Pile 'Em High or Keep It Low: How Many Pillows Should You Sleep With?

Read this to know how many pillows you should sleep with and why it matters. Learn the correct number based on sleeping position and bed size.

So, how many pillows should you sleep with? Well, when it comes to quality zzzs, the number of pillows can have a significant impact. Are you one of those who stack multiple pillows for a comfy nest? Or do you prefer a more minimalist approach with 1 to 2 pillows?

Sure, your personal preferences matter. However, it’s essential to understand what’s most beneficial to your overall health and well-being. The answer lies in understanding your sleep position and bed size, to name a few.

Key Takeaways

• Experts recommend sleeping with 1 pillow under your head. However, your pillow needs to suit your sleeping position and other factors. Consider using more if you need additional support for different body parts.

• How many sleeping pillows you use matters because the correct amount ensures spinal alignment, eases pressure points and keeps you comfortable as you sleep. Using an incorrect number of pillows can cause joint or muscle discomfort.

• It is recommended that side sleepers use two pillows: one to support the head and another positioned between the knees.

• Back sleepers should use 2 pillows: one placed beneath the head and another positioned under the knees.

• Stomach sleepers should sleep with 1 thin pillow under the head. Placing a slim pillow beneath the pelvis helps with proper spine alignment. Another option is to go pillow-less.

• Pillow quantity also depends on your bed size. When choosing the number of sleeping pillows, consider your partner, too.

• Some health conditions benefit from using multiple pillows, such as Positional Obstructive Sleep Apnea and pregnancy. Requiring more pillows to breathe at night could indicate an underlying heart condition.

How Many Sleeping Pillows Should You Use Under Your Head?

This section discusses how many pillows you should sleep with under your head, according to experts.

The Sleep Foundation says, “While many people only require one pillow under their head, it needs to be the right pillow based on their sleep position and body type.” They also say that there are situations where people may want to sleep with more than one pillow⁽¹⁾.

Sleep Advisor seconds that motion, saying, “A general consensus among experts is that one pillow is the optimal choice for a good night’s sleep.⁽²⁾”

One pillow underneath your head is ideal. However, depending on your body type, you may need more than one pillow (more on that later). Also, using more than one pillow for other body parts may provide additional support.

Why Is Choosing the Right Number of Pillows Important?

We’re sure you agree pillows are one of the most essential sleep products. But are you wondering why “how many” matters?

Well, the correct number of sleeping pillows keeps your spine aligned. It also eases pressure points and keeps you comfy all night long. The result? You wake up free of joint and muscle pain. Meanwhile, utilizing too many or too few pillows can adversely affect your health.

Too Many Pillows on the Bed

If you stack too many sleeping pillows, they’ll prop your head up unnaturally, resulting in neck strain. Using too many pillows also throws your spinal alignment off, leading to neck and back pain. If your spine isn’t aligned, it can cause sleep interruptions, contributing to poor sleep quality.

An excess of pillows on the bed can also cause lousy sleep posture, which leads to other ailments. According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, “participants with symptoms of cervical pain and stiffness in the morning spent more of the night in provocative sleep postures⁽³⁾.”

Using pillows in various parts of your body for additional support isn’t just about random placement. They must be of a particular loft and firmness and placed in specific body parts, according to sleep position or health requirements.

Too Few Pillows on the Bed

Pillows exist primarily to give your neck and head adequate support as you sleep. That said, let’s look at the case of sleeping with no pillow.

In general, sleeping without a pillow underneath your head isn’t recommended. Some stomach sleepers, however, find it more comfortable.

The Sleep Foundation says, “Without a pillow to support the head, side and back sleepers may experience stiffness or soreness in the lumbar or cervical spine. Referred neck pain from not using a pillow may also contribute to tension headaches.⁽⁴⁾”

And while the jury is still out on this, anecdotal evidence suggests that sleeping without a pillow prevents neck pain and wrinkles.

Using too few sleeping pillows can also have a negative effect, depending on body size. Larger people with broader shoulders may need more than one pillow to close the gap between their head and the mattress. According to Casper⁽⁵⁾, this can result in neck strain, poor sleep quality and even headaches.

Before talking numbers, let’s first zoom in on the different pillow categories.

What Are the Different Pillow Classifications?

Not all sleeping pillows are created equal. Classifying them can get complicated, so we’ll briefly discuss some popular ones.

Pillow Fills

• Memory Foam Pillows: These deliver exceptional support and alleviate pressure as they conform to your head and neck shape.

• Down Pillows: Known for their soft and luxurious feel, they are moldable. They can be fluffed up or compressed according to your preference.

• Latex Pillows: These are long-lasting and responsive. They’re also breathable, which makes them an excellent choice for hot sleepers.

• Buckwheat Pillows: These are packed with buckwheat hulls. They’re customizable and promote correct spinal alignment.

Pillow Shapes

• Standard: This pillow features a classic rectangular design. It’s available in various sizes, heights, filling materials, and firmness. It supports all sleeping positions.

• Wedge: This pillow has a unique triangular shape. They’re designed to support and elevate the upper or lower body.

• Contour: Its contoured design supports the head and neck of side or back sleepers. Some are also placed between the knees.

• Orthopedic Pillow: It is designed to offer ergonomic support to the neck. It includes an elevated section to align with the neck's natural curve and a recessed area for the head.

• Roll: This is typically shaped like a cylinder. It can be used as a body pillow or positioned under the knees when lying on your back.

• Body Pillow: This is favored by side sleepers and pregnant women. It’s unusually long, allowing sleepers to encircle their arms and legs around it. It’s also used for support while sitting up.

Pillow Height (Loft)

• Low: Pillows with a low loft typically have a thickness of 3 inches or less.

• Medium: Pillows with a medium loft are usually 3 to 5 inches thick.

• High: Pillows with a high loft have a thickness of 5 inches and up.

Pillow Firmness

• Soft: Pillows like these usually run thin. They allow your head to sink yet offer sufficient cushioning for proper spinal and neck alignment.

• Medium: These pillows usually have a firmness level ranging from medium to medium-soft. They’re thick enough to ensure optimal support for the neck and shoulders but also don’t flatten quickly.

• Firm: These pillows are thicker and have a higher loft than others. They’re plump with a tall profile.

What’s the Right Number of Pillows For Each Sleeping Position?

As we mentioned earlier, your sleeping position significantly determines the number of pillows on the bed you should use.

Side Sleepers

Side sleeping is common, with 74% of the population choosing to sleep on their side. Ideally, side sleepers should use 2 pillows, one underneath the head and the other between the knees. They typically need more support.

According to Sleep Doctor, a pillow under the head with a loft of 4 to 6 inches and a medium to heavy firmness is ideal. They explain that it “can help keep the nose aligned with the sternum, filling the space between the ear and the outer shoulder. This position prevents neck strain and helps you maintain a proper posture during sleep.⁽⁶⁾”

A pillow between your legs helps maintain spinal alignment, improves sleep posture and eases back pain. Oh, and by the way, it also offers additional support when you’re pregnant.

Back Sleepers

Back sleepers benefit from using 2 pillows: one underneath the head and one under the knees.

An orthopedic pillow is an excellent option for the under-head pillow because it supports the neck’s natural curvature. A rectangular pillow with a medium loft also works.

Meanwhile, a pillow placed under the knees will reinforce natural spinal alignment. A contoured or knee pillow works best for this purpose. Keep your knees slightly bent as you put the pillow under them. It’ll help ease the pressure off your joints and lower back.

Stomach Sleepers

Stomach sleepers have it tough because their sleep position makes them extra prone to neck and back pain.

For this position, 1 low-loft pillow with a medium-soft firmness works well. A thin pillow under your pelvis can also help keep your spine aligned.

And while it doesn’t work for everyone, sleeping without a pillow might be worth a shot.

How Many Pillows Should You Use for the Different Bed Sizes?

The size of your bed influences the number of sleeping pillows you use. How many pillows for a queen size bed? How many pillows for a king-size bed? You should also consider your bed partner when choosing how many pillows on the bed you should sleep with.

Whether you choose the recommended number or not, it won’t do to have your sleeping pillows fall to the floor due to lack of space. (There goes your support.)

We’ll keep it simple:

• Twin or Single Beds: A single standard pillow fits twin-size beds.

• Full or Double Beds: A full or double bed fits 2 standard-sized pillows.

• Queen Size Beds: A queen bed fits 4 standard pillows.

• King Size Beds: King beds offer enough space for up to 6 standard pillows.

Remember that the quantity of sleeping pillows should be based on your needs and comfort first and foremost.

What Are Health Conditions That Benefit From Sleeping With Multiple Pillows?

Some health issues require a different pillow quantity or arrangement for optimal comfort and symptom relief. If you have a condition, it’s best to consult your healthcare provider before anything else.

Sleeping upright may open airways, easing breathing difficulties in the case of Positional Obstructive Sleep Apnea (POSA). It’s a condition in which the soft palate collapses towards the back of the throat, blocking airways. This results in snoring and breathing pauses that only happen when in the supine sleeping position.

According to the Sleep Foundation, “Sleeping upright may benefit those with positional obstructive sleep apnea.” They also recommend “sleeping while sitting upright by using multiple pillows to support your upper body.⁽⁷⁾”

Another thing to consider is the need for multiple pillows on the bed to breathe while sleeping. This may be a sign of an underlying heart condition. A common question doctors ask when diagnosing a heart condition is, “How many pillows do you sleep with?”

Cardiologist Dennis A. Goodman, MD, tells GoodRX Health “that people with congestive heart failure commonly feel more comfortable when they sleep with multiple pillows.⁽⁸⁾”

Sleeping during pregnancy is the time you can actually enjoy a pillow fort. How so? The ideal sleeping position for pregnant women is sleeping on the left side.

Transitioning to this sleep position can be challenging if you’re a back or stomach sleeper (neither are recommended in the second and third trimesters.) Multiple pillows on the bed can support your head, back and abdomen as you adjust to sleeping on the left side.

Conclusion

Determining how many pillows on the bed you should sleep with is a personalized experience. It all depends on your needs and, of course, what keeps you comfortable. Choosing involves experimentation and your individual preferences.

It’s crucial to listen to your body, always keeping in mind the importance of proper spinal alignment. Ultimately, that number should be influenced mainly by what benefits your overall health and well-being.

We hope this article helps you decide. Do you have any tips or experiences with what works in terms of pillow quantity? Share them with other readers by commenting below.

Sources:  

(1) “How Many Pillows Should You Sleep With?” Sleep Foundation, www.sleepfoundation.org/best-pillows/how-many-pillows-should-you-sleep-with. Accessed 26 June 2024.

(2) “How Many Pillows Should You Sleep With?” Sleep Advisor, www.sleepadvisor.org/how-many-pillows/. Accessed 26 June 2024.

(3) “Examining relationships between sleep posture, waking spinal symptoms and quality of sleep: A cross sectional study.” National Library of Medicine, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8631621/. Accessed 26 June 2024.

(4) “Sleeping Without a Pillow” Sleep Foundation, www.sleepfoundation.org/best-pillows/sleeping-without-a-pillow. Accessed 26 June 2024.

(5) “How Many Pillows Should You Sleep With?” Casper, casper.com/blog/how-many-pillows-to-sleep-with/. Accessed 26 June 2024.

(6) “How to Choose a Pillow.” Sleep Doctor, sleepdoctor.com/pillow-information/how-to-choose-a-pillow/. Accessed 26 June 2024.

(7) “Does Sleeping Sitting Up Help Sleep Apnea.” Sleep Foundation, www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-apnea/does-sleeping-sitting-upright-help-sleep-apnea. Accessed 26 June 2024.

(8) “What Your Pillow Says About Your Heart Health” GoodRX Health, www.goodrx.com/health-topic/heart/heart-failure-pillow. Accessed 26 June 2024.

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