As a general rule:

• Side sleepers have the widest gap between ear and mattress, because the shoulder holds the body up. They usually need a higher pillow.
• Back sleepers have a smaller gap. They usually need a medium loft that supports the neck without pushing the head forward.
• Stomach sleepers have the smallest gap. They usually do better with a low, soft pillow, because a high one tilts the head back.

Your mattress matters too. On a soft mattress your shoulder sinks in, so the gap is smaller. On a firm mattress your shoulder stays higher, so the gap is larger. Your height and weight also play a part. That is why the Yourzzz calculator asks about all four: height, weight, sleeping position and mattress firmness.

For more on positions, read our tips on the best sleeping position. For the wider picture on sleep, see the Yourzzz sleep guide.

What does research show, and what does it not?

We want to be straightforward here. A well-fitting pillow can make lying down more comfortable, because it supports the neck in a position that feels natural to you. That is the claim we make: fit and support.

We do not claim that any pillow, ours included, treats neck pain or stiffness. Neck and shoulder discomfort has many possible causes, including your mattress, your stress level and how you spend your day. If you wake up with pain that does not go away, or you have numbness, tingling or pain after an injury, see a healthcare provider. A pillow is not a substitute for medical advice.

How is the Yourzzz pillow built?

The inner cover has two sides. One is firmer and one is softer, so you can choose the feel you prefer. It fits a standard US pillowcase (20 x 26 in).com.

How do you adjust the Yourzzz pillow?

You adjust it after delivery, at home. There are four steps.

1. Order the pillow. You do not need to measure or calculate anything first.
2. Use the calculator. When the pillow has arrived, go to the calculator and enter your height (inches), weight (lbs), sleeping position (side, back or stomach) and mattress firmness (soft, medium or firm).
3. Take out the filling. Remove the recommended amount, using a kitchen scale. The calculator also shows the final weight of the pillow. Without a scale, a 200 ml (6.8 fl oz) glass holds about 50 g (1.8 oz) of filling.
4. Keep the rest. Store the extra filling in the storage bag, so you can adjust again later.

This is a different approach from measuring first and then buying a size. You start with a pillow that has enough filling, and you take away what you do not need.

Can you make the pillow higher later?

Yes. Your body, your mattress or your sleeping position may change over time. If you kept the removed filling in the storage bag, you can put some back. Extra filling can also be ordered separately to make the pillow higher. Contact us through the FAQ page for details.

Who is an adjustable pillow not for?

An adjustable pillow is not for everyone. If you like a very airy, fluffy pillow, a memory foam and fiber mix may feel different from what you are used to. Memory foam also feels firmer than a feather-style pillow. The inner cover and the filling cannot be washed, only the outer cover can. Pillows should be replaced after 5 years at most for hygiene, and some people replace theirs every 3 years.

What if the pillow does not suit you?

Yourzzz is made by United Comfort Industries, pillow makers since 1990. You can read more in the story behind the pillow or on the Yourzzz pillow page. The pillow is also sold at pillowplaza.com, a US store.

Ready to try an adjustable pillow?

The Yourzzz pillow costs $89, with free shipping and a 100-night trial. Order your Yourzzz pillow and adjust it to your body once it arrives.

After delivery

Once your pillow has arrived, open the calculator. It tells you how much filling to remove from the pillow you received, based on your height, weight, sleeping position and mattress firmness. Keep the extra filling in the storage bag in case you want to adjust again later.