Pillow Loft & Firmness Finder
Find a pillow loft and firmness that keep your head and neck aligned, matched to how you sleep and your build.
A pillow’s only job is alignment
The perfect pillow isn’t the softest or the fluffiest — it’s the one that keeps your head level with your spine all night. Too tall and your neck bends up; too flat and it drops down. Because the gap to fill depends on your sleeping position and shoulder width, the right loft is genuinely personal, and the wrong one is a common, fixable cause of waking up stiff.
Once your pillow is sorted, match a duvet to your room with the Duvet Tog Calculator, and check your sheets with the Sheet Thread Count Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pillow loft?
Loft is simply the height or thickness of a pillow when your head rests on it. It's the single most important pillow property because it decides whether your neck stays level with your spine. Low loft is roughly 5–9 cm, medium is about 10–13 cm, and high is 14 cm and up. The right loft depends mostly on how you sleep and how broad your shoulders are.
Which pillow loft suits my sleeping position?
Side sleepers need the most loft and firmest support: the gap between the head and mattress is as wide as the shoulder, and a tall, firm pillow fills it to keep the neck straight. Back sleepers want medium loft to cradle the neck's natural curve without pushing the head forward. Stomach sleepers need the flattest, softest pillow they can find — or none — because anything tall cranks the neck upward all night.
How does body frame change the recommendation?
Broader shoulders create a bigger gap to fill when you're on your side, so a larger frame generally wants a touch more loft and firmness, while a petite frame wants a little less. This finder nudges the recommendation up or down for your frame — except for stomach sleeping, which stays low whatever your build, because a raised pillow strains the neck in that position regardless.
Can the right pillow fix my neck pain?
A well-matched pillow can certainly help you wake up less stiff, because keeping the neck aligned reduces the strain of holding an awkward angle for hours. But this tool gives general comfort guidance, not medical advice, and it can't diagnose or treat anything. If you have persistent neck, shoulder, or back pain, or you wake in pain regularly, see a doctor or a physiotherapist rather than relying on a new pillow alone.
General comfort guidance based on sleeping position and build, not a diagnosis or treatment. For persistent neck or back pain, see a qualified professional. Not medical advice.