Best Pillow for Combination Sleepers 2020

Combination sleepers may have a slightly easier time finding pillows, but they still need to be careful about the pillows they choose. That is why knowing the best pillows for combination sleepers is so important. In this article, I will discuss what combination sleepers are, their special pillow needs, and I will provide a list of the top twelve pillows for combination sleepers.

Details about Combination Sleepers

Being a combination sleeper means that you use more than one sleeping position nightly. The three primary sleeping positions are back, side, and stomach. Many people prefer to use just one of these positions a night. But there are some sleepers that prefer to use a combination of the three primary sleeping positions on a nightly basis.

Combination sleepers can have a variety of mixtures of the three sleeping positions. Additionally, combination sleepers may only use the same two sleeping positions at a time, or they may switch their preferences regularly. Either way qualifies as a combination sleeper.

Combination sleeping has a number of health benefits. People with bad circulation may want to consider combination sleeping because moving the body at night will help that condition by increasing blood flow. Additionally, combination sleeping—especially on the side and stomach—can improve snoring or sleep apnea. However, to receive these health benefits, you need to purchase a mattress and pillow that will work with combination sleeping.

Benefits of Owning a Pillow for Combination Sleepers

Pillows designed for combination sleepers can provide a number of health benefits. The top health benefits that can occur when using a pillow for combination sleepers include the following:

Less neck and back pain

​Pillows for combination sleepers will be firm enough to support you in any sleeping position. This cuts down on back pain because the pillow keeps your spine aligned during the night no matter the position. Better alignment of your head and neck also means a happier and pain free neck in the morning.

Less snoring 

Pillows for combination sleepers will support your head and neck properly no matter your sleeping position. This means that your airways will remain properly open and unblocked throughout the night. Thus, you are less likely to suffer from snoring or sleep apnea problems. People that snore or have sleep apnea are more prone to tiredness in the more because their sleep is disturbed. So, sleeping with a proper pillow is essential for your overall health as well as your sleep quality.

Less waking up in the middle of the night 

​All combination sleepers know this issue; when you wake up in the middle of the night and switch positions and it wakes you up. Switching positions as a combination sleeper is always tricky if you don’t have a dedicated pillow. A good pillow for combination sleepers will allow you to move around during the night without constantly waking yourself up.

Characteristics of The Most Comfortable Pillows for Combination Sleepers

The top pillows for combination sleepers are going to have some very specific features. Here are a few of the features that you should find in your pillow for combination sleepers.

A mixture of textures

By this, we mean that any pillow you purchase should have a mix of soft and firm sections. The middle of the pillow should be soft and low, so that when you sleep on your back your neck is not too high. The sides of the pillow should be higher and less firm. These areas help position your neck properly when sleeping on your side and stomach.

Contouring materials

​Any material that contours to the shape of your head and neck is a good thing for combination sleepers. You want a pillow with materials that will move slightly as you do. This way the pillow continues to support you as you sleep throughout the night. A contouring pillow will help keep you resting soundly. The best materials for contouring are shredded memory foam, buckwheat, or a combination of different materials.

Traditional shape 

​For combination sleepers, a traditional shape to your pillow will be extremely helpful. The oblong, rectangular shape of the traditional pillow supports all of the sleeping styles. Just make sure to purchase a pillow that is large enough to stay under your head as you move during the night. You don’t want to wake up because you’ve fallen off of the pillow while switching sides.

Best Pillow Brands

Below we’ve listed a few of the top pillow brands. There are a lot of good pillow makers out there, but these three companies lead the pack.

Coop Home Goods

Coop Home Goods is known for making high quality, affordable pillows. This company makes a variety of products, including bed clothes. Coop Home Goods makes a variety of pillow products as well. You can find body pillows, toddler pillows, travel and camping pillows, support pillows and a whole lot more. Of course, there are also pillows for combination sleepers available.

Coop Home Goods may be a relatively young company—they were founded in 2013—but they have made their mark on the home goods industry. The first Coop Home Goods pillow was a major success and is known for the great support that it gives. The company has followed that early promise with a great product line. Their pillows are top notch.

Snuggle-Pedic

Snuggle-Pedic is another great pillow and home goods company. They first began in 2001. Today, Snuggle-Pedic is a division of Relief-Mart, Inc., which is one of the fastest growing companies in Los Angeles. And, in fact, all of Snuggle-Pedic’s pillows are made in the United States.

