Pillow Loft Explained: How High Should Your Pillow Be?
Pillow loft is one of the most important things to get right when you choose a pillow, and one of the least often explained. Shoppers talk about size and filling, and firmness gets plenty of attention, but loft, the height of the pillow when it is in use, is what decides whether your head and neck sit in a comfortable line or tilt up or down all night.
This guide explains what loft means, how it is different from firmness, how to estimate the loft you need for your sleeping position and body shape, and how to test a pillow at home. We also explain why loft is hard to compare when you shop online, and what you can do about it.
What is pillow loft?
Loft is the thickness or height of a pillow. In the bedding trade it often describes how much a filling “puffs up”, and shoppers use it more simply to mean how tall a pillow sits on the bed. A high-loft pillow is tall and full; a low-loft pillow is thin and flat; mid-loft sits in between.
What matters for sleep is not the loft in the packaging, but the loft under your head. Soft pillows compress when you lie on them, so a pillow that looks tall on a shelf may flatten considerably overnight. A firmer pillow holds more of its height. That is why two pillows of apparently similar height can feel completely different in use.
The reason loft matters is alignment. The goal for most sleepers, according to guidance from the National Sleep Foundation reported by Medical News Today, is to keep the head in a neutral position so that the neck is not bent up, down or sideways for hours. Too little loft lets the head drop; too much pushes it up.
Loft vs firmness: two different things
People often use “firm” and “high” as if they mean the same thing. They do not.
- Loft is height. It answers: how far does this pillow lift my head from the mattress?
- Firmness is resistance. It answers: how much does this pillow push back when I lie on it?
A pillow can be tall and soft, such as a very full down pillow that sinks as you lie on it. It can also be thin and firm, or tall and firm. When you are comparing pillows, you need both pieces of information. Our guide to choosing pillow firmness covers the second half of the picture, and this article is about the first.
Loft by sleeping position
Your sleeping position is the biggest factor in how much loft you need. As a general guide:
Side sleepers: more loft
When you lie on your side, there is a gap between your ear and the mattress that is created mainly by the width of your shoulder. A pillow needs to fill that gap so your neck stays level. Side sleepers usually need a medium to high loft that does not collapse. Our dedicated guide, the best pillow for side sleeping, goes into this in detail.
Back sleepers: medium loft
On your back, the gap between your head and the mattress is smaller. A medium-loft pillow that supports the neck without pushing the head forward usually works best. Too much loft tips your chin towards your chest. See our back sleeping pillow guide for more.
Stomach sleepers: low loft
Front sleepers need the least loft, because their face is already close to the mattress, and a tall pillow bends the neck backwards. Our guide to the best pillow for stomach sleepers explains why soft and thin is the usual advice.
Combination sleepers: a compromise
If you change position during the night, one pillow has to work for all of them. That usually means a medium loft that is adaptable rather than extreme in either direction. We cover this in the best pillow for combination sleepers guide, and our overview of the best pillow for your sleeping position puts all four together.
These are general patterns, not rules. Bodies vary, and so does comfort. A back sleeper with a rounded upper back may prefer more loft than average, for instance.
Shoulders, build and mattress
Position is the starting point, but three other things shift the answer.
Shoulder width
The broader your shoulders, the bigger the gap a side sleeper needs to fill, and the more loft you will need. A person with narrow shoulders may find a tall pillow forces their head upwards.
Neck length and build
A longer neck and a bigger frame can call for a taller pillow. A smaller frame often suits a lower one. This is one reason children’s pillows are lower, as we explain in our guide to pillows for children.
Mattress softness
On a soft mattress, your shoulders sink in, which reduces the gap between your head and the bed. That means a side sleeper on a soft mattress may need less loft than the same person on a firm one. If you change mattress, it is worth re-checking your pillow.
What affects a pillow’s loft
Several features of a pillow decide how tall it sits and how well it keeps its height.
- The amount of filling. More filling means more loft. Two pillows of the same size can differ a lot in height simply because one is packed fuller.
- The type of filling. Feather and down feel light and lofty but compress easily. Synthetic fibres can feel springy. Heavy, dense fillings keep their height better but can feel firm. Our Pillow Filling Guide and feather vs synthetic pillows article compare these in more detail.
