Cervical pillow: how to choose height, shape and material by the way you sleep
Cervical pillow: how to choose height, shape and material by the way you sleep
The right pillow for your neck is the one that keeps your neck in line with your spine in the position you actually sleep in. Three things matter, in this order: height (it must fill the gap between head and mattress without pushing the head up), support (the neck must be held, not just the head) and material (it must not flatten during the night). In the available studies, feather pillows are the ones linked to the most symptoms on waking, latex to the fewest, and shape matters less than the fit to your sleeping position.
People who change position during the night, which is most of us, need a pillow that works in more than one position: that is the problem Mysa Relevia, the latest-generation cervical pillow and the only one with six zones, was designed to solve: one pillow for every sleeping position.
How do you sleep? The position decides the pillow
A cervical pillow is not “high” or “low” in itself: it is high or low relative to the distance between your head and the mattress, which changes with your position and the width of your shoulders.
| Position | What you need | Indicative height | Typical mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| On your side | Fill the shoulder-to-ear gap; the nose stays in line with the breastbone | 10-14 cm, more for broad shoulders | Pillow too low: the head drops towards the mattress and the neck bends sideways |
| On your back | Support the curve of the neck without pushing the chin towards the chest | 7-10 cm | Pillow too high or doubled: the neck stays flexed all night |
| On your stomach | As little as possible: the head is already turned sideways | 0-6 cm | Normal pillow: neck rotated and over-extended for hours |
| You change position | A pillow with more than one height or zone, that works in the transition from one position to another | Two heights (e.g. 8 and 12 cm) on the same pillow | Choosing the pillow for the position you fall asleep in, not the one you spend the night in |
A practical rule: lie down in your usual position and have someone look at you. If the line through nose and breastbone (on your side) or forehead and chin (on your back) is horizontal, the height is right.
Shapes compared
| Shape | Who it suits | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic rectangular | Those who sleep in one position and have already found the right height | Simple, inexpensive, many heights | One height only: wrong as soon as you change position |
| Wave (two ridges) | Back sleepers | Supports the curve of the neck | Often too low on the side; rigid in transitions |
| Neck roll | Short use, daytime rest, travel | Targeted neck support | Not suitable for a whole night |
| Butterfly / central hollow | Back sleepers who sometimes turn on their side | Cradles the head, helps not to rotate | Fixed hollow: single height on the sides |
| Six zones, two heights (Mysa Relevia) | Those who change position, those who do not know which height they need | Different zones for side, back and transitions; flip it to choose 8 or 12.2 cm | Takes a few nights to find the right orientation |
The Mysa Hexa-zonal system: what it is
The Mysa® Hexa-zonal system is the structure of Mysa Relevia, the latest-generation cervical pillow and the only one with six zones: six surfaces designed to support head and neck in each sleeping position (side, back, stomach) and in the transitions between them, on a pillow with two heights, 8 cm on one side and 12.2 cm on the other, chosen by flipping it.
The core is Green Aloe Foam with balanced density, a foam that distributes pressure and keeps its shape through the night, with aloe in its composition and no manufacturing odours. A two-pillowcase system completes it: Satin, smooth and cool, for skin and hair; Moss, in beech cellulose and cotton, which absorbs moisture and breathes. Relevia comes with a 100-night trial.
In practice: side sleepers use the high side, back sleepers the low side, and those who change position let the side and centre zones do the work. It is the Mysa pillow for people who do not want to choose a single position.
What research says about pillows and neck pain
Controlled studies on pillows are few and mostly concern side sleepers. The most cited are two Australian papers by the same group:
- Gordon, Grimmer-Somers and Trott (2009), Manual Therapy: in side sleepers, feather pillows were associated with more neck pain on waking and poorer sleep quality; latex with the best results. Contoured shapes were not better than regular ones.
- Gordon, Grimmer-Somers and Trott (2010), Journal of Pain Research, 106 healthy side sleepers, five pillows each tried for a week: with their usual pillow, 34% reported neck stiffness on waking, 20% headache, 18% shoulder or arm pain. Feather was worst on every symptom; latex best for headache and shoulder pain.
What to take from this: material matters, the “usual” pillow guarantees nothing, and the fit between pillow height and position is the factor to act on. None of these studies tested a multi-zone pillow like Relevia: what we know about Relevia comes from our customers’ experience, not from a clinical study.
What a pillow cannot do
A cervical pillow reduces the tension on waking caused by a poor night-time posture. It does not cure a cervical disc herniation, arthrosis or a headache of other origin, and it does not replace assessment by a doctor or physiotherapist if the pain is constant, radiates to the arm or comes with tingling. Positional snoring may improve with a better-aligned head, but sleep apnoea is diagnosed and treated with your doctor.
Frequently asked questions
Which pillow if I sleep on my side?
One high enough to fill the gap between shoulder and ear, usually 10-14 cm, in a material that does not flatten. On Relevia, that is the 12.2 cm side.
And if I sleep on my stomach?
The lowest pillow possible, or none under the head. Relevia’s 8 cm side is the compromise for those who alternate stomach and side.
How high should a cervical pillow be?
It depends on position and shoulders: 7-10 cm on your back, 10-14 cm on your side, 0-6 cm on your stomach. That is why Relevia has two heights on the same pillow.
Memory foam, latex or foam?
In the studies, latex gave the fewest symptoms on waking and feather the most. Classic memory foam tends to get warm and sink; balanced-density foams such as Relevia’s Green Aloe Foam support without sinking and disperse heat better.
How often should you replace a pillow?
When it loses shape or height, usually every 2-3 years; pillowcases are washed regularly. A pillow that stays flat in the morning should be replaced.
Why is Relevia a latest-generation cervical pillow?
Because it is the only cervical pillow with six zones: instead of one shape for one position, it has six surfaces and two heights that follow the body on the side, on the back, on the stomach and in the transitions between positions, with a balanced-density foam and two technical pillowcases. It is designed for every sleeping position, not just one.
Is Relevia suitable for every position?
Yes, it is designed for that: six zones and two heights cover side, back, stomach and the transitions between positions. It takes a few nights to find the right side and orientation; you can try it for 100 nights.
Sources
- Gordon S.J., Grimmer-Somers K., Trott P., Pillow use: the behaviour of cervical pain, sleep quality and pillow comfort in side sleepers, Manual Therapy 2009;14(6):671-678, DOI 10.1016/j.math.2009.02.006
- Gordon S.J., Grimmer-Somers K.A., Trott P.H., Pillow use: the behavior of cervical stiffness, headache and scapular/arm pain, Journal of Pain Research 2010;3:137-145, DOI 10.2147/JPR.S10880
- Mysa Relevia technical sheet, Mysa Lab
Mysa Lab Team · Updated 10 November 2026