Snuggle-Pedic makes a variety of pillows. They use a combination of bamboo and memory foam in their pillows, and were one of the first companies to use this combination. Snuggle-Pedic has continued their trend-setting in all of their modern pillow offerings. Combination sleepers will love the support given by Snuggle-Pedic’s pillows.

Weekender

Weekender prides themselves on creating hotel quality bedding products at an affordable price. The company makes sheets, protectors, pillows, mattresses, and bed frames. Their specialization in the bed products sector means that they have a high degree of expertise.

Not much is known about the history of Weekender Bedding. But their affordability and high-quality products are unmatched in the industry. You can find any type of pillow on the company’s website. However, combination sleepers will want to look at their shredded memory foam and gel memory foam options.

Buyer’s Guide for Choosing The Right Pillows for Combination Sleepers

​By considering all of the features listed below, you can be assured to find a pillow that will work for your body and combination sleeping.

Size

Your pillow size is very important. You should purchase a pillow that will fit your bed and sleeping style. Combination sleepers need to consider a slightly larger pillow because moving during the night means that you need to have a large enough pillow to support you. You don’t want to accidentally fall off of your pillow when moving during the night. That will not help you get a restful night’s sleep.

There are six different sizes available for pillows in the United States. The most common pillow sizes you will find are standard, queen, and king. Like mattresses and sheets, the size increases as you go from standard to queen to king pillows. See the chart below for the normal dimensions of pillows of these sizes.

There are also a few other pillow sizes that you may find in your research. Small pillows are typically used as a specialized pillow. They are great for bed decorations or to support a body part. Super standard pillows are slightly longer than a standard sized pillow, which makes them great for combination sleepers. You may also run into Euro sized pillows. These are not recommended for sleeping, and should be used as decorations.

We will also help you decide between the sizes available to you.

Shape

The majority of pillows in the U.S. have a rectangular shape. These are highly recommended for any type of sleeper, but especially combination sleepers. Rectangular pillows are long enough to support your head as you switch between both sides, stomach, and back. So, we highly recommended having a dedicated, rectangular pillow if you are a combination sleeper.

Although they are not recommended for combination sleepers, there are a few other pillow shapes that you may see. All of these shaped pillows have their uses other than sleeping. Square pillows are common for decorative pillows. If you like having a number of smaller pillows on your bed, then square pillows are a great bet. They can also be good for back support when sitting.

Wedge pillows and bolsters/rolls are specifically designed for certain body parts or functions. Wedge pillows are often used therapeutically for pain support. Hey, may fit under a limber or behind your head or neck. Rolls and bolsters are often used behind your lower back. They offer extra support for people—like pregnant women—who need it. Neither of these types of pillows should be the sole pillow for a combination sleeper. They are often too small and specialized to work well for multiple sleeping positions.

Loft

The word loft is used to describe the thickness—or height—of a pillow. Pillows with a higher loft will make your head higher, while pillows with a low loft will be closer to the mattress. To say it in another way, high loft pillows are the thickest while low loft pillows are the thinnest. The loft is not really that confusing once you get the hang of it. The chart below describes the thickness level for the thee types of the loft: low, medium, and high.  

The loft is one of the hardest pillow aspects for a combination sleeper to decide on. This is because different lofts are better for the various sleep types. For example, stomach sleepers should choose a low loft pillow because it doesn’t raise their heads too much. On the other hand, side sleepers need the cushioning of a high loft pillow.

But, what loft should you purchase if you lay on your stomach and side? In that case, you may want to consider a medium loft pillow. This type of loft works for most sleeping types, and will support you in a variety of positions. Yet, you should always try a new loft out before you buy.

Another great choice for the combination sleeper is a pillow with an adjustable loft. Obviously, you cannot adjust the loft as you sleep. However, this feature allows you to choose a loft that will work for your specific body and sleeping preferences. To know if a particular loft works for you, make sure that your neck and spine are comfortably aligned. You should not wake up with any back or neck pain. If you do, you need a pillow with a different loft.

Video explains how to choose a pillow loft:

Materials

Of all of the features you can find in pillows, materials are the most numerous. It used to be that all pillows were made from just down and feathers. However, now there are all kinds of synthetic options as well as memory foam and even natural materials like buckwheat. So, let’s look at all of the modern available pillow materials in more detail.