- The construction. A box-edge pillow has a fabric wall around the sides which adds height to the edges, and helps the pillow hold its shape. Quilting stitches through the cover and filling, which holds the fill in place rather than letting it migrate to the sides. Learn more in what is a box-edge pillow and what is a quilted pillow.
- The age of the pillow. Loft is not permanent. Every pillow loses height with use, which is why a pillow that once suited you can stop suiting you. See how to fluff a pillow for ways to restore it, and when to replace pillows for the point at which restoration stops working.
How to test loft at home
You do not need special equipment to find out whether your current pillow has the right loft. These checks take a few minutes.
The side-on photo check
Lie on your side in your normal sleeping position with your head on the pillow. Ask someone to take a photo from behind or from the front, level with your head. Look at the line from the middle of your head down through your neck to your spine. It should look roughly straight. If your head tilts down towards the mattress, the pillow is too low. If it tilts up away from your shoulder, it is too high.
The back check
Lie on your back and have a photo taken from the side. Your chin should sit roughly level, not tucked into your chest and not tipped back. If you can see your neck flexing forwards, the pillow is too tall.
The morning check
Your body is often the best test. If you regularly wake with a stiff or sore neck, the pillow’s loft is one possible cause, and one of the easiest to change. It is not the only possible cause. If pain is severe, lasts, or comes with numbness or tingling, speak to your GP.
The pillow-stacking trick
If you are not sure whether you need more or less loft, try stacking a thin folded towel under your current pillow for a few nights to add height, or using a slimmer pillow to reduce it. It is a low-cost way to learn which direction to move in before you buy.
Give it time
A new pillow takes a few nights to feel normal, especially if you are changing loft significantly. Natural fillings in particular can feel tall at first and settle as you use them. Give each change at least a week, unless it is clearly causing pain.
Judging loft when you shop online
Loft is hard to compare when you cannot lie on the pillow, and many retailers do not list pillow heights in centimetres. It is also true of our own listings: the size shown on a Pillow Store product page, such as a standard 48 x 74 cm pillow, describes the length and width, not the thickness, and the specifications we show are guide details that are confirmed with the supplier. Rather than guess, use these clues.
- Read the support or firmness description. Terms like “soft”, “medium” and “medium-firm” tell you a lot about how a pillow will behave under your head.
- Look at the filling. Fine synthetic fibres and down-rich natural fillings generally feel softer and flatter under load than dense or feather-heavy fillings.
- Consider the construction. A box edge or gusset usually means more height and a more structured feel.
- Match the position. The product descriptions on our site mention which sleepers each pillow tends to suit, for example medium-firm support for side sleepers on the Box-edge Pillow and soft support on the Duck Feather & Down Pillow.
- Ask. If you are unsure, contact us and we will help where we can.
For more general guidance on choosing between pillow types, read how to choose a pillow UK and the Pillow Buying Guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good pillow loft?
There is no single good loft. It depends on your sleeping position, shoulder width, build and mattress. As a broad rule, side sleepers need more, back sleepers a medium amount and front sleepers the least.
Is a high-loft pillow better?
Not automatically. A high-loft pillow is a good fit for many side sleepers but pushes the head too far up for most back and front sleepers. The right loft is the one that keeps your neck in a neutral position for you.
How do I know if my pillow is too high or too low?
If your head tilts up or your chin pushes towards your chest, it is too high. If your head sags towards the mattress, it is too low. A photo taken while you are lying down is often the clearest way to see it.
Does pillow loft change over time?
Yes. Every pillow compresses with use, and natural and synthetic fillings alike lose height. Regular plumping slows the process but cannot reverse it forever.
Can I change the loft of a pillow I already own?
You can adjust things a little by plumping it, folding a towel under it to raise it, or using a second thinner pillow to lower it. For bigger changes, you will probably need a different pillow.
What is the difference between loft and size?
Size is the footprint of the pillow, such as 48 x 74 cm. Loft is its thickness. See our UK pillow sizes explained guide for the footprint side of the question.
The bottom line
Loft is the height that decides whether your neck sits in a straight line while you sleep. Match it to your position, shoulder width and mattress, test it with a photo or a few nights of trial, and remember that it changes as the pillow ages. If you are replacing a pillow, bear in mind what suited you about the old one and what did not.
Ready to compare? Browse our pillow collection and read the product descriptions for support levels and construction details.
Sources
This guide is general information about comfort and is not medical advice. If you have ongoing pain or other symptoms, speak to your GP.