How many pillows should you sleep with? Bedding experts reveal it's probably a lot less than you think

As Ideal Home’s Sleep Editor, one thing I get asked more than any other is ‘how many pillows should you sleep with?’.

This seems to be a question that confuses a lot of us, and I’m no exception. At various points in my life, I’ve slept with one, two, and sometimes even three pillows under my head.

However, in the course of compiling Ideal Home’s guide to the best pillows and numerous conversations with sleep and bedding experts, I’ve discovered the definitive answer. And it might surprise you as it did me.

How many pillows should you sleep with? The answer is one. But that isn’t all you need to know. Although expert advice says you should sleep with only one singular pillow, it needs to be the right pillow. I enlisted some sleep experts to help me explain.

When it comes to how to choose a pillow, finding the right pillow for you is all about spinal alignment.

‘The purpose of a pillow is to support your head and align your neck and spine while you lie down,’ clarifies Kora Habinakova, sleep and bedding expert from bedding retailer Sleepseeker.

As Kora goes on to explain, if your pillow doesn’t help you to maintain a well-aligned neck and spine during the night, this can lead to ‘discomfort, stiffness, and even pain in the neck, shoulders, and back. It can also exacerbate existing spinal conditions or lead to new ones over time.'

Where it gets a little more complicated, is that our usual sleeping position – that’s whether we sleep on our side, back, or stomach – can affect what type of pillow will offer the best spinal alignment, and how many pillows you should sleep with.

Because, yes, despite the golden rule of only sleeping with one pillow, there is one type of sleeping position that requires two – you just don’t use the second pillow where you might think!

How many pillows should you sleep with as a side sleeper?

If you're someone who usually lays on either your left or right hand side to go to sleep, then you should sleep with just one pillow under your head.

But, to keep your spine and neck in good alignment whilst you're laid on your side, you'll need a higher and more supportive pillow than a back or front sleeper. Your body frame matters too; side sleepers with wider shoulders will need a higher pillow than side sleepers with narrow shoulders.

Some of the best pillows for side sleepers I've tested are the high and firm Panda Memory Foam Pillow, which is great for larger builds, or the adjustable Simba Hybrid Pillow if you prefer a softer pillow and have a narrower frame.

However, this is one sleep position where experts advise that two pillows are actually the better solution, you just don't put the second pillow under your head. Instead, it goes between your legs!

'When sleeping on your side, your spine can pull out of alignment and cause pain in your lower back and hips,’ explains sleep expert Kora. Because of this, registered osteopath, sleep expert, and founder of The Sleep Site, Dave Gibson, suggests, 'side sleepers may benefit from sleeping with a pillow between the knees.'

How many pillows should you sleep with as a back sleeper?

Expert advice says that back sleepers should sleep with one single pillow under the head. However, you'll need a different type of pillow than a side sleeper requires to keep your spine in good alignment.

A back sleeper should opt for a lower pillow that doesn't lift the head too far from the bed. As sleep expert Kora specifies, back sleepers should choose a pillow that is 'three to five inches thick with firmness and height to support the neck's natural curvature, without forcing your head forward and onto your chest.’

I've found the well-cushioned Panda Hybrid Bamboo Pillow or plump The White Company Luxury Hungarian Goose Down Pillow are good options.

However, yet again, you might want to sneak in an extra pillow elsewhere. 'For added comfort, place a small pillow under your knees to reduce pressure on your lower back,' suggests osteopath Dave Gibson.

How many pillows should you sleep with as a front sleeper?

According to sleep expert Kora, front sleepers should opt for either one thin pillow or none at all to minimise potential strain on the neck.

I've found the Dorma Hungarian Goose Down Soft Support Pillow a very good soft and low loft option for stomach sleeping.

However, osteopath Dave Gibson has a warning. 'I recommend that you learn to sleep in another position if this is your usual sleep position.' As Dave goes on to share, that's because stomach sleeping 'twists the neck and can cause long-term strain'.

FAQs

Is it better to sleep with one or two pillows

The advice from all of the osteopaths and bedding experts I've consulted is that it's much better for your spinal alignment to sleep with only one pillow under your head. But, it needs to be the right height for your sleeping position.

And, you might want to add a second pillow between your legs to keep your hips aligned if you're a side sleeper, or under your lower back if you're a back sleeper.

Is three pillows too much?

According to our sleep experts, you should only have one pillow under your head at night. So yes, three pillows is probably too much for most people.

But, this is a general rule. The idea is that one pillow means your neck and spine are resting in the best possible alignment all night, but there can be many medical reasons why you might need more pillows, such as difficulty breathing or discomfort.

How many pillows is too many pillows to sleep with?

Our experts say that you should only sleep with one pillow under your head, so any more than that is 'too many pillows'.

You should sleep with ‘only one pillow,' confirms sleep expert Kora, 'and the pillow should align your head to be the same height as the rest of your body when you sleep.’

If you add more pillows under your head, it's unlikely your neck and spine will still be in good alignment, and this can lead to neck pain.

So there we go, the answer to how many pillows you should sleep with answered once and for all.

However, this isn't the only question you might have about how to sleep better.

If you're wondering what pillow filling to choose, our guide to the best filling for a pillow explains all. And, if you've just discovered you're sleeping on too many pillows and need to get rid of some, or know your pillows have seen better days, our guides to how often to replace a pillow and how to recycle a pillow can help.

How many pillows do you usually sleep on? And has our expert advice made you rethink your sleeping habits? Let us know in the comments!