Much debate has been made about what kind of pillow is the most universally health-affirming, and our sleep experts at Casper decided it’s high time we put the firm vs. soft pillow debate to bed. So, should you get a firm or soft pillow? Which pillow type is right for you?
The bottom line is that there is no blanket answer—choosing the right pillow firmness is an entirely personal matter. However, it’s important that your pillow has proper support.
Whether you’re searching for an additional pillow or trying to find an alternative pillow to recoup your neck after snuggling up to a pillow that did you wrong, this article will help you. We’ll help you learn how to choose a pillow that has the right firmness for you.
Whether you want a firm or soft pillow, our selection of pillows have the perfect balance of softness and support. Made for all sleeping positions, our pillows are what dreams are made of.
The subjectivity of softness means there’s no universal metric by which pillow firmness is ranked, but it can be helpful to keep an eye out for these terms if you’re shopping online for a new bed pillow.
Most pillows fall into one of five firmness scale categories:
While a softer pillow will provide the most amount of give, a firmer pillow is more resistant to the weight of your head during the night.
Another term you’ll want to look out for when shopping for your next bed pillow is loft.
Where firmness refers to how much a pillow maintains its shape when weight is applied, loft describes a pillow’s height and thickness.
Here’s how loft affects your sleep position:
Another factor affecting pillow firmness is the material the pillow is made of. Ranked from the most to least soft, here are five common materials you’ll find for pillow filling:
Preferences for a firm or soft pillow is always a matter of individual taste, so acquainting yourself with pillow materials is the most surefire way to judge a pillow’s softness before you meet it.
When deciding between a firm or a soft pillow, the single most important factor to take into account is your sleeping position.
Your preferred sleeping position will likely fall into one of four categories, each of which can benefit from a certain degree of pillow firmness:
Choosing the right pillow loft and firmness also plays a significant role in ameliorating neck pain. Sleeping on your stomach is one of the most common culprits for chronic neck discomfort, and a low loft option with maximum give can alleviate acute distress.
When deciding between a firm pillow or softer pillow for neck pain, you may want to address your sleeping position head-on.
Consider fine tuning your sleeping habits and learning to sleep on your side or back, which is a more supportive sleep position for the entire spine. Purchasing a medium loft pillow can provide you with the structural support to make a gradual adjustment.
Where you rest your head at night matters—to your quality of sleep, and your overall well-being.
Both firm and soft pillows can serve you at different points in your life, depending on your current sleep habits and overall state of health. That’s why our range of pillows were engineered for maximum adaptability to keep you cozy you wherever you are in your sleep practices.
For supportive pillows that never fail to squish across the soft spectrum, shop Casper today. We’ve got something for you no matter what pillow size, type, or firmness you need.
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