Finding the right pillow for your adjustable bed shouldn’t be a struggle. Adjustable beds are fantastic, as they allow you to modify the mattress to give you better back support and sometimes even leg support. Seeing as the average American will spend the equivalent of 36 years in bed, we might as well make sure we have the most comfortable and appealing bed possible!
If you find yourself wondering what pillow to purchase to improve you or a loved one’s sleep in an adjustable bed, read on to find a list of our favorites, as well as other tips for finding the best sleep possible in an adjustable bed.
The 8 Best Pillows for Adjustable Beds:
- The Coop Home Goods Original Pillow
- The Leesa Hybrid Pillow
- The Saatva Pillow
- The Cushy Form Half-Moon Bolster Pillow
- The Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow
- The Snuggle-Pedic Ultra-Luxury Bamboo Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
- The Nest Bedding Easy Breather Pillow
- The Bear Pillow
With a little careful research, you can be sure to find the right pillow to suit your needs. Read on below to find a breakdown of each of our choices, including the pros and cons of each choice. Based on your sleeping style, physical requirements, and personal preference, you can narrow down the wide field of available pillows and find the fit that is perfect for your needs.
Why Regular Pillows Don’t Work on Adjustable Beds
There are numerous advantages to having an adjustable bed, but it comes with a few unique problems. One common frustration with adjustable beds is when the pillows slip down as the bed is raised. This can result in discomfort, and sometimes, depending on the user’s mobility, it can be a pain to have to constantly readjust. A simple solution is to purchase a device that will keep the pillows in place, like the PillowStay.
Most pillows will work well with adjustable beds, especially if paired with a device that helps them stay put, so any of the pillows on this list will work well with a device to keep them from falling. However, some pillows might be a better choice depending on your sleeping requirements. Read on to find out more about our favorite pillows for adjustable bed users.
What Makes for a Good Pillow?
Before we dive headfirst into our list of top pillows, let’s take a quick moment for a general overview of the different types of pillows available and what might make a certain type more appealing for particular sleepers. To select the best pillow for your needs, it is important to know which materials will best suit your sleeping demands.
If you suffer from neck, shoulder, or upper back pain and stiffness, then a memory foam pillow might be ideal. It’s supportive and will conform to the shape of your head and neck, helping hold the spine in proper alignment. The downside is that it tends to be hot and very dense. An alternative is shredded memory foam, which still gives support but allows better airflow so it can be cooler and lighter.
Down pillows are incredibly soft and fluffy, but they don’t provide any support. Down can also contain and collect allergens, so it is not an ideal choice for anyone with respiratory issues. It is also often quite expensive. Alternatively, a polyester filling is typically used in budget pillows, and while it is soft and machine washable, it is also not remarkably supportive for anyone with neck or back issues.
Buckwheat hulls are an alternative pillow filling that is gaining popularity in the United States. It has a consistency similar to a bean bag, with the hulls free to move and shift inside the pillow. This allows you to customize the pillow to the firmness and shape of your liking, but it also means the pillow is remarkably heavy. Buckwheat hull fillings tend to be incredibly cooling, however, so it might be a great option for any hot sleepers.
Finally, latex pillows are another type of pillow available on the market that can provide a significant amount of support for sleepers. It gives a slightly bouncier, more forgiving firmness than a memory foam pillow, but these pillows tend to be heavy and also expensive. On the plus side, they are long-lasting and breathe better than memory foam, so they stay cooler. They also are naturally antimicrobial.
1. The Coop Home Goods Original Pillow
The Coop Home Goods Original pillow is an excellent selection for anyone with an adjustable bed. It is medium-firm, with a filling that is a blend of memory foam and microfiber. It has a breathable liner, so you don’t have to worry about the common complaints of heat-trapping and firmness associated with most memory foam pillows. The Coop Home Goods Original stays cool and breathable throughout the night.
The main reason this pillow makes our list, however, is the fact that it is adjustable. The liner is stretchable, meaning it can hold different shapes for various sleeping positions, and you can add and remove filling as necessary to achieve the ideal firmness. This is perfect for adjustable bed users, as often, a specific firmness is required to achieve the best posture for both reclined and sitting positions.
The case of the Coop Home Goods Original Pillow is also removable and machine washable, which is very convenient. The case is also made from a fabric that is derived from bamboo, meaning it is eco-friendly and made from sustainable materials. So not only can you have a comfortable sleep, but you can also be assured you are supporting the environment at the same time.
The memory foam is CertiPUR-US certified, meaning it is free of harmful toxins and chemicals. No one wants to sleep on a pillow stuffed with nasty chemicals such as formaldehyde, lead, and mercury.
The pillow does have a particularly intense odor upon first unpackaging, but this fades within a day or so after opening. The Coop Home Goods Original Pillow also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you aren’t thrilled with it, you can return it, guilt-free.
2. The Leesa Hybrid Pillow
If you constantly feel like your pillow is too hot and unbreathable, the Leesa Hybrid Pillow can be an absolute game-changer. It is made with fabric that is specifically designed to remain cool to the touch. It also has a ventilated gel comfort layer on the bottom half for extra cooling.
This hybrid pillow is also great because it can be adjusted to have more of the firmness of a memory foam pillow or the soft, fluffiness of a down pillow. The top side is made of quilted pockets of the down-like filling (it’s a polyester microfiber, so there’s no need to worry about allergies), which maintains its shape. The pocketed design means the filling won’t clump as uncomfortable lumps, so you’ll never need to fluff it.
If you prefer a firmer pillow, you can remove the quilted layer and use the firmer pillow insert beneath it. Flip the pillow over, and you can enjoy the cooling gel side, so even in the stickiest of summer nights, you can enjoy the sweet coolness of the pillow against your cheek.
The pillow cover and insert are washable, and the gel insert can be removed and spot cleaned as needed. Another perk to the Leesa Hybrid pillow is the company actively participates in humanitarian and charity efforts. In these programs, Leesa donates one pillow for every ten sold, so you can feel good knowing your purchase can help provide a pillow to a child in need.
The one main downside of the Leesa Hybrid Pillow is simply its cost. At just over $100, it’s definitely a bit of an investment. However, some might say you can’t put a price tag on a night of quality sleep, so the Leesa Hybrid might be well worth the price.
3. The Saatva Pillow
A lot of sleepers who sleep on an elevated bed do so due to breathing complications. These sleepers often require a pillow that is lofty and supportive of the head and shoulders, which many times means a hard, firm pillow. The Saatva Pillow, however, is a great supportive pillow that still manages to feel soft. The filling is 100% organic cotton with a microdenier fiber mimicking down.
The supportive nature of this pillow comes from its core of Talalay latex, a material that is hypoallergenic, resistant to dust mites and mildew, and promotes better air circulation than traditional latex. Talalay latex is often recommended by chiropractors and orthopedists due to the amount of support it provides the head and neck.
The pillow is entirely made from natural materials and is eco-friendly. The core provides the support you need, while the microdenier fiber layers keep the pillow soft and plush. It is hypoallergenic and breathable, as well as machine washable.
The cover of the Saatva pillow is 100% organic cotton with a sateen finish, so it helps wick away moisture and remains cool during the night. The cover also helps the pillow retain its shape, so the pillow will remain lofty and hold up to repeated use without losing its height.
Some might find the height and density of this pillow to be too much, but it is an excellent option for any sleepers requiring extra support of the head and neck but not wanting an overly dense, firm pillow. Its price tag is steep, but like the Leesa Hybrid, it may be a worthwhile investment if it helps achieve a comfortable sleep without head and neck strain.
4. The Cushy Form Half-Moon Bolster Pillow
While the Cushy Form Half-Moon Bolster Pillow isn’t your traditional head pillow, it makes this list because it can be a valuable addition to an adjustable bed. Many elderly adjustable bed users require leg support, and not all adjustable beds feature the ability to raise the foot of the bed. This is when the Cushy Form Half-Moon Bolster pillow can step in to achieve a more comfortable rest.
The pillow can fit perfectly under your knees to elevate the legs if sleeping on your back, and if placed under the ankles, it can help raise feet, which can be helpful after surgeries. It can help alleviate back, leg, hip, and joint pain when used to achieve better spinal alignment while sleeping. Even if you are a side sleeper, the pillow can be slid between the knees to help provide support and keep the spine in alignment.
The pillow’s core is made of firm memory foam, so it is capable of giving the support a sleeper needs, while it is covered in a soft and breathable organic cotton case that is machine washable. It is an excellent pillow for anyone recovering from a surgery or injury, as it can elevate the injured limb and take the pressure off it. This pillow is often recommended by physical therapists, doctors, and chiropractors.
By raising the legs, the Cushy Form pillow can help reduce varicose veins and increase blood flow to the legs and feet. It can be positioned in a variety of ways to adjust to a wide range of physical ailments, plus it can help provide lumbar support while sitting upright in the adjustable bed.
The Cushy Form Half-Moon Bolster pillow also comes with a 100% guarantee, so if you aren’t satisfied with it for any reason, you can receive a full refund, no questions asked.
5. The Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow
If you suffer from neck pain but have difficulty with traditional memory foam pillows, the Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow may be just what you need. It features a super plush gel fiber that is great for providing the support the head and neck needs but with significantly more give than a memory foam pillow.
The pillows are hypoallergenic and made without chemicals, and the company also claims they prevent dust mites, mold, mildew, and allergens, so they are also an ideal choice for anyone suffering from respiratory issues or asthma. In addition, the pillows are completely stain-resistant and fade resistant and can be easily popped into the washing machine to be freshened up.
The Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow also lends itself well to adjustable bed users due to its “no shift” design, meaning it is more likely to stay in place even when you raise or lower the bed and you can sleep through the night without the pillow losing its shape or support.
The only downside of the Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow is that there is no way to customize the firmness level or adapt it to suit your sleeping preference. This is a one-firmness-fits-all design of a pillow, which may not appeal to some wanting a significantly softer design. If that is the case, consider the previously discussed Saatva pillow, which provides support but still has the option to be very soft.
6. The Snuggle-Pedic Ultra-Luxury Bamboo Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
One of the main perks of the Snuggle-Pedic Ultra-Luxury Bamboo Shredded Memory Foam Pillow is the fact it maintains its shape and will mold to your sleeping position, so you never need to worry about a flat, lumpy pillow. The Snuggle-Pedic is stuffed with a shredded foam derived from bamboo, a sustainable resource, and the foam can be added or removed to achieve a firmness tailored to your sleeping needs.
The pillow boasts cooling technology and will adjust to conform to the curvature of the neck and spine to provide adequate support for anyone suffering from stiffness of neck and back. It is also hypoallergenic, dust mite resistant, and made without toxins or chemicals, so it is perfect for those with respiratory issues.
Since the pillow is able to hold its shape and keep the spine properly aligned, the manufacturer claims it is an ideal pillow for any sleepers using a CPAP machine, as it will help keep the body properly aligned and airways open and unrestricted.
The pillow comes with a generous money-back policy in which you can try it for 120 nights, and if you aren’t satisfied, you can either apply for the pillow to be customized to suit your needs or receive a full refund.
7. The Nest Bedding Easy Breather Pillow
The Nest Bedding Easy Breather Pillow is another excellent pillow for adjustable bed users, and it makes this list due to its adjustable yet supportive foam filling. The pillow allows the user to easily adjust the height of the pillow, which can be ideal for adjustable bed users who need additional elevation and support.
The filling is a shredded CertiPUS-US certified memory foam, meaning there are no toxins or chemicals included in the materials. This pillow also does not come with the complaints of odor that many other shredded latex and memory foam pillows have. The cover is also eco-friendly, washable, and designed to wick away moisture.
The pillow can be adjusted by simply adding or removing the filling. The goal of the Easy Breather’s design is to provide a sleeper with an adequate amount of support so that it relieves pressure. The filling gives an adequate amount of bounce and conforms to the head and neck without the sleeper sinking deep into the pillow.
8. The Bear Pillow
If you suffer from neck pain and run hot while sleeping, the Bear Pillow is a great option. This pillow is specifically designed to keep the sleeper as cool as possible while also supportive of all sleeping positions.
The Bear Pillow features a “Double Ice” fabric, which stays incredibly cool to the touch and is also hypoallergenic, antimicrobial, and machine washable. The mesh corners of the pillow allow for increased airflow, further improving the pillow’s ability to stay cool.
The filling is a LOFT-X hybrid foam, providing the supportive nature of a memory foam pillow but the give of latex material. This means the Bear Pillow has a medium firmness, with enough give to be comfortable but enough firmness to support the head, neck, and spine to achieve a healthy alignment while sleeping.
This pillow is best for anyone who is constantly complaining about a pillow being too hot, as its proprietary filling is breathable throughout the night, and the cover wicks away moisture and remains cool throughout the night.