How many pillows should you sleep with? A guide by sleep position

Most people need one sleeping pillow under their head, as long as it is the right height for the way they sleep. A second pillow is optional: many people use it to adjust height, to hug when lying on their side, or between or under the knees. Beyond that, extra pillows on a bed are usually decorative.

How many pillows by sleep position

The aim is the same in each case: your head should sit roughly in line with your spine, without being pushed up or tipped down. Many people find the number of pillows matters less than whether the total height suits them. For more on height and firmness, see soft, medium or firm pillow.

Side sleepers

Side sleepers need the most height under the head, because the pillow has to fill the gap between the ear and the mattress, which is roughly the width of the shoulder. One full, firm pillow can do this. Two thinner pillows stacked also work and let you fine tune the height by swapping one out. Many side sleepers also like a pillow between the knees or one to hug, which stops the top arm and leg rolling forward. See what to look for in a pillow for side sleepers.

Back sleepers

Back sleepers usually do well with a single medium pillow that fills the curve behind the neck without pushing the chin towards the chest. Two pillows stacked under the head is often too much height for lying on your back. Some back sleepers also like a pillow under the knees, which many people find more comfortable.

Stomach sleepers

Lying face down needs the least height. A thick pillow turns the head up and back, so stomach sleepers often use one thin, soft pillow or none at all. Some put a flat pillow under the hips instead.

Do hotels let you choose your pillow?

Many good hotels let you pick your pillow rather than handing every guest the same one. In our review of pillows at 42 hotels, 13 of 42 (31%) published a pillow menu, with a median of seven options to choose from. The basic choice is soft or firm, and firm usually means more fill: ibis sells its pillow at 800 g soft and 1,000 g firm, Pullman at 1,000 g and 1,650 g. Side sleepers usually pick firm, back and stomach sleepers soft.

At home a second pillow is useful if you share a bed, change position during the night, or have not yet settled on the right height. For the rest of the hotel bed, see how to make your bed like a hotel.

Sleeping pillows vs decorative pillows

Many beds carry more pillows than anyone sleeps on. It helps to separate them:

• Sleeping pillows are filled and sized for your head and covered in washable pillowcases. Most people use one or two.
• Euro squares (often 66 x 66 cm, or 26 x 26 inches, in North America) stand at the back against the headboard. They are mostly for looks, though some people use them to sit up and read.
• Decorative cushions and bolsters add colour and shape, and come off the bed at night.

A common styled layout is two Euro squares at the back, two to four sleeping pillows in front, and one or two cushions. If the pile becomes a chore every night, the decorative layer is the part to cut. For the shapes and sizes in more detail, see pillow types and sizes explained.

Signs you are using the wrong number

• You wake up with your arm folded under the pillow to prop your head higher.
• You push a pillow off the bed during the night.
• Your chin tips towards your chest when you lie on your back.
• You keep folding or bunching the pillow to get comfortable.

Any of these suggests the total height is off. Try adding, removing or swapping one pillow for a week before deciding. If you find yourself stacking because one pillow has gone flat, it may simply need replacing.