We spend a third of our lives with our head resting on a pillow, and yet we tend to choose it for how it looks in the shop or because it came with the bed. Knowing how to choose a pillow is simpler than it seems: you just need to look at how you sleep. Here are the keys to getting it right, explained without jargon.
what you will take away from this guide
- 1What a pillow has to do and why it depends on your position.
- 2The height and firmness for sleeping on your side, on your back or on your front.
- 3The signs that your pillow has had its day.
- 4How to choose the pillowcase to fit your pillow.
what a pillow has to do
A pillow has just one job: to fill the gap between your head and the mattress so that your neck follows the line of your back. If the pillow is too high, your head tilts upwards; if it is too low, it drops towards the mattress. Either way, your neck spends the night bent, and you notice it in the morning.
That gap is not the same size in every position. On your side, your shoulder lifts your head and the space is large; on your back, you only need to support the curve of your neck; on your front, there is hardly any gap to fill. That is why there is no single pillow that suits everyone, only a pillow for your sleeping position.
The best pillow is not the most expensive or the fluffiest: it is the one that keeps your neck straight in the position you sleep in.
the pillow for each way of sleeping
Think about how you wake up, not how you go to bed. The position you spend most of the night in is the one that counts.
a high, firm pillow
It has to fill the whole space between your shoulder and your ear, and hold that volume all night without sinking.
a medium pillow
It supports the curve of your neck without pushing your head forwards. Neither too high nor too flat.
a low, soft pillow
The thinner it is, the less your neck turns backwards. Some people sleep better with almost no pillow at all.
Pillow for side sleepers
This is the most common position, and also the one that asks the most of a pillow. A pillow for side sleepers needs to be high and firm: when you rest your head on it, your nose should line up with the centre of your chest, without your head dropping towards the mattress or lifting towards the ceiling. If you have broad shoulders, look at the upper end of the range. A trick that works: placing a small cushion between your knees helps keep your hips from twisting too.
Pillow for back sleepers
On your back, your body spreads its weight more evenly and your neck only needs support in its natural curve. A pillow of medium height and firmness is the safe bet. If you notice your chin moving towards your chest, the pillow is too high; if your head tips back, it lacks volume.
Pillow for front sleepers
This is the position in which the neck works hardest, because it spends the night turned. That is why the pillow needs to be low and soft, just enough to stop your head lying flat against the mattress. A high pillow in this position forces your neck to bend backwards.
If you change position during the night
If you fall asleep on your side and wake up on your back, look for a middle ground: medium height and a firmness that adapts, neither so hard that it does not give nor so soft that it flattens. Long pillows that cover the whole width of the bed also help, because they give you room to move without ending up at the edge.
height, firmness and filling: how to get it right
With your position clear, there are three decisions left. None of them is complicated, but it is worth considering them together.
Height
This is the most important. As well as your position, your mattress plays a part: on a soft one your body sinks more and you need a little less pillow; on a firm one, a little more.
Firmness
This decides whether the pillow keeps its height all night. A high but very soft pillow flattens as soon as you rest your head on it and ends up being low.
Filling
This defines the feel and how the pillow responds when you move. Each material has its own character, and none is better than another: it depends on what you like to feel.
The most common fillings
Fibre is light, easy to care for and can usually be washed at home; it is the most versatile. Memory foam moulds to the shape of your head and neck and slowly regains its shape; it suits those who want support. Latex also adapts, but responds faster and has a springier feel. Feather and down make a fluffy, mouldable pillow that you can plump up to your liking.
If you are torn between two, think about how you move: if you change position a lot, a filling that responds quickly will suit you better; if you sleep still, one that adapts slowly will give you more support.
when to replace your pillow
Pillows do not give warning all at once: they lose volume little by little, which is why it is hard to notice. As a guide, they are replaced every two or three years, depending on the filling and use. But more than the date, it is the signs that count.
Fold it in half: if it does not spring back open, it is worn out
It has lumps or sunken areas that no longer recover when you plump it
You wake up with a stiff neck and need to fold it to feel comfortable
If you have neck discomfort that does not improve when you change pillow, consult a health professional: a pillow helps, but it does not solve everything.
the pillowcase: the size of yours
Once you have chosen your pillow, it needs dressing. The pillowcase is what your face touches every night, so the fabric matters as much as the fit: a case that is too big creases under your cheek, and one that is too small squeezes the filling and takes away height, exactly what you have just chosen with care.
Measure your pillow before choosing the pillowcase
Measure the length from end to end, without stretching it. Pillows are usually one of two types, and each has its own case:
Long pillow
It covers the width of the bed. If it measures 90 cm, its case is 45×110 cm; if it measures 105 cm, 45×125 cm; and if it measures 135 or 150 cm, 45×155 cm. The case is a little longer than the pillow so that it goes in easily.
Single pillow
One per person, which you can move and arrange as you like. Its case is 50×75 cm, and on double beds you use two.
We have pillowcases in all these sizes, so you choose the pillow that suits you and then the case that matches it, not the other way round. If you want to see how it fits with the rest of the bed, the pillow size guide has every piece by mattress size.
The fabric: cotton
Our pillowcases are 100% cotton, a natural, soft and breathable fibre. That is what a fabric that spends the night against your skin and hair needs: to let it breathe and to feel pleasant from the very first day. Cotton is also easy to wash at home, and pillowcases are changed as often as sheets.
How many pillowcases to have
The practical thing is to have two cases per pillow: one on and one clean. And if you choose one plain and one patterned, you can change the look of the bed just by turning the pillow over. A pillowcase is also the easiest way to try a print in the bedroom without changing anything else.
pillowcases, designed in-house
We design our pillowcases in our studio in Cocentaina, and they are printed and made in workshops in Spain. We print the design directly onto the fabric, without screens, which allows us to reproduce designs with many colours, gradients and fine details. And the fabric is certified OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, Class I: tested by AITEX for substances harmful to health.
madein spain
100%cotton
first the pillow, then the pillowcase
To choose a pillow, start with your position: high and firm if you sleep on your side, medium if you sleep on your back and low if you sleep on your front. Adjust the height to your mattress, choose the filling for the feel you like and replace it when it no longer regains its shape. Then measure it and dress it with a pillowcase in its size.
discover our pillowcases →