Buckwheat is one of the most natural and sustainable pillow materials there is, but it will come at a cost. Also, it takes about 5-10 lbs. of buckwheat hulls to fill a pillow, which some people do not like the feel of. Buckwheat is not a great pillow material for combination sleepers because it moves around a lot. So, before you commit such financial resources ensure that you enjoy the feel of buckwheat.

Down and feathers are still very common, and expensive, pillow materials. These materials usually come from ducks or geese. You can find an all-feather or all-down pillow, but often there is a combination of both down and feathers in modern pillows. These are extremely soft pillows and are a great option for a combination sleeper.

You will also occasionally find synthetic down pillows. These take away the cost of down, but they are much less durable. If you are alright replacing the pillow option, then synthetic down may be a great idea for a combination sleeper on a budget.

Latex and micro-bead pillows are less common. Latex is a natural pillow material. However, there is only one, nonadjustable loft for pillows made from latex. Micro-bead pillows are typically too small to be of much use for the combination sleeper.

The most common combination sleeper pillow is made from memory foam. This memory foam may come as a continuous sheet or shredded. Shredded memory foam is ideal for the combination sleeper because it often has an adjustable loft. Plus, it can be moved around to create the height differences combination sleepers need in their pillows. If you want a soft pillow that provides support in any sleeping position, then the shredded memory foam pillow is the way to go. A single sheet of memory foam will also work, but it will not be as adjustable as the shredded memory foam.

To learn more about different pillow materials, watch this:

Cost

The cost of your pillow will depend on a few factors: material, size, brand. We’ve listed the most common price ranges per material below. The material the pillow is made from is probably the biggest factor in its price. As you can see, buckwheat, down, and memory foam are the most expensive pillow materials. Memory foam pillows have the largest cost range.

Part of the reason for the large price range for some of the materials (memory foam in particular) comes down to a couple other factors. The first is the pillow’s size. Most often, larger pillows will cost more than smaller pillows of the same material.

Also, pillows made from better quality materials will cost more than those made from lower cost materials. This is where the brand comes into play. The better known and higher quality brands will make pillows using better materials, which will raise the price.      

Moldability

Moldability is a final important factor combination sleepers need to consider in their pillows. Moldability describes the way that the pillow retains it shape when you sleep on it. There are no standardized moldability numbers, instead the pillow’s material often determines its moldability.

Moldability is an important factor especially for combination sleepers who have side sleeping as one of their preferred sleeping methods. Side sleepers tend to scrunch up the pillow, which can make the pillow lose its shape. Combination sleepers will prefer a pillow with a lot of moldability. This way the pillow will not become deformed as you switch sleeping positions throughout the night.

Best Pillows for Combination Sleepers Reviews

These twelve products are our top picks of pillow for combination sleepers. Try one—or all—of them yourself and see which one you like the best.

1. Coop Home Goods Premium Memory Foam Pillow

Coop Home Goods is one of the top pillow brands for a reason. Their Premium Memory Foam Pillow will work well for any type of sleeper. It will support your head, neck, and back no matter the position, so this makes it an ideal choice for the combination sleeper.

Some of the features that make the Coop Home Goods Premium Memory Foam Pillow special include its bamboo derived cover, which is machine washable and will keep you cool as you sleep. The loft on this pillow is fully adjustable, which means that you can make the pillow’s height work specifically for your body. Finally, the memory foam interior on the pillow conforms to your unique shape. For comfort and health, choose the Coop Home Goods Premium Memory Foam Pillow.

To learn more about this pillow and how to adjust its loft, watch this video:

2. Snuggle-Pedic Original Ultra-Luxury Bamboo Pillow

Snuggle-Pedic is another very popular pillow manufacturer. Their Original Ultra-Luxury Bamboo Pillow illustrates what makes their products so great. It is also made from shredded memory foam. Shredded memory foam works to keep you cool while you sleep, and Snuggle-Pedic claims that it never goes flat.

Also, this pillow is 100% made in the USA, so you know that it is a good quality product. There are no zippers on the Original Ultra-Luxury Bamboo Pillow, which cuts down on the fuss. Plus, all of the materials are hypoallergenic and dust mite resistant. Snuggle-Pedic cares about you and the environment, and so they have designed a pillow that is both eco-friendly and fully supportive for the combination sleeper.

To view the Snuggle-Pedic Original Ultra-Luxury Memory Foam Pillow in use, visit this video:

3. Weekender Ventilated Gel Memory Foam Pillow

For our first non-shredded memory foam pillow, we give you the Weekender Ventilated Gel Memory Foam Pillow. This pillow uses a flat piece of memory foam infused with gel. The gel helps regulated the temperature of the pillow and keep you cool. The sheet of memory foam conforms to your body, which will support combination sleepers well.

The Weekender Ventilated Gel Memory Foam Pillow is another pillow that does not have an adjustable loft. Instead, the loft is fixed at 5 inches, which is in the middle of the loft range. Weekender offers a 3-year US warranty on their pillow.

Video of the Weekender Ventilated Gel Memory Foam Pillow can be found here:

4. SleepJoy ViscoFresh Advanced Contour Pillow

SleepJoy ViscoFresh Advanced Contour Pillow is an unusual pillow that is perfect for the combination sleeper. This is a special product that is contoured with a neck bolster and neck cradle. The neck bolster supports your neck when you are sleeping on your back. The neck cradle places your chin to the side when sleeping on your stomach. Because both positions are addressed in the SleepJoy ViscoFresh, it is easy for combination sleepers to switch between them.

Other great features of this pillow include SleepJoy’s use of natural green tea, which takes away all foam and chemical odors. The fabric is 100% polyester, so it is both comfortable and ventilating. Also, there are two covers, the outer one can be removed and washed, the internal one protects the inside of the pillow.

Watch this video for more information:

5. Allo Shredded Memory Foam Pillow

Allo’s Shredded Memory Foam Pillow is adjustable, hypoallergenic, and has a bamboo rayon cover. It is filled with 20% polyurethane fibers and 80% shredded memory foam. The materials in the Allo pillow keep it soft while allowing maximum support in all sleeping positions. Because the loft is adjusted as well, it makes the Allo Shredded Memory Foam Pillow perfect for combination sleepers.

Allo has made their Shredded Memory Foam Pillow with a no-shift construction. This means that the memory foam in the pillow will never go flat or permanently shift as you sleep. Non-shift technology is very important for the combination sleeper, who tends to move a lot during the night.

Finally, Allo offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee to protect your purchase of the Shredded Memory Foam Pillow.

6. RENPHO Bed Pillows

The two pack of RENPHO Bed Pillows is part of their hotel collection. Therefore, they are designed to be super soft, and use a down alternative as the filling material. Down alternatives tend to not be as durable as other filling materials; however, while you have the pillow it will be very comfortable.

The RENPHO Bed Pillows have machine washable, 100% cotton covers. The cotton in addition to the down alternative filling makes for an extremely comfortable and soft sleeping experience. The loft of these pillows is quite high, which provides support for all sleeping positions. If you are a combination sleeper and want a luxurious pillow, this is the one for you.

7. WENERSI Premium Goose Down Pillows

If you want a great night sleep, try WENERSI’s Premium Goose Down Pillows. These products use a filling blend of 85% white goose feather and 15% white goose down. Although the filling uses feathers, you will not feel any crunchiness under your head. The cover of the pillows is 100% cotton and has a distinctive piped silver edge. WENESI’s use of cotton for the cover ensures a breathable pillow—that doesn’t get too hot—that is machine washable.

Combination sleepers will love the feel of the goose down and feathers in this pillow. They will also appreciate that the pillow molds to their head and neck and provides gentle support as they sleep. If you want a pillow that is luxuriously soft and doesn’t support you too much, this is the product for you.

8. Triple Cloud Premium Luxury Pillows for Sleeping

Triple Cloud has provided the best in affordable shredded memory foam pillows with their Premium Luxury Pillows for Sleeping. This product is best for side, back, or combination sleepers. It has a hypoallergenic, cooling outer cover and a protective smooth liner to increase the durability of the pillow. Plus, the entire pillow is breathable and will not heat up too much during the night.

Combination sleepers will love this pillow because Triple Cloud has designed the shape of the shredded memory foam to provide the ultimate support. Plus, because they use memory foam, Triple Cloud has been able to create a pillow that will mold into any shape you need, which is perfect for the combination sleeper.

9. Simply Sova Premium Bamboo Pillow

Simply Sova’s Premium Bamboo Pillow is another fully adjustable product. You can customize the loft and firmness of this pillow to your own sleeping style and preferences. The customizability of the Simply Sova Premium Bamboo Pillow makes it a great choice for the combination sleeper.

Simply Sova claims that their Premium Bamboo Pillow will provide hotel-quality softness, while still giving you all of the support you need. And, the memory foam is completely CertiPUR-EU certified, so you do not have to worry about allergies, dust mites, or bacteria.

Simply Sova’s pillow ranks high on lists of the best pillows for combination sleepers. 

10. Homitt Memory Foam Pillow for Sleeping

Homitt’s Memory Foam Pillow for Sleeping is another shredded memory foam pillow for combination sleepers. Memory foam will support a variety of sleeping positions because it conforms to your unique body shape. So, this is why it shows up as a pillow material most often here.

Additionally, the Homitt Memory Foam Pillow for Sleepers has a cover that 60% polyester and 40% viscose rayon derived from bamboo, so it will not smell and is machine washable. There will also not be any deformation with Homitt’s pillow, which another big plus for combination sleepers.

11. Italian Luxury Quilted Pillow (2 pack)

Italian Luxury has made a seriously luxurious and supportive pillow for combination sleepers with their Luxury Quilted Pillow (2 pack). This product is hotel quality and is made of a gel and fiber filling. The gel and fiber filling will be supportive a soft; however, you can not adjust the loft of this pillow.

Additionally, the Italian Luxury pillow is dust mite, mold, and mildew resistant. And, you will never have to worry about a bad smell because the pillows are an allergen and chemical free. Enjoy the extra comfort of the double layer quilted cover and 30-day satisfaction guarantee of this product.

12. Veook Shredded Memory Foam Adjustable Pillows

The final great pillow for combination sleepers on our list is the Veook Shredded Memory Foam Adjustable Pillows. This product is CertiPUR-US certified and is designed specifically for back and side sleepers. Combination sleepers for these positions can also comfortably use the Veook Shredded Memory Foam pillows.

These pillows will work just as well for men, women, and children, so buy a set for everyone in the family. The shredded memory foam is hypoallergenic. Also, the filling itself is made from 70% memory foam and 30% soft sponge. So, these pillows are softer than those made from 100% memory foam. If you want to support and comfort, the Veook Shredded Memory Foam Adjustable Pillows are a great product to try out.

Conclusion

Combination sleepers like options. They want to be able to sleep in a variety of positions throughout the night. If you are a combination sleeper, we have presented a lot of great pillow options in this article. Now you should have the tools to purchase one of the best pillows for combination sleepers available to you.

No longer do combination sleepers have to worry about being supported in every sleeping position. With the information and list of twelve recommended products, we have given you the tools you need to purchase a great pillow for yourself. Try one—or more—of the pillows from the list above today, and we guarantee that you will be shocked by the quality of your sleep.

FAQs

Q: What is combination sleeping?

A: Combination sleeping and combo sleeping are the same things. I just want to say that to be a combo sleeper doesn't necessarily mean that you sleep in every single sleeping position. You can be a back and side sleeper, a stomach and side sleeper, really any kind of combination of sleeping positions. Combo sleeping basically means that you sleep in more than one position.

Q: Is it OK to sleep with a flat pillow? Stomach sleepers want to know is it OK to sleep with no pillow at all?

A: At the end of the day, your pillow's most important role is to promote neutral spine alignment. Back and stomach sleepers may find that this can be achieved using a flat pillow or even no pillow at all. As long as your chin is in line with your sternum, your ears are in line with shoulders that means that you've got neutral spine alignment. You're keeping a healthy sleeping posture

With side sleepers on the other hand, like I said you generally need I higher lofted pillow so not a flat pillow in order to maintain neutral spine alignment, but also relieve pressure at the shoulder as well.

Q: Should my shoulders be on my pillow when I'm sleeping?

A: With side sleepers on the other hand, like I said you generally need I higher lofted pillow so not a flat pillow in order to maintain neutral spine alignment, but also relieve pressure at the shoulder as well.

For back and side sleepers, I encourage you to experiment with this allowing the top of your shoulder to rest at the bottom of the pillow. In my experience, particularly for side sleeping, it can serve to relieve a little bit of pressure and even promote better spine alignment when you've got your top of your shoulders rested on the base of the pillow.