Pillow Too High? How to Tell and What to Change

Key takeaways

• A neck that bends sideways or a chin pushed toward your chest are common signs of a pillow that is too high.
• The right height depends on your body, your sleeping position and your mattress, so no single height fits everyone.
• With Yourzzz, you order first, then remove filling once the pillow arrives. You keep the extra filling and can try it for 100 nights.

How do you know a pillow is too high?

Look at how your head sits when you lie down. On your side, your head tilts up away from your shoulder. On your back, your chin moves toward your chest. Some people also notice that their shoulder feels squeezed, or that they keep pushing the pillow down during the night.

Why does the right height depend on how you sleep?

Your pillow fills the space between your head and the mattress. That space is different for each person.

• Side sleepers have the largest gap, because the shoulder holds the body up. Wide shoulders and a firm mattress make the gap bigger. A soft mattress lets the shoulder sink and makes it smaller. See our page on the best pillow for side sleepers.
• Back sleepers need less height, because the gap behind the head is smaller.
• Stomach sleepers usually do better with a low pillow, because a high one tilts the head back.

For more on positions and habits, read the Yourzzz sleep guide.

Will a lower pillow fix my neck pain?

Not necessarily. We do not know of research showing one ideal pillow height for everyone. A pillow can improve how your head and neck are supported, but it is not a treatment. See a healthcare provider if you have pain that does not go away, numbness, tingling, weakness in an arm, or discomfort after an injury. Our page on waking up with neck pain lists what else you can check.

How do you lower a Yourzzz pillow?

Yourzzz is one pillow that you adjust at home. The filling is premium memory foam flakes and polyester fibers, and removing filling makes the pillow lower and softer.

1. Order the pillow. It arrives with the filling inside.
2. Use the calculator. Enter your height, weight, sleeping position and mattress firmness.
3. Remove the filling. Use a kitchen scale. Without a scale, a 200 ml (6.8 fl oz) glass holds about 50 g (1.8 oz) of filling.
4. Store the rest. Keep the extra filling in the storage bag so you can adjust again later.

Learn more on our adjustable loft pillow page.

Want a pillow you can lower yourself?

If your current pillow sits too high, you can order a Yourzzz pillow and adjust it at home. Order your Yourzzz pillow.

After delivery

Once your pillow has arrived, the calculator tells you how much filling to remove from the pillow you received.